- Awards celebrate creative works that bring Western Australian stories to life through the State archives
- Record 15 shortlisted entries reveal extraordinary Western Australian stories through theatre, research, and other creative works
- Cook Labor Government fostering a vibrant and creative economy
A theatre production and a board game developed as part of a Master’s research project have jointly won the 2026 Margaret Medcalf Award, bringing Western Australian history to life in distinctive ways.
The annual award recognises excellence in research using the WA State archives, celebrating works that draw on historical records to uncover and share the State’s stories.
This year’s co-winners, announced today, are:
- Arthur Haynes and the Smoking Gun – a Theatre 180 production, with playwright Jenny Davis OAM and visual design and production by Josephine Jay; and
- Our Horrible Asylum – a Master’s dissertation and board game by Fiona Giles from The University of Notre Dame Australia.
A record 15 creative and research works were shortlisted this year, highlighting the many ways archival research can inform new work, from theatre and academic study to interactive experiences.
The winning entries demonstrate how the State’s archival collections can help researchers and creatives explore the past and make it accessible to audiences today.
Named in honour of Western Australia’s second State Archivist, Margaret Medcalf OAM, the award recognises outstanding work drawing on the State Archives Collection, the largest archival collection in Western Australia.
The 2026 awards also mark the year of Margaret Medcalf OAM’s 100th birthday, celebrating her significant contribution to preserving Western Australia’s history and ensuring the State’s archival records remain accessible for future generations.
Comments attributed to Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk:
“I congratulate Theatre 180 and Fiona Giles on receiving this year’s Margaret Medcalf Award, and all shortlisted entrants for the innovative ways they have used the State archives and our other cultural collections.
“Their work brings Western Australia’s unique stories to new audiences and shows how our archives can inspire fresh ideas, experiences, and creative works.
“Behind the records in our archives are people, places, and experiences that have shaped Western Australia, and it is fantastic to see researchers and creatives uncovering those stories and encouraging new audiences to engage with our past.”
