Freo's commitment to the arts honoured

The City of Fremantle’s commitment to the arts has again been recognised at the second annual State Arts and Culture Partnership Honours at the State Theatre Centre last night.

The honours acknowledge the outstanding contributions of individual philanthropists, businesses and organisations who partner with arts and cultural groups across WA.

The City of Fremantle was recognised in the Metropolitan Local Government category for its partnership with local arts and health organisation DADAA.

The City invested $2 million to restore and renovate Fremantle’s historic Old Boys School, and last year granted DADAA a 21-year lease to create a contemporary and central arts and disability hub.

Acting Mayor Ingrid Waltham said removing barriers for people with a disability to engage in cultural experiences was a commitment shared by both the council and DADAA.

“I’d like to acknowledge the hard work of DADAA’s executive director David Doyle and his team for partnering with the council on such an important project. We love having them in Freo,” Acting Mayor Waltham said.

“I’d also like to acknowledge council staff and elected members, past and present, who envisaged what the Old Boys School could become back in 2014.

“This project is an outstanding example of how the council and leading arts organisations, such as DADAA, can work together not only to protect important heritage assets but also deliver meaningful arts programs to some of our most disadvantaged community members.”

DADAA is a leading arts and health organisation that creates access to cultural activities for people with disability or a mental illness.

Executive director David Doyle said DADAA was delighted to see the significant partnership with the City of Fremantle recognized.

“It’s leading a vital focus on inclusion in the heart of the city, supporting people with lived experience of disability from across the metropolitan area to choose Fremantle as their destination for arts and cultural participation,” Mr Doyle said.

“This iconic building now connects the WA disability community with professional artists, broadening how we as a community view ourselves at this significant time as the NDIS rolls out across Australia.”

In the inaugural Arts and Culture Partnership Honours last year the City of Fremantle received two awards – one in the Arts Development category for its support of the T.A.G. Hungerford writers award, and another in the International Partnerships category for the Fremantle Arts Centre’s AsiaLink cultural exchange program.