Public Art Strategy 2025-2035

Calling Artists and Community! Help shape Fremantle's creative future by contributing to the Public Art Strategy 2025-2035.

The arts, cultural and creative ecology of Walyalup | Fremantle is precious and widely acknowledged as a place of artistic and cultural significance nationally. We owe our unique identity, in part, to the history of involvement of artistic, cultural, and creative expression by generations of extraordinary artists and cultural and creative workers who lived, and continue to live and work here, as part of an interconnected community.

Public art is one of the most visible ways a city can express its character, creativity and care for community. In Walyalup | Fremantle, it is a vital thread in the fabric of civic life — animating public space, sparking connection, and reflecting the many stories that shape our shared identity. From confident landmarks to quiet gestures, public art invites us to see our surrounding landscape, and each other, with renewed understanding and imagination.

The City of Fremantle’s Public Art Strategy 2025–2035, and five-year Action Plan, invites us to imagine the public realm as a living canvas — where creativity meets community, and where every laneway, park, square and pocket of space holds the potential for artistic intervention. The Strategy and its Action Plan commit to the City's Arts, Culture and Creative Strategy 2024-34, working in tandem to set out an energising and practical roadmap to embed public art deeper into the fabric of Walyalup | Fremantle, across the City from Samson to North Fremantle, enriching its cultural life, amplifying diverse voices, and celebrating place through creative expression.

Over the next five years, this framework will guide how art in the public realm is supported planned, commissioned and cared for across the City — ensuring a coordinated, inclusive and imaginative approach that keeps artists, place and community at its heart. It is both a roadmap and an invitation: a call to artists, creatives, communities, developers, partners — from both near and far — and the City itself, to work collectively in shaping a vibrant, inclusive and welcoming public realm.

In summary, the Public Art Strategy 2025-2035 aims to:

• Embed public art across Fremantle as an integral part of civic life, enriching cultural identity and ensuring artworks are accessible and inclusive for all.
• Celebrate and strengthen the City’s existing public art collection, while addressing gaps such as First Nations representation, female artists, and suburban locations.
• Foster creativity, innovation and excellence by supporting artists, embracing new artforms, and encouraging experimentation and bold artistic expression.
• Connect and engage the community through education, public art trails, events, and participatory projects that build ownership and pride.
• Strengthen governance, investment and partnerships to ensure sustainable funding, best practice commissioning, and collaboration with developers, businesses and cultural organisations.

The City of Fremantle last adopted a Public Art Plan in 2012. Over a decade later, we want to hear from you! The Public Art Strategy and Action Plan engagement program seeks to inform the public of this draft Strategy and Action Plan and ensure that you – our artists, creatives, community and key stakeholders – have the opportunity to offer your feedback, ideas and comments. This valuable feedback from individuals, groups, and organisations will help strengthen, refine and reflect the City’s ambition and aspirations for art in the public realm over the next 10 years before the Strategy’s final adoption.

We are asking the community to:

• Review the draft Public Art Strategy, Action Plan, Key Documents and Frequently Asked Questions.
• Contribute your feedback, ideas and comments by completing the survey below.
• Provide a written submission or request a 1:1 or group meeting with a City Officer.

How can you meet with City Officers to discuss the strategy and your feedback?

• Attend the Public Art Walk (details below): Drop in sessions allow the public to meet with City staff to ask questions about the project, seek clarification and guidance on how best to submit feedback.
• 1:1 or group meeting: Would you like to meet 1:1 with City Officers to get clarification on the strategy, and how to best submit your feedback? You can request a meeting by emailing communityengagement@fremantle.wa.gov.au. Please note, we'll aim to meet all requests subject to staff availability.

Join the Public Art Walk at the following date and time:

• When: Friday 5 December, 2025
• Where: Meet outside the Visitors Centre, Walyalup Koort at 10.30am. The Art Walk will be approximately 1.5 hours in length and be fully accessible.
• Time: 10.30am-12pm
• RSVPs are essential, as spaces will be limited.

City Officers aim to:

• Keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and provide feedback on how public input influenced the project and final document.
• Work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are duly noted, provide clarity on questions that may arise.

How can you make your submission?
Submissions can be submitted online via the submission form below, or:

• By Mail
  PO Box 807
  Fremantle WA 6959
• In Person
  Walyalup Civic Centre
  151 High Street
  Fremantle WA 6160
• By email - communityengagement@fremantle.wa.gov.au
• Online via the submission form below

A hard copy of the survey can be sent or picked up upon request by emailing the Community Engagement team here: communityengagement@fremantle.wa.gov.au.

Please note submissions will close 5pm AWST, December 12, 2025.