Perth Cultural Development Plan

HeritageCulture+Heritage Plan

11 June

Written By Sharyn May

Perth Cultural Development Plan

Client
City of Perth

Location
Perth WA

Traditional Custodians
Whadjuk Noongar

With
Positive Solutions

Perth’s inaugural Cultural Development Plan sets a long-term agenda for civic identity and vibrancy—elevating culture as essential infrastructure. It serves as a declaration of the value of arts, heritage, events, and culture to Perth's future prosperity, liveability, and wellbeing.

Shaped through extensive engagement across communities, business and the cultural sector, Maytrix supported the delivery of the ten-year plan, aligning local identity with national outcomes. Celebrating Perth’s rich cultural heritage, it promotes community-led creative spaces, strategic investment in culture, and the revitalisation of the Perth Cultural Centre Precinct—fostering a vibrant cultural landscape. It also strengthens governance and delivery mechanisms—embedding equity and cultural participation at the heart of future planning and civic growth.

Building a shared platform to connect community, place and creative expression, the 10-year Cultural Development Plan recognises the profound connection between cultural vitality and thriving communities. It promotes community-led creative spaces, reflects shared aspirations, aligning Perth’s cultural direction with national frameworks. Formalising existing cultural initiatives, the Plan establishes an effective, outcome-based framework to advance the vision for Perth as a dynamic, connected, and progressive city.

The Plan aims to elevate Perth’s reputation as a world-class cultural hub, embedding strategic investment in arts, heritage and creative industries—supporting local identity, civic inclusion and creative sector capability. It elevates the role of the arts in urban development, positioning cultural infrastructure as a catalyst for participation, precinct activation and long-term place value. Place-based priorities guide cultural investment, including enhanced visibility for First Nations culture and expanded support for local programming. Neighbourhood profiles inform activation strategies across the city—linking cultural planning with lived experience.

The Cultural Development Plan delivers a comprehensive roadmap for Perth’s cultural evolution, enhancing liveability and cultural vibrancy by prioritising continuous investment in cultural spaces, programming, and support for creative industries. Our approach is informed by expertise in cultural strategy development and comprehensive experience across the arts and cultural sector to enhance Perth’s liveability, sustainability, and inclusivity for generations to come.