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.

Impact

It takes a village

PICA is a registered not-for-profit entity that has proudly served the WA arts-loving community since 1991. More than 80,000 people pass through our doors each year, including over 5,000 school students of all ages, to experience exhibitions, performances, studio programs, creative learning workshops and more.  

Visitors say they come to PICA to:  

  • Have fun and be entertained 
  • Develop and learn about new approaches to art-making 
  • Understand other perspectives and cultures 
  • Be challenged 
  • Discover something new 
  • Improve their wellbeing 
  • Socialise and connect with others 
  • Support the local arts industry 
  • Be inspired 
  • Relax/take a break 

We are in awe of our passionate donors and partners. Every dollar they give goes towards making our work possible. Below is a snapshot of the collective good created because of their support. 

Donate today or to find out more about the impact donations and partnerships make at PICA please contact Anne Tunnecliffe at philanthropy@pica.org.au or 08 9228 6300 

Hatched: National Graduate Show

Hatched: National Graduate Show

‘PICA has proven to be invaluable to emerging artists. Interstate graduate shows are unique and the scale, quality and accessibility of Hatched sets PICA apart.’ 

‘I absolutely loved the training session about Vision Awareness and community accessibility. It made me think about my practice and how accessible I can make it.’

‘It was great to be part of Hatched. I enjoyed meeting and sharing experiences with all the artists, talking about their practice and the show.’

The image above is of the 2023 cohort of Hatched artists – the people who have directly benefited from the support of PICA’s Art 1000 donors. Hatched is the only national survey of newly graduated arts students in Australia and is a celebration of fresh and diverse perspectives from the rising stars of Australian contemporary art.

In addition to the exhibition, Art 1000 donations enabled PICA to create a program of bespoke artist-focused professional development activities for the exhibition artists. This includes talks, workshops, a symposium and training that provided vital opportunities for the artists to learn more about professional practice at this crucial early stage of their careers.  

In 2023, 22 of the 26 exhibiting artists from around the country converged on Perth for the opening night. 

What the audience said:

‘I loved how Hatched showcases every artist’s individuality, it’s so different yet the exhibition is still so cohesive.’

I liked the variety of artworks and the children’s activity is excellent.’

‘I liked the different issues represented.’

‘I love seeing the work of new artists.’

Agatha Gothe–Snape

Agatha Gothe-Snape

‘The history of PICA deserves risks to be taken and those risks can only be taken when there is a feeling of support. It was a great honour to swim around in PICA’s archives and to test myself after twenty years of practice.

I feel much more confident in my work knowing I was supported to achieve my vision. It was an honour to work with PICA in this way.’

A major gift by the Ungar Family Foundation provided PICA with the opportunity to take a bold step in 2024 and commission one of Australia’s most famous artists, Agatha Gothe-Snape, to transform our once black box performance space into a sunlit and welcoming foyer space.

Agatha spent time deep-diving into PICA’s archives and in close conversation with our current and past staff to draw inspiration for this major new site-specific commission. Her unique ability to engage with people and place enabled her to distil PICA’s 30-plus years of relationships, history and programming into a single space that holds many stories and welcomes many experiences. 

What the audience said:

‘What a wonderful new foyer. Spacious and welcoming.’

‘It looks great. I love the arches and all the green.’

‘It’s a truly very thoughtful design.’

Bruno Booth

Bruno Booth

‘I’m grateful to the PICA Art Commissioners for their generous donations that make PICA’s commissioning program possible. Their support allows interesting stories to be told and really strengthens the impact of our creative community.

‘I get people to navigate through my installation in a wheelchair to give them a little vignette of what people like myself have to navigate on a daily basis. What really interests me is how you can change minds with something that is fleeting. I’m hoping people are becoming more empathetic to people who are different to themselves.’

In 2023, through donations made by PICA’s Art Commissioners, artist Bruno Booth took over the Perth Cultural Centre amphitheatre with his work Dead Ends and Detours and put audiences in wheelchairs to demonstrate that ‘disability’ is not a dirty word. Mixing sculpture, sport, urban design and disability aesthetics, more than 600 people participated in Bruno’s installation over a weekend with Burno offering participants a direct insight into the lived experience of physical disability and the navigational challenges he faces as a wheelchair user. 

Sarah Nelson

Sarah Nelson

‘From the PICA residency, I learnt that I could do this – not just from a creative and professional perspective but from a physical one too.

‘That my condition will not limit me, but now informs my practice and the type of work I strive to create.’

Sarah Nelson is an actor, puppeteer, mask/physical performer and maker across theatre, film and community arts who participated in a three-week residency at PICA as part of PICA’s Studio Program. The Studio Program is supported by donations from PICA’s Art Ambassadors and provides artists with a dedicated space to nurture their practice.  

Artists are invited to embark on new projects, connect with a creative community, find new audiences and gain critical feedback on their work. 

Sarah’s work in development, Into the Fog, was inspired by her experience of living in the UK during prolonged isolation with long COVID and her subsequent development of FND (Functional Neurological Disorder).  

Images: Paean Sarkar and Jayda Wilson, Hatched: National Graduate Show 2023, Hatched Opening Party, 2023. Photo: Danica Zuks; 2023 artists, Hatched: National Graduate Show 2023, installation view, 2023. Photo Danica Zuks; Agatha Gothe Snape; Bruno Booth, Dead Ends and Detours, 2023. Photo: Tristan McKenzie; Sarah Nelson, Into the Fog, 2023. Photo: Fionn Mulholland