Army Art is a community arts engagement and fundraising initiative. Part proceeds raised will go towards supporting the development of our expanding art skills and art therapy programmes, with the majority of funds donated to not for profits working to support current and former Australian Defence Force members and their families in Western Australia. A volunteer run organisation, it has a rich history of support with a sense of community and giving that is intrinsically tied in the past to the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and today to the entire Australian Defence family. The majority of organising committee members have a direct link to the Australian Defence Force. Our first exhibition in 1974 was held at Campbell Barracks in Swanbourne. The event organisers at that time, the SASR Auxiliary, could not have known that they would begin an event that would see it become one of Perth’s leading fundraising art events, and the only such event in Western Australia linking the arts and defence. In 2006 Army Art relocated to the historic Drill Hall at Leeuwin Barracks in East Fremantle. Established by the Royal Australian Navy as the naval depot for Fremantle, the base was decommissioned from naval service in 1986 before being reopened by the Army in 1987 and continues as the venue for Army Art's annual fine art exhibition. As we head towards our 50th year of operations we remain as committed as ever to supporting the arts and defence communities throughout WA and forging stronger ties to defence arts communities across Australia. To date we have donated to more than 80 not for profit organisations in WA. We look forward to establishing exciting new collaborations and partnerships, while cherishing the old, so we may continue to support organisations focussed on having a positive impact on the lives of serving and ex-serving Defence members and their families.
