The 2022 State Cultural Treasures Awards (formerly State Living Treasures Awards) acknowledge outstanding lifelong contributions of senior Western Australian artists to their art form and the community and community arts organisation with an operational history of more than 25 years.
The concept of the State Living Treasures originated in Japan in the post-World War II period, when the title became the highest honour attainable by a senior traditional artist. Since then, the Living Treasures awards programs have been adopted worldwide to honour influential elders of the artistic community.
The awards acknowledge the ability of artists to engage, move, involve and entertain audiences. They honour the skill, imagination and originality of the artist.
The Western Australian State Cultural Treasures Awards (formerly State Living Treasures Awards) were inaugurated in 1998 to honour senior Western Australian artists who have made a lifelong contribution to their art form and their community. Further rounds of artists were honoured with the awards in 2004 and 2015.
The 2022 State Cultural Treasures Awards acknowledge outstanding lifelong contributions of senior Western Australian artists (over 60 years of age) to their art form and the community, and community arts organisations with an operational history of more than 25 years.
Following a public nominations process, with assessment of the nominations undertaken by an esteemed panel, on 7 December 2022 awards were bestowed on eight influential artists.
Information on each of the 2022 State Cultural Treasures is provided in the publication below including videos of each recipient.