WA scores in AbaF awards

An Aboriginal perspective of the Canning Stock Route drawn from art centres along the remote desert track has been recognised in this year’s national Australia Business Arts Foundation awards.

The Canning Stock Route Project Alliance is a partnership between Perth cultural organisation FORM, Freehills and BHP Billiton Iron Ore that explores the state’s remote desert region through a broad range of creative mediums, including Dreaming stories, painting, sculpture, film and multimedia.

With the support of the state government and the National Museum of Australia, an exhibition of the rich works from the alliance, Yiwarra Kuju, will be one of the centrepieces of the CHOGM cultural program later this month and will go on public display following the meeting.

The project is one of four WA business-arts partnerships that were highlights at AbaF’s national award ceremony, which was held in Perth this week.

The work of Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive, Sam Walsh, in advocating and contributing to the arts was rewarded with the Richard Pratt Business Arts Leadership Award.

The Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts received the AbaF Giving Award for its work in developing a new philanthropy program to attract new funds as well as media attention.

And the Water Corporation and the Art Gallery of Western Australia came away with the Visy Arts & Environment Award for their exploration of creative ways to increase awareness of water use.

AbaF WA director Henry Boston said the Western Australian winners reflected the diversity of private sector support for the arts as well as the innovative thinking from arts bodies.

The AbaF partnership of the year award went to Santos and the Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival.