At PICA we recognise that we are situated within the unceded lands of the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation. We pay our respects and offer our gratitude to Elders past and present, and to those emerging leaders in the community. We acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the importance of their care and continued connection to culture, community and Country.

Always was, always will be.

We are closed today. Our exhibitions are always free.

Access & Facilities

PICA strives to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone to enjoy contemporary art and performances. We have a range of facilities and services to meet peoples’ access needs.

Visual Story: How to access PICA and what to expect

See our step-by-step visual and written guide for visitors and learn what to expect on your visit. This helpful guide takes you through every space in the building and includes images of each space.

Please look for these icons within the event pages throughout the site.

Access Symbols

Please look for these icons within the event pages throughout the site.

  • The Companion Card
    Admits carers to shows as complimentary guests. Holders of this card are welcome to attend any performance presented by PICA. All companion card bookings must be made over the phone or in person at PICA.
  • Audio Description
    PICA is partnering with DADAA to offer Audio Description services for selected exhibitions and performances through the Access All Arts program. Audio Description enhances live performance and visual art for people who are blind or vision impaired. An Audio Describer delivers a verbal description of the visual elements via a personal headset.
  • Assistive access
    This symbol indicates that assistance from a Companion is likely necessary for wheelchair users to navigate a space.
  • 50 eye
    May have music or sounds in the background. Open caption, scripts and descriptions are provided.
  • Wheelchair accessible
    This indicates that the venue/location is accessible for people with limited mobility, including wheelchairs. If this symbol is not listed on an event, access may be limited, so please contact us for more informatio
  • Large print texts
    Large print versions of texts accompanying exhibitions and performances are available from Front of House upon request.
  • Tactile Tours
    PICA is proud to offer Tactile Tour for various exhibitions and events. Tactile Tours involve participants exploring the exhibition with a trained Guide as they journey through informed discussion, touch and sound. The Guide will offer verbal descriptions of the artworks during the tour to visitors who are vision impaired or blind.
  • 75 eye
    No music or sounds. Access to spoken word provided by open caption and/or script.
  • 100 eye
    No music or dialogue, or all dialogue is open captioned
  • Auslan Interpreting
    Auslan interpreting is provided at a number of our talks, performances and events.

Cultural Centre Level

Pedestrian entrances to the Perth Cultural Centre are wide and paved along the Perth Train Station concourse, James Street, Francis Street and Beaufort Street.

PICA is located on the mid-level of the precinct.

PICA Entrance

The main entrance to PICA is opposite The Blue Room Theatre. Entry is through wide front gates and sliding glass doors.

An alternative entry is available via the ramp into PICA Bar and through double doors leading to the PICA Hub on the ground floor. The double doors are 1.7 metres wide.

Information Desk & Box Office

Our front desk is located on the ground floor at PICA’s entrance.

Our gallery staff can answer questions about the exhibitions and how to access the galleries, toilets or other facilities. Performance tickets can be purchased at the front desk.

Cloaking

Cloaking is available for free at the front desk.

Cloaking is optional for visitors, with the exception of larger items (e.g., suitcases or skateboards).

Toilets & Baby Change Facilities

On the first floor, accessible toilets are equipped with handrails, an automatic soap dispenser and an assistance alarm. The bathroom door is manual.

Baby change facilities are available in the accessible toilet on the first floor.

On the ground floor, toilets are available at PICA Bar.

Route to the toilets

The first floor toilets are accessed from a corridor off the mezzanine balcony. The door to the corridor is 86cm wide. The corridor surface is a low-pile carpet.

The ground floor toilets can be accessed through the double doors into PICA Bar. There are hardwood floors to the toilets.

Nearby accessible toilets

The Perth Cultural Centre has an automated Exceloo toilet at the Cultural Centre car park and the Citiplace Rest Centre.

Exhibition Spaces

On the ground floor, is the double-height Central Gallery with open views to the floor above. It is connected to two smaller open-plan exhibition spaces.

On the first floor is the large West End Gallery, accessed via two sets of double doors (on either end of the gallery), and a smaller open-plan screen space for video artworks.

There is a mezzanine balcony on the first floor overlooking the empty space above the Central Gallery, which is occasionally used as an exhibition space.

Along the balcony are doors leading to separate rooms used as studio spaces for resident artists or as additional exhibition spaces.

There are low padded vinyl benches throughout the gallery spaces where visitors are able to sit and rest and view the works.

Performance Space & Seating

PICA’s Performance Space has a capacity of 105 seated visitors. It can be accessed via a double-door entrance on the ground floor to the right of the foyer. The double doors are 1.82 metres wide.

The space opens to a lower level down five steps, or via a wheelchair lift to the right of the steps. The lift is 1.01 metres wide x 1.4 metres long, with a capacity of 315 kilograms. It can accommodate one person in a chair and one attendant or three people.

There is a corridor from the steps and lift to the seating bank, which is 1 metre wide at its narrowest point.

To access the seats at the back of the seating bank, there are nine steps up on the right or 17 steps up on the left, with a handrail on the outer side. The front row of seats is accessible from ground level.

Seating

Each seat has a depth of 0.4 metres and a varying width of 0.37–0.40 metres. The back of the seat is 0.45 metres high. The distance from the seat to the floor is 0.43 metres. The distance between the seat’s edge to the row in front is 0.73 metres.

Accessible seating for people using mobility aids or wheelchairs and their companions is available in the front row of PICA’s Performance Space. Please see our Access Services & Resources section below for further information.

PICA Hub (Activity Space)

The PICA Hub is on the ground floor and between the front desk and PICA Bar, which can be accessed via double doors. These doors are open to PICA Bar from 11am–5pm during gallery hours, weather and sound levels permitting.

We offer free art activities for families and people of all ages at the hub as part of every exhibition. It’s often used for workshops, talks and other small community events. 

Wheelchair & Pram Access

The main entrance to PICA and alternative entry via PICA Bar are wheelchair accessible.

All levels of the PICA building and gallery spaces are accessible via lift.

The hardwood and board floors of the galleries are suitable for mobility aids. 

Lifts

A lift near the main front entrance provides access to the ground floor and first floor. It is 6 metres to the right of the sliding glass doors on the level surface.

The lift is accessible for different types of mobility aids. It is 2.2 metres x 0.88 metres between the handrails on each side.

Performance Space

To access PICA’s Performance Space, there is a lift 2 metres to the right of the Performance Space entrance. The lift is 1.01 metres wide x 1.4 metres long, with a capacity of 315 kilograms. It can accommodate one person in a chair and one attendant or three people.

Stairs

The ground floor can be accessed by stairs from the front entrance with five steps and handrails on both sides.

The first floor can be accessed by stairs from the ground floor with handrails on each side. The lower section has four steps, the middle section has 15 steps and the upper section has 9 steps.

Tactile indicators are located along handrails and the entrance to stairs.

Sensory Environment (Lighting & Sound)

Some rooms and spaces in PICA will be bright, while others may have dim lighting or be quite dark.

Spotlights are used to light artworks, which can cause reflections or glare.

PICA provides warnings for artworks or any lighting that flashes, strobes or flickers.

Sound from artworks may be heard throughout the galleries and in nearby rooms.

Some artworks are interactive and visitors are invited to participate. We ask that visitors don’t touch the artwork unless invited to do so. Interactive artworks will be clearly signed through free-standing floor signs or through the accompanying wall labels.

Each performance has specific content warnings that are noted on the website and emailed to all ticket holders in advance. They are also available on free-standing floor signs at each performance and can be located outside the Performance Space, in the foyer.

Access Services & Resources

PICA provides access services, resources and programs for our exhibitions and performances. If you have any questions about access, please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au for more information.

Accessible & Wheelchair Seating

Some rooms and spaces in PICA will be bright, while others may have dim lighting or be quite dark.

Spotlights are used to light artworks, which can cause reflections or glare.

PICA provides warnings for artworks or any lighting that flashes, strobes or flickers.

Sound from artworks may be heard throughout the galleries and in nearby rooms.

Some artworks are interactive and visitors are invited to participate. We ask that visitors don’t touch the artwork unless invited to do so. Interactive artworks will be clearly signed through free-standing floor signs or through the accompanying wall labels.

Each performance has specific content warnings that are noted on the website and emailed to all ticket holders in advance. They are also available on free-standing floor signs at each performance and can be located outside the Performance Space, in the foyer.

Audio Description 

Audio description is available for selected performances. 

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au for more information.

Auslan Interpretation

Interpretation is provided for exhibition openings and selected performances. 

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au for more information.

Braille Wayfinding 

Braille signage is in the lift and entrances to male, female and accessible toilets. 

Companion Cards

PICA accepts Companion Cards for all our performances.

When purchasing a ticket, we ask that cardholders contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au to provide their Companion Card number and expiry date. Our Box Office will then issue a complimentary ticket for their companion.

Guide & Assistance Dogs

We welcome guide and assistance dogs with full access rights.

Large Format Text 

Large text versions of all exhibition resources are available from the front desk.

Quiet Times & Low Sensory Sessions 

Low sensory sessions can be arranged upon request to provide a comfortable environment that supports children and adults with Autism and specific sensory needs.

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au to discuss your needs.

Tactile Tours 

Tours are provided in partnership with DADAA during each exhibition season. 

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au for more information.

Photography

Non-commercial photographs are welcome at PICA without the use of flash or tripods.

Applications for commercial photography, feature films or TV are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us on (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au to make a request.

Our Neighbourhood

Pair a trip to PICA with a visit to our neighbours Boola Bardip WA Museum, State Library of WA, Art Gallery of WA, The Blue Room Theatre or the State Theatre Centre of WA.

Nestled in a corner of our building is PICA Bar, where you can grab your morning coffee, lunch or evening drinks in the relaxed atmosphere of the Cultural Centre. You’ll also find lots of restaurants and local shops nearby. If you’re visiting from out of town, we encourage you to consider staying with our supporting partner, Alex Hotel.