Explore Australia’s place in a connected regional world and global relationships with Asia at PICA in 2026. Our exhibitions and International Studio Exchange Program—linking artists from WA, Makassar, Taiwan, Hong Kong and India—present rich opportunities for students to deepen intercultural understanding and consider global perspectives, supporting the cross-curriculum priority Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia. Two exhibitions presented with Perth Festival position art as a powerful way to broaden understandings of identity, belonging and history within the Asia–Pacific region. 

Classroom & Learning Opportunities: International Mother Language Day (22 February); Harmony Week (16-22 March); Chinese Lunar New Year (17 February) 

Innovative artworks that use new technologies are presented at PICA, creating unforgettable experiences that are multi-sensory and immersive. Students can investigate how artists combine sound, light, movement and texture to shape meaning and engage audiences. Boundary-crossing works encourage interdisciplinary thinking, supporting students to connect knowledge and skills across The Arts, Science, and Technologies.  

Classroom & Learning Opportunities: National Science Week (16- 22 August); National Water Week (20-26 Oct) 

At PICA, students are supported to engage with First Nations perspectives, truth-telling and connection to Country through contemporary Aboriginal art and storytelling. They can develop intercultural understanding and an appreciation of the worldviews, knowledges and creative practices that shape Australia today, linking with the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. Through this experience, students can deepen understanding of protocols for responsibly engaging with and presenting First Nations knowledge and cultural property and art. 

Classroom & Learning Opportunities: National Sorry Day (26 May); Anniversary of 1967 Referendum (27 May); Reconciliation Week (27 May-3 June); Mabo Day (3 June); World Oceans Day (8 June) 

Explore how contemporary Australian artists represent the diverse perspectives, experiences and communities that shape our nation and place in the world. Students can analyse how artists use materials, techniques and processes to communicate meaning, express identity and respond to social, cultural and historical contexts — including globalisation and migration, the ongoing impacts of colonisation, digital transformation and environmental change. They are encouraged to reflect on how Australian artists affirm and challenge viewpoints, contributing to global conversations about a changing, interconnected world. 

Learning Opportunities: Harmony Week (16-23 March); Reconciliation Week (27 May-3 June); International Youth Day (12 August); National Science Week (16- 22 August) 

Exhibitions engaging with local community contexts across Western Australia provide opportunities for students to explore place and civic participation. Students can investigate the role of art in society and how it reflects, shapes and sustains communities, contributing to healthy local environments. Aligning with Sustainability and Civics and Citizenship, the exhibitions foster a sense of belonging and responsibility, prompting reflection about our connections to local settings. Encouraging students to recognise their own capacity to meaningfully contribute to community, the exhibition supports them to become active, informed and creative citizens.  

Exhibitions with a shared focus on water, highlight connections between human and natural systems, aligning with the cross-curriculum priority of Sustainability. Students can explore how artists express social and cultural relationships to water and experiment with visual conventions to represent movement and flow. 

Learning Opportunities: World Water Day (22 March); World Meteorological Day (23 March); World Oceans Day (8 June); National Water Week (20-26 October) 

Explore how artists engage with spatial design and respond to the sites in which artworks are created and experienced. Through site-specific and site-responsive practices, students can examine relationships between artwork, audience and space. Consider how artists use architectural, environmental and social elements to reveal connections between people and their surroundings. Build awareness of both natural and built environments, and the systems, values and histories embedded within them. Aligning with Sustainability and Design and Technologies, the exhibitions demonstrate how design thinking and spatial principles can be applied to solutions for community needs. 

Learning Opportunities: World Water Day (22 March); National Water Week (20-26 October); National Science Week (16- 22 Aug)  

Students can explore professional pathways and industry contexts in the arts and cultural sector. Exhibitions reveal the collaborative processes and teamwork involved in creating, curating and presenting artworks. They highlight career pathways connected to TAFE and tertiary studies, and through Aboriginal arts centres, regional arts organisations and active community participation.  

Aligning with Work Studies, secondary students can develop awareness of the diverse creative careers available and the skills, education and training required. For tertiary students, these experiences support professional practices, interdisciplinary collaboration and industry connections, while building awareness of cultural protocols when engaging with communities. 

Learning Opportunities: International Youth Day (12 August); National Science Week (16- 22 August)