The Arts and Culture Trust Bill, which received strong bi-partisan support in the Legislative Assembly last year, has been reintroduced to State Parliament.
The Bill, which will replace Perth Theatre Trust with the Arts and Culture Trust, will contain amendments to provide legislative authority for Western Australia’s proposed screen facility.
The amendments will enable the State Government to establish, own and operate the screen production facility business and enter into a management agreement.
The Perth Theatre Trust manages some of WA’s iconic theatres including His Majesty’s Theatre and the State Theatre Centre, as well as Albany Entertainment Centre and Subiaco Arts Centre.
In addition to providing the legislative authority for the screen production facility, the Bill will extend the Arts and Culture Trust’s responsibility to a variety of art and cultural venues and public spaces.
The Trust will also have the capacity to optimise the potential of the assets it controls, creating flow-on benefits for local businesses around Trust properties.
Its role will include attracting and contracting events, activities and commercial tenancies to enliven cultural assets such as the Perth Cultural Centre, activating the area.
These would encourage people to visit both the PCC and attractions such as the Art Gallery of WA, State Library of WA, and the New Museum as well as nearby shops and restaurants.
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
“Subsequent to the 2020 Bill being drafted and introduced into Parliament, a Market-led Proposal for a screen production facility has been initiated.
“The McGowan Labor Government made an election commitment to facilitate its construction in Fremantle.
“The Bill has been amended to provide the legislative authority for this important new arts and cultural asset to be established, owned and operated and for the Trust to enter into a management agreement with respect to the screen production facility business.
“The Arts and Culture Trust will help achieve the Government’s vision of having a body that can not only manage theatres, but also other cultural assets around the State entrusted to its care.
“This vision cannot be achieved with the PTT under the current Perth Theatre Trust Act 1979.
“I’m pleased the Arts and Culture Trust will have a mandate to activate public spaces on an ongoing basis, following on from the outstanding success the Metropolitan Development Authority (now DevelopmentWA) had in activating Yagan Square and Perth Cultural Centre.
“Importantly, the Trust will have broader powers to optimise the potential of the assets it controls. This will help create flow-on benefits for local businesses around Trust properties, which will help create much-needed jobs in the cultural tourism sector, along with the hospitality and retail sectors.”
