FORM is working in partnership with the Midland Redevelopment Authority to develop a Regional Creative Development Studio and Foundry as part of Midland Atelier, Western Australia’s first design and creative industries centre in the historic Railway Workshops in Midland.

The original Elements Store of the Midland Railway Workshops will be renovated to become Midland Atelier’s Regional Creative Development Studio. Encompassing workshop spaces for mixed-media creative practice including visual art, ceramics and design, the studio will offer high-quality professional development for first time, mid-career and established regional artists (particularly Indigenous artists) in regional and metropolitan areas.

A small Foundry will also be established to facilitate larger scale public art and sculptural work fabrication and will be supported by a skilled operational team specialised in arts and installation customisation to enable the fabrication of works including public art.

Representing Stage 3 of the Midland Atelier, the Regional Creative Development Studio and Foundry will complement Studios developed or in progress: the Pattern Shop (furniture and object design), Nurses post refit (States 1 and 2); and The Foundry Digital Media Hub (Stage 4).

Stage 3 will also include the fit-out of an education space and residential unit in the historical Water Tower building which will enable visiting regional artists and creatives-in-residence to train or receive training conveniently and co-located on site and enable the facilitation of creative exchanges and collaboration between Perth and regional artists.

This Elements Store represents an exciting progression of FORM’s Aboriginal Creative development work.

FORM has developed, and advocates for Aboriginal design and creative development models which engage participating artists fully and equitably at every stage and process: from initial design and conceptual work through the stages of exploration, refinement and model-making, to fabrication and the final product.

FORM has been working in the area of Aboriginal Creative development, benchmarking and showcasing since 2002. Significant projects and program models include Ngurra Kuju Walyja - The Canning Stock Route Project and Yiwarra Kuju: The Canning Stock Route exhibition, the Strong from the Inside Out prison arts development program, Let’s Get Started! – an arts development program for new and emerging artists, and ENHANCE (working title), Western Australia’s first targeted design development program for Aboriginal visual artists.

FORM’s approach is recognised at a national level: in 2011 the Arts Law Centre of Australia nominated FORM’s Canning Stock Route Project as a best practice case study, while the Aboriginal Design Development model has attracted the attention of the Federal Office of the Arts.

From 2012 FORM will extend the reach of its Aboriginal Creative Development program by adapting it to the needs and interests of Noongar Aboriginal artists through the Elements Store studio at Midland Atelier.

These developments are currently the subject of fund raising before it can move forward so to progress this project, we need your support - so please register your support or interest in being part of this exciting transformational project.