Published on Monday, 20 July 2026 at 3:16:16 PM
Artist Opportunities
An investment in local artists has delivered far more than a series of workshops for Carnarvon - it has become the launch pad for a thriving creative community.
Through Horizon Power's Community Partnerships Program, the Carnarvon Creatives Collective Program helped establish the Carnarvon Community Art Hub as a place where artists could develop their practice, residents could connect through creativity, and new ideas could take flight.
By directly funding artist fees between January 2025 and June 2026, the program enabled local creatives to design and deliver free workshops, removing barriers to participation while creating meaningful employment opportunities. What began as a series of artist-led sessions has grown into a lasting creative movement.
Delivered through an open Expression of Interest process, the program welcomed local artists to share their skills through weaving, painting, collage, boomerang art and watercolour workshops on Country. Every facilitator was local, with 50 per cent identifying as First Nations artists, ensuring local knowledge, culture and storytelling remained at the heart of the program.
The impacts of this investment continue to be seen today.
The program's inaugural weaving residency, led by Devinia Wainwright, brought together more than 50 community members to create a collaborative artwork. The finished piece was exhibited in the 2025 Reconciliation Exhibition – Bridging Now to Next, becoming a powerful symbol of community, reconciliation and shared cultural learning.
Raymond Edney's Watercolours at Miaboolya workshops sparked demand for regular Friday evening creative sessions, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Community Art Hub's popular Friday Night Art Club, which continues to bring people together each week. Jo Schapel's evening vision board workshops fostered new friendships and creative confidence, with participants continuing to meet independently as their own art group after the program concluded.
The initiative also created genuine career pathways for local artists. Toni Edney's first opportunity to facilitate workshops at the Community Art Hub came through the Carnarvon Creatives Collective Program. Today, she is employed by the Shire of Carnarvon as an Arts and Culture Officer, continuing to inspire community participation through arts and culture.
Rather than funding one-off activities, Horizon Power's investment helped establish the Community Art Hub as a recognised place where artists can earn an income, develop professionally and share their knowledge with the wider community. It strengthened community wellbeing, celebrated First Nations culture, increased access to free arts experiences and built a creative network that continues to grow well beyond the life of the grant.
The Shire of Carnarvon sincerely thanks Horizon Power for recognising the value of investing in local artists. The Carnarvon Creatives Collective Program has shown that investing in creativity does more than fund workshops—it creates opportunities, careers, community connections and a lasting creative legacy.
Pictured: Devinia Wainwright held space over two months for local people to learn to weave, and created a communal piece for the Reconciliation exhibition: Bridging now to Next
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