South West WA Creative Industries

South West WA Creative Industries

The value of the sector is difficult to calculate given that it comprises advertising, architecture, art, crafts, design, fashion, film, music, performing arts, publishing, R&D, software, toys and games, TV and radio, and video games. Further complexity is added when accounting for employment that might be a mix of tasks that include creative industries work.

Interest in the South West is based upon the regional attractor, an organised cluster, tourism industry and events that support growth in the sector. There is ad hoc evidence indicating the sector has grown in areas of digital media, design, marketing, film, television, animation and gaming technologies.

The economic contribution of the arts is well recognised in the South West. The
region features Australia’s largest film prize through CinefestOZ, Western Australia’s premier country music event at Boyup Brook, plus the Cherry Harmony Festival, Truffle Kerfuffle and Margaret River Gourmet Escape.

The Capes region features Margaret River Open Studios which attracts 25,000 visitors each year to experience art in many forms, and there are music events from the Bridgetown Blues and Boyup Brook Country Music to Busselton’s Jazz on the Bay and Bunbury’s Grooving the Moo for young audiences.