News

This year marks fifty years of Footscray Community Arts. 

Established in 1974 by a group of passionate artists, unionists, and community activists, Footscray Community Arts has been a beacon of artistic vibrancy and cultural development, championing the voices and talents of communities including First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse people, LGBTIQA+ communities, and d/Deaf and d/Disabled artists.  

Over the past half-century, Footscray Community Arts has not merely witnessed history; it has crafted it. Along with artists, we have consistently broken new ground, often in the face of adversity, and embraced transformative change when the path was steep and the resistance stiff. In doing so, we have profoundly shaped and enriched our community.

In our fiftieth year, it is important to take a moment and reflect on just how far we’ve come. Through our international artist exchanges and dynamic artistic programming – we’ve had artists from all over the world share their stories within our walls and on our lawns.  

Regardless of event or exhibition, there is a reason they continue to choose us: that is, our ongoing commitment to sharing stories that matter for our exemplary practice in community arts and cultural development.  

That’s why this year, Footscray Community Arts is excited to launch the New Commissions Fund for artists, marking a significant milestone in our rich history of supporting creativity and community engagement.   

This new fund aims to support, develop, and wrap care around artists that resonate with the spirit of Footscray Community Arts – a place of new work, big ideas, and a testament to the adaptability of its community.  

> DONATE HERE

The New Commissions Fund will support artists by investing in them as they develop new ways of working and new work, providing critical support to the artists we centre and prioritise, as we create ambitious projects together.    

Today, we’re inviting you to join us on the next chapter of our journey and play a pivotal role in the evolution of Footscray Community Arts. By donating, you will become part of a living, evolving landscape of arts and culture that has been co-created over five decades in Melbourne’s West.  

Your contribution to the New Commissions Fund will not only commemorate the past 50 years of artistic excellence but also lay the groundwork for future generations of creatives, ensuring artists have access to financial support to develop their ideas and feel a part of the vibrancy of the arts scene in Footscray and beyond.  

Invest in the next generation of creatives and donate today!

> DONATE HERE