LWP Property group is the developer of Ellenbrook, the fastest growing and most awarded new urban community in Western Australia.
LWP Property group is the developer of Ellenbrook, the fastest growing and most awarded new urban community in Western Australia.
But rapid growth has its problems and community infrastructure is often slow to catch up to burgeoning populations.
The not-for-profit Ellenbrook Cultural Foundation aims to initiate new cultural programs at early stages in the community, encourage and fund new and existing groups and develop important arts and cultural facilities in Ellenbrook.
LWP Property Group managing director Danny Murphy said Ellenbrook was a rapidly growing city of 30,000 people, growing at a rate of 2,000 people a year.
“Because of the rapid growth, we needed to facilitate some important community development processes at an early stage of development,” he said.
“Developers often run one-off events that aren’t sustainable, but by establishing the Ellenbrook Cultural Foundation we can work closely with the community, help fund and organise a resource, commence a range of different community groups and programs in their own right.”
Mr Murphy said there already was significant sporting infrastructure around the Ellenbrook area, but no arts and culture support network.
“By engaging an executive director and constructing a number of facilities, such an arts centre and gallery, we can empower the community,” he said.
“This partnership is certainly the first of its type in Australia.”
The principal benefit to LWP from investing in the ECF is the opportunity to promote residential land sales through the ECF’s activities.
The ECF is an incorporated body and Mr Murphy said that, while a bulk of ECF’s funding came from LWP, the model was to generate other funding sources and have LWP step back.
The ECF programs so far have encompassed all art forms and catered for all ages.
They include: a photo rally; puppet workshops for kids; a youth theatre program; concerts at The Pines retirement village; community art exhibitions; a writing competition; jewellery workshops a youth music event; kite workshops and festival; dance classes; ceramics classes; Swan Valley Soirees; a partnership with the Australian Opera Studio; a visual arts program at local schools based on public art in Ellenbrook; the Ellenbrook Alive festival, community consultation; and community arts forums.
The cultural foundation’s prime focus is on bringing people together, raising their sphere of experience, energising residents, and unifying the community through the vehicle of cultural development.
Part of the ECF’s role is to consult with the community and start new programs according to interest areas. The areas the foundation supports have an arts or cultural focus and are for the benefit of residents and Ellenbrook as a whole.
