During an exciting 12 months for the organisation, we were proud to run ArtLife, a program for people with disability who have an interest in art and creativity, as well as for emerging and established artists.  

As a registered NDIS provider – we facilitated opportunities for 44 ArtLife Participants to work towards individual artistic goals, across a range of chosen art forms and art practices. 

Our ongoing Disability Action Plan ensures our commitment to accessibility does not end here and is reflected on all fronts. 

In 2022, we also launched Neighbourhood, the first contemporary arts festival of its kind in the West co-presented by Footscray Community Arts and The Substation. 

Celebrating place and community, the festival brought a fresh perspective on the districts we call home while revealing the beauty of our common humanity through performances, exhibitions and other arts events 

Most importantly however, the year’s success was wholly reflected in the diverse support of our artists, collaborators and attendees. 

Showing that we are better together, 2022 reflected a renewed hunger for empowered artistic expression through works that truly mattered: 

• 895 Events, Workshops and Activations 🎉 
• 114,721 On-site attendees 🎟️ 
• 365 Donors 🙏 
• 85% of Artists identified as one or more of our communities 🤝 
• 17% of Artists identified as First Nations 🖤💛❤️

To delve deeper into the impact of our collaborative efforts and the meaningful works that were created in 2022, we invite you to read our Annual Report. It offers a comprehensive view of the year’s successes and highlights the ways in which we are committed to supporting diverse artists and communities.

With $8.7 million secured for our precinct redevelopment, our ongoing vision remains unchanged – that all communities are valued as makers of culture. 

Together, we can make that a reality! 

Robyn Gawenda 
Executive Director 

Images by Gianna Rizzo