Living Treasures

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.

In 1998, the former Minister for Arts, The Hon. Peter Foss QC MLC, initiated the State Living Treasures Awards to honour those artists whose lifetime work has enhanced the artistic and cultural life of Western Australia, providing inspiration for other artists and enriching the community.

The awards were also presented in 2004 by The Hon. Sheila McHale MLA, former Minister for Culture and the Arts.

The 2015 State Living Treasures were presented with their awards by The Hon. John Day MLA, former Minister for Culture and the Arts at a ceremony at the Art Gallery of Western Australia in October 2015.