The Visual Arts in WA 

Western Australia is earning a global reputation as an epicentre for world-class public art. Our remote and regional Aboriginal Australian artists are bringing vibrancy and economic sustainability to their regions and communities and attracting the attention of serious art buyers globally. And Western Australian visual artists are rising to the challenges of the new, online world of arts marketing and sales to take their place in the global gallery. FutureNow works closely with our partners in the Visual Art and Design sectors to examine trends and identify opportunities to promote and support this vital workforce.

Our Industry Partners

FutureNow collaborates with organisations across the Visual Art and Design sectors. In particular, we wish to thank the following partner organisations, who maintain representation on our Board and Industry Advisory Group:

• John Curtin Gallery
• Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub WA
• Artsource
• FORM
• Regional Arts WA
• Community Arts Network
• Australian Graphic Design Association
• Design Institute of Australia
• North Metropolitan TAFE

Current Projects

FutureNow collaborated with peak body Aboriginal Art Centre Hub WA (AACHWA) in 2019-20 to explore solutions to barriers preventing artists, arts workers and art centre managers living in Western Australia's remote aboriginal communities from accessing vital training opportunities that support the sustainable growth of the Aboriginal visual arts industry.
FutureNow produced a simple issues mapping paper with industry, which underpinned a project to establish traineeship pathways for the sector across the state. These traineeships are now being accessed in the Southwest, Geraldton and Pilbara regions. FutureNow is working with stakeholders throughout industry to explore ways to make the traineeships accessible to a wider cohort.

Training and Education

Most TAFEs and universities in Western Australia offer a range of courses around Visual Arts and Design. North Metropolitan TAFE has earned a reputation as an epicentre for quality training in these fields and a number of their qualifications articulate into Bachelor level offerings across WA’s universities.

Artists in particular access a range of short courses through the sector’s peak bodies including Artsource, Community Arts Network and FORM.

Read our latest Visual Arts and Design Industry Snapshot.

​CUA Creative Arts and Culture Training Package

Training package qualifications are developed through a process of national consultation with industry. They are occupational skills standards against which training delivery and assessment of competency can take place. FutureNow works with our industry partners across Western Australia to provide current industry advice into the development of new Visual Art and Design training package products.

• Access the current CUA Creative Arts and Culture Training package.
• Learn about the Australian Industry Skills Committee.
• Learn about the Industry Reference Committee for the Creative Arts and Culture industries.
• Learn about PwC Skills for Australia, the Skills Service Organisation for the Creative Arts and Culture industries.  

Current Visual Arts and Design Training Projects

​The following projects are currently underway for the CUA Creative Arts and Culture training package. Follow the links below for updates: 

Project 22A Virtual and hybrid events and creative products

Project 22B Working with confronting material

Subscribe to FutureNow’s eNewsletter for updates on current industry consultations for Training Package development.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

​Apprenticeships and traineeships provide a way to combine training with a job, enabling the student to work towards a nationally recognised qualification whilst earning a wage. Whilst no Visual Art and Design traineeships exist within the CUA Creative Arts and Culture suite of qualifications, a number are available in broader Design areas such as civil construction design, interior and industrial design.

Access the current list of traineeships and apprenticeships available in Western Australia.

​VET Delivered to Secondary Students

FutureNow works with industry to provide current advice on the suitability of vocational Visual Art and Design qualifications for delivery to secondary students. This advice is collated and updated annually into the VET Qualifications Register for Secondary Students by the Department of Training and Workforce Development.

Access the current VET Qualifications Register for Secondary Students.