AS Fremantle council searches for a young artist for this year’s Pride Fest, queer performers and artists say Fremantle has become a rare haven where LGBTQIA+ creatives feel accepted, supported and able to build careers openly.

Fremantle has hosted a number of exhibitions by LGBTQIA+ artists, including Melbourne-based performance and visual artists Will and Garrett Huxley, known collectively as the Huxleys.

Will lived around Fremantle in his younger years but later left WA because of the lack of acceptance he faced as a queer person.

“It was a tough place to be if you were queer at the time – I left 25 years ago because I did not feel like I fit in,” he said.

But after returning to exhibit at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre in November 2024, he said the city felt transformed.

Coming home

“It was a beautiful healing experience for me. We were accepted with open arms. It felt like coming home and times have changed,” Will said.

Meeting other queer creatives in Fremantle convinced him the port city stood apart from the rest of Perth.

“We feel more at home in Fremantle than anywhere else in Perth,” he said.

“It was beautiful to connect with artists to see how they are able to stay somewhere like Fremantle and create a career as a queer artist.”

Vocalist and DJ Bec Price, who performs as Project Bexx, agreed Fremantle had developed a unique queer creative culture.

“What I really love is there’s a grouping of being the ‘cool gays’ – they’re queer, but they’re cool,” she said.

“There are minority groups within queer culture, but they can all bond over music. There is a belief that only cool people can be musicians.”

Ms Price also performed at last year’s Pride Fest, alongside acts at the Flaming Galah, Fremantle’s first venue dedicated specifically to the queer community.

Since opening the Flaming Galah in 2022, owner Leala Brekalo said she had seen strong connections form through queer art and performance.

“I think there is a level of relatability and self-recognition in it,” she said.

Ms Price and the Huxleys said queer creativity was often shaped by resilience and marginalisation.

“I think it comes from being marginalised. It was illegal to be queer not very long ago, but we’re still here,” Ms Price said.

“Bring that into the music industry and it’s an explosion of power; powerful messages.”

Will compared queer art to punk culture.

“It’s almost like punk. I’m going to be and create the art that I want, no matter what society thinks about it, because it’s who I am,” he said.

“I feel queer art has always been at the forefront of culture, be it with disco music or with fashion.”

Ms Brekalo said queer art could also help break down barriers and encourage broader understanding.

“I think it’s a good stepping stone. If people are entertained and they’re enjoying something, it lets the walls down a little bit,” she said.

“It lets them step into something without having to think too critically. It’s a point to start building some kind of understanding.”

The artists also encouraged emerging queer creatives to support each other and pursue their work without waiting for approval.

Wonderful failures

“Sometimes artists feel like they have to wait around for permission from a gallery or from performance. If you really want to do it and you love it, you should put your art out there and don’t wait for permission,” the Huxleys said.

“If you’re always worried about failing, embrace your failure and celebrate them. You’ll learn from it. We’ve had some wonderful failures.”

Ms Price said community support remained one of Fremantle’s strengths.

“You don’t have to do it alone,” she said.

“What we have going for us is this camaraderie. We will back each other always.”

“All you have to do is just reach out, and I can almost guarantee that you’ll be guided and held in the right way, which is really special.”

Applications for the City of Fremantle’s search for an artist for this year’s Pride Fest close on May 22 at 5pm.

by LOGEENTH RAO