Kaya,
Have you ever visited a new city and not done one of the following: admired a statue or sculpture, seen a show, marvelled at building design, browsed in a bookstore, applauded street performance artists, visited a museum or gallery, critiqued street art, had your caricature done, or wandered through local artisan markets?
No, I didn’t think so. The creative currents running through neighbourhoods and suburbs create a city’s pulse, animating streets, bringing strangers together and giving people experiences and encounters that change the way they think about a city. |
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Recently I did a mar-art-thon, packing four fantastic arts experiences into a week. From the electrifying contemporary take on Macbeth by West Australian Ballet, to the genius musical portrait of Ben Elton in Perth Symphony Orchestra’s WA Stories Chapter III, to the thought-provoking Day (After Day) In the Life of the Useless (Black Swan State Theatre Company) and Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards (State Library of WA), I was utterly engrossed.
But I wasn’t just mesmerised; I was energised. Unlike the physical exhaustion that comes from running a marathon (actually I’ve only done half-marathons, but that counts), the week of cultural overindulgence left me feeling alive. It turns out that we should be adding arts and culture to our store of renewable energy sources in Western Australia!
That I feasted on the arts and finished hungrier for more left me contemplating the major role of the creative industries in a city’s liveability. Liveability is not just about how well a city functions; it’s about how richly it makes us feel. And that’s where creativity comes in; infrastructure and amenities make a city function; arts and culture make it feel alive.
The standard of Perth’s creatives and arts organisations is world-beating. When we get ranked lower in global city liveability indices for our cultural scene – and we have, many times - it is rarely about the quality of our output. It is generally due to smaller cultural infrastructure than major global cities, isolation leading to perceived deficits in breadth and frequency of global acts, and the geographic vastness of greater Perth underpinning cultural activity that is largely concentrated in central neighbourhoods. Global leagues tables tend to measure cultural availability rather than cultural quality.
This is all evolving in Perth, and the redevelopment of the Perth Concert Hall and Perth Cultural Centre, proposed Aboriginal Cultural Centre, the WAAPA and ECU city campus, opening of the Perth Film Studios and a host of other initiatives are going to challenge the way the world thinks about Perth, culture and the arts.
Perth has never had a better opportunity to shine on the world stage: a supportive Minister and government department in CITS, engaged supporters and philanthropists, quality arts organisations, talented artists, committed local councils and eager audiences.
A city’s creative energy gives people reasons to get out, connect, participate and fall a little more in love with where they live. Let’s all show up for the arts and make the arts everyone’s business, to make our city as liveable and loveable as possible.
And on that note, it's not too late to sign up to our New Horizons Webinar: Wide Awake, WA – Perth’s dawn economy opportunity starting at 10am AWST today! |
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| Until next month! Tania Hudson Chief Executive Officer Committee for Perth |
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The Noongar season of Kambarang, also known as the "second spring" or the season of birth, is a transformational time of year defined by environmental changes |
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Help shape WA’s 2029 Bicentenary Planning is underway for Western Australia’s 2029 Bicentenary, marking 200 years since the establishment of the Swan River Colony – and Western Australians are being invited to help shape how the milestone is commemorated. The State Government is planning a statewide, inclusive and culturally respectful program that will reflect WA’s much longer history, celebrate the diverse people and stories that have shaped the state, and look towards its future. |
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Community consultation is being led by Reconciliation WA, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company and Community Arts Network, with engagement taking place across metropolitan, regional and remote WA.
Feedback will help inform the themes and priorities for 2029, including opportunities to recognise Aboriginal heritage, celebrate WA’s diversity and identity, and create lasting legacies beyond the Bicentenary year. Western Australians and organisations can contribute through a short online survey, open until 31 October 2026. Read More |
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Our top picks of culture, creativity and community events happening across the Perth region this month, celebrating what makes our city uniquely Perth. |
Now – 25 October I Bloom Festival – After welcoming thousands of guests in 2025, Bloom returns to Joondalup with an all-new immersive experience. This year, journey into Living Connections — a breathtaking adventure where the worlds of Sky, Water, Land and Underground have fallen out of balance Learn More Now – 31 January | Under a Western Sky – From turquoise coastlines to ancient red gorges, Emma Thomson’s paintings celebrate Western Australia’s diverse beauty, inviting us to pause, reconnect with nature, and revisit cherished memories at the WA Maritime Museum. Learn More
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4 October I World Animal Day – An opportunity to come together and raise the status of animals around the globe. 'See the world through their eyes' is this year's theme. If you can make a difference, head to Animals Australia's website
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11 – 17 October 2026 | Anti-Poverty Week – No Place For Poverty is bringing people across WA together around a simple idea: we all have a part to play in ending poverty. Through their initiative ‘Voices for Change’, people share their experiences, perspectives and ideas for creating change. If you want to be part of the campaign, download the Anti-Poverty Week Supporter Toolkit
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13 October I Supporting people who support your club – Learn ways to support volunteers, reduce burnout and create a club culture where people feel valued in an initiative between the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport (CITS) and Volunteering WA. Register Now
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15 October I Economic Impact in the City – Join Rob Pradolin, Founder and Director of Housing All Australians, at this cross-sector symposium about housing challenges in WA. Learn More
- 22-23 October I Radical Reels Film Tour – This collection of extreme sports shortfilms will have you at the edge of your seats, and it was born in Australia. Learn More
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23 October – 8 November I Jacky – Family, culture, survival... and the gamble of balancing it all. The Black Swan State Theatre Company & Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company collaborate for this piece about a smart, enterprising young Aboriginal man making a life for himself in the city. Learn More
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'Perth has world class people... Let's promote this more!' |
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Image: Walkabout Magazine - September 1, 1969 Perth has no shortage of things worth celebrating – from world-class talent and research to innovation, industry and lifestyle. So why are we sometimes so reluctant to talk ourselves up?
In the first edition of Fresh Perspectives, Josh Woodward, Committee for Perth’s new Programs and Policy Manager and a PhD graduate in Australian history (scroll down for a more detailed introduction), explores Australia’s long history of the ‘cultural cringe’ and what it can teach us about how Perth promotes itself today.
Looking back at almost a century of Australian self-promotion – from early industry leaders to Paul Hogan – Josh asks whether it’s time we became a little more confident about telling the world what Perth, and its people, have to offer. Read Article |
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Perth Mint delivers record $44 billion result |
The Perth Mint has delivered the strongest financial result in its 127-year history, reporting a record $44.23 billion in revenue and $100.19 million profit before tax for 2025–26. The State-owned refiner, manufacturer and exporter benefited from strong precious metals prices and investment demand, with gold reaching successive record highs during the financial year. The result will also deliver a record $47.7 million dividend to the WA Government.
One of Western Australia’s largest exporters and manufacturers, The Perth Mint has the capacity to refine more than 800 tonnes of gold and 1,000 tonnes of silver each year, while its East Perth premises also welcomed more than 316,000 visitors in 2025–26. Read more in Business News |
| Learning for a changing world |
FORM - Shaping Our World, has launched Future Creators, a new strategy aimed at helping young Western Australians develop the creativity, adaptability and problem-solving skills they will need in a rapidly changing world.
Future Creators builds on FORM’s existing creative learning programs, including Creative Schools, which has reached almost 6,000 students across 209 WA classrooms and more than 10% of schools in the State. The program focuses on five creative habits – being imaginative, inquisitive, collaborative, persistent and self-disciplined – and encourages students to take a more active role in their learning.
An exhibition showcasing FORM’s Creative Learning programs is currently on display at FORM Gallery in Perth until 28 October. Explore Future Creators |
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Still Learning: the leaders we’re becoming |
What does good leadership look like when you don’t have all the answers? A new podcast from Leadership WA and Edith Cowan University brings together leaders, researchers and emerging voices from across Western Australia to explore the experiences and ideas shaping how we work and lead.
Still Learning looks beyond titles and career milestones to the less polished side of leadership – navigating change, learning from mistakes, making difficult decisions and continuing to grow. Early guests include former WA Cricket CEO Christina Matthews AM and Member for Mandurah Rhys Williams MLA. Learn More
Spotify I Apple I YouTube
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The Fremantle Dockers may have fallen agonisingly short of their first AFL premiership on Saturday, but Fremantle had plenty to celebrate.
More than 40,000 fans descended on the port city and Fremantle offered a powerful reminder of what sport can bring to a city beyond the final score. Thousands of people shared the same streets, the same anticipation and, eventually, the same heartbreak. Local businesses benefited from the influx, but perhaps more importantly, the day created something harder to measure: a genuine sense of belonging, identity and pride in place.
At a time when bringing people together feels increasingly difficult, Fremantle showed up. The Dockers didn’t bring home the cup, but the energy, connection and collective pride they brought to their hometown still made Fremantle feel like a winner. Image Credit: Matt Jelonek/The West Australian |
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Our CEO, Tania Hudson, is known to talk about her dogs almost as much as championing Perth's ambition.
So, we're leaning in.
We're putting together a 'Pets of Perth Calendar 2027' and want your four or two-legged family members in it. Send us a pic of your beloved family member to feature in this year’s publication. Bonus points for photos that also show off Perth’s best angles!
📸 Submit your photo by 1 November to enquiries@committeeforperth.com.au
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Our member community is passionate about making Perth one of the world’s most liveable cities. Every month, we celebrate members who are helping make that vision a reality. Have news to share? Email us.
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Welcome Chris Wilson Fitness Studio! |
We're excited to welcome Chris Wilson Fitness Studio as a new Silver Member of Committee for Perth. Founded in Perth in 2016, Chris Wilson Fitness Studio has grown to four boutique studios across Nedlands, Highgate, Applecross and South Perth. The business offers personal training, small group classes, HYROX training and corporate and workplace wellness programs, with a focus on personalised coaching, long-term health and building community. |
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We're excited to welcome Contract and Commercial Resources (CCR) as a new Bronze Member of Committee for Perth.
CCR is a commercial consultancy specialising in the construction and engineering sectors. Its multidisciplinary team provides expertise across contract and commercial advice, quantity surveying, programming and planning, claims management, dispute resolution and data analytics and AI.
Working across sectors including infrastructure, property, rail, renewables and mining and resources, CCR supports clients to navigate complex projects and achieve successful commercial outcomes. |
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Perth Festival gives first taste of 2027
Perth Festival has offered a first glimpse of its 2027 program, announcing three major works ahead of the full program reveal on 29 October.
The early line-up includes the Australian premiere of ROHTKO, a large-scale European theatre production blending theatre, technology and live cinema; Danish company Hotel Pro Forma’s reimagined opera Operation; and Australian electronic pioneers The Avalanches. Learn More |
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| The Zest Edit
Zest have been busy working alongside organisations across Australia on everything from AI and workforce strategy to leadership, organisational design, culture and HR technology. And now you can sign up to receive monthly editions of 'The Zest Edit' including practical tools, collections of ideas and perspectives on people, work and technology. Learn More and scroll down to subscribe
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| We’re pleased to welcome Josh Woodward to Committee for Perth as our new Policy & Programs Manager.
Josh brings a strong research background and a global perspective, having studied and worked in cities around the world before making Perth home in 2019.
With a PhD in modern Australian history and expertise spanning tourism, migration and economic history, Josh will support our policy agenda with evidence-based research and fresh thinking about Perth’s future. |
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Make/shift Festival - a festival of future making |
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Committee for Perth was delighted to support the inaugural Make/shift Festival, held over two weeks in Walyalup Fremantle recently. Billed as 'a festival of future making', Make/shift challenged people's thinking around the futures on offer to us, exploring ambitious and creative responses to some of society's biggest issues.
The final day Summit, with lead-in by the energetic Ingrid Cumming, featured Dr Katherine Trebeck, a political economist, who urged greater consideration of key human factors in economic decision-making. She posed the provocation that increased productivity doesn't necessarily improve living standards or trickle down to increased citizen wellbeing. Read More
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Executive Women's Leadership Forum with Emily Roper PSM |
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“Stop asking. You’ve got this.” It was a simple piece of advice that stayed with Emily Roper PSM GAICD throughout a remarkable career – and one of many reflections she shared at last night’s Executive Women’s Leadership Forum.
Now Managing Director of Scyne Advisory, Emily took us through a career spanning justice and corrections, national security, public sector reform, Western Australia’s COVID-19 response and, more recently, the private sector. Read More
Thank you to Robyn Ferguson and the team at HopgoodGanim Lawyers for their continued support of the EWLF series, and to Hawaiian for providing our amazing door prize. |
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Committee for Perth's Ambition 2050 |
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| What does a top five liveable Perth region look like in 2050, and what will it take to get there?
We brought together Committee for Perth members for an initial focus group to help shape our Ambition 2050 work. Together, we explored what should be protected, what must change, and how we can measure progress as Perth continues to grow.
Facilitated by Ludo Campbell-Reid, Global Advisor on Cities, the conversation explored what it takes to create places where people can thrive, particularly in cities on a growth trajectory. Read More
A big thank you to our members for their thoughtful contributions, and to Hassell and Natalie Busch for hosting the session. |
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The Chair's 20 with Linda Dawson |
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| The momentum surrounding Perth’s critical role in the Indian Ocean region just keeps building, with the defence industries sector opening up significant opportunities across industries, professions and trades, in Australia and globally.
Linda Dawson, Head of the Office of Defence Industries in the WA Government, addressed Committee for Perth members today and described the size, scale and pace of progress happening at the Henderson Defence Precinct, part of the Western Trade Coast, just 40 minutes from Perth’s city centre. Read More
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| NEW HORIZONS WEBINAR: WIDE AWAKE WA, PERTH'S DAWN ECONOMY OPPORTUNITY With Dr Anna Edwards Thursday, 1 October 2026 / 10.00am to 11.00am
Member-only online event / Register via Teams
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT EXPERIENCE: PERTH FILM STUDIOS Perth Film Studios Tuesday, 8 October / 3.00pm to 5.00pm Member only event / Waitlist
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FUTURE READY FORUM: STRENGTHENING PERTH'S GLOBAL IDENTITY THROUGH ITS POWERFUL CREATIVE AND CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM WA Museum Boola Bardip Wednesday, 14 October / 3.00pm to 5.45pm Member-only event / Enquire Now
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MORE THAN THE GAME: HOW SPORT POWERS THE ECONOMY AND COMMUNITIES WACA Ground Thursday, 15 October / 5.30pm to 8.00pm Member-only event / Enquire Now
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2026 Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Thursday, 17 September / 11.30am to 12.00pm Enquire Now
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ANNUAL CHAIR'S LUNCH: THE EVOLUTION OF CARE WITH DR SHIRLEY BOWEN Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Thursday, 12 November / 12.00pm to 2.00pm Member-only event / Enquire Now
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| EXECUTIVE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP FORUM WITH JUDITH BARKER HopgoodGanim Lawyers Thursday, 17 November / 5.00pm to 7.00pm
Member-only event / Enquire Now
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With thanks to all our members for their ongoing contribution to promoting innovation and creativity to deliver a brighter future for Perth. View all of our members. |
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Brightwater Care Group
Crown Perth
Infrastructure WA |
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Mirvac (WA) Pty Ltd
Rottnest Island Authority
RSM Australia |
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| Sia Partners
Wesfarmers Ltd |
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Committee for Perth conducts its work on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. We recognise their peoples' ongoing connection to land, culture and community and in doing so, pay our respects to Elders past and present. |
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