DAVID MORAN is a television producer, artist and former gallery manager for sculptor Greg James.

SIX thriving arts-based business have been told to vacate their premises at Arthur Head within 12 months. 

One of these has only been given six months notice to vacate. 

Why would a City, purporting to be arts-centric, throw out its most successful artists and six functioning businesses?

In my view it beggars belief. 

So why are they doing it?

They all pay the rent, and the rates. 

They don’t ask the City for grants or subsidies. 

Does anybody know what is going on here? 

I am still trying to work it out.

The City comes up with a few very shaggy reasons.

They have been there too long.

They need to let younger artists have a go.

What the hell does that mean in the real world?? 

This was first muted in 2012, so these artists have had the sword of Damocles dangling above their heads while the COF failed to make a decision. 

The artists tried to negotiate reasonable terms of tenure to no avail. 

They have had to put up with monthly tenancies since then, not really knowing if or when there might be a fair arrangement from the City. 

Frankly, COF has never been able to offer a believable explanation as to why this has occurred. 

Do they really think it is worth dumping established businesses to give others a bash at repeating their success?

Surely they can find other places to “give other artists a go”, without trashing these amazing artists-established businesses. 

What they seem to ignore is that these places have trained, employed and helped countless young artists over their 32 years there. 

Jina Lee is a perfect example of this. 

Greg James gave Jina, already an impressive emerging artist, a space in his studio and offered his support and mentorship.

After just over four years Jina moved to Unit 1 at J Shed and has become a highly successful independent arts practitioner in her own right. 

Mentorship

Jina’s work is seen widely now throughout WA and the rest of Australia. 

There are many stories like this that can be told by Greg, Jenny and the other artists. 

Who will provide this training, mentorship and support for young and emerging artists now? Who is going to provide this training now? 

Vacant space certainly won’t!

Those who know the area and how it works also know that apart from anything else it is a place of learning of collaboration and non judgmental support for budding artists whoever they are. 

These places are rare; in fact I don’t know of any other in Australia. 

Cities don’t generally throw out highly successful businesses. 

They don’t usually tell their most respected artists to bugger off to somewhere else, and ‘we don’t care where!!’ 

Let’s face it, the city doesn’t have a great track record for developing a thriving retail precinct. 

I attended and spoke at the recent council meeting where the mayor and deputy mayor suggested an amendment, offering to extend the period of notice to vacate by three years, in an effort to offer a more humane timing for the exit for these artists.

However it was rejected by a majority of councillors; I listened to their mostly negative arguments as to why they should bury these living treasures and, to be honest, none of arguments made sense to me.

In my view there were too many unqualified comments from individuals who had not devoted any time to finding out what actually happens at J Shed and the associated art spaces in the area.

They seemed to be informed only by gossip and negative information from… well you know who you are. 

Another senior councillor spoke for an inordinate amount of time and was obviously firmly against the J Shed artists. 

By the end of their elongated speech I had no idea what their point was.

Thank you to the mayor and deputy mayor for trying to bring fairness and a consideration of morality to bare. 

Let’s hope this refreshing ethos can spread within the incumbent councillors. 

Who are the artists at the centre of this debacle? 

1) One of Australia’s most prolific, awarded, nationally and internationally, exhibited and recognised sculptors Greg James.

2) Iconic and highly awarded Australian ceramic artists Jenny Dawson.

3) Multi award winning underwater photographer and number 1 on Trip Advisor for best Art Gallery in Fremantle, for the past five years, Glen Cowans.

5) Multi award winning Photographer and much loved photography teacher Peter Zuvela, and 

6) international recognised, award winning Sculptor Jina Lee. 

Three of these artists have been trading here for over 30 years and are employers, trainers, mentors and supporters of emerging artists. 

Without exception their arts-based businesses are highly successful and are the product of years of exceptionally hard work.

They are all at the peak of their careers.