Creative & Immersive Economy
Creative and Immersive Economy
- Creative industries are the 14th largest employer in the WA economy contributing an estimated $3.3 billion in Industry Value Add (IVA) in 2018–19
- Fremantle has the longest running street arts festival in Australia, which is the largest of its kind in Australasia.
- Fremantle Arts Centre turned 50 in 2023 and is the longest running art centre in Australia, in 2021 it engaged with 300,000 members of the community.
- $3+ million is the estimated value of the City of Fremantle Art Collection which turned 65 years old in 2023.
- $70 million annually is spent in Fremantle by tourists, with 81% interested in experiencing Aboriginal tourism (experiences and activities) if it were easily accessible.
Our vision is to be a creative city that is inspiring, diverse and dares to be different.
Creative industries provide diverse jobs within the City of Fremantle, which underpin the City’s vibrancy, strong sense of community and progressive identity.
Fremantle is renowned for its community of musicians, artists, designers and filmmakers. It attracts some of the most creative and talented individuals from Australia and around the world, who choose Fremantle as their preferred location to live and work.
As of 2021 Fremantle’s creative economy included an estimated 2,310 jobs and contributed $181.8 million directly to the economy.
Arts and culture are critical to the fabric that makes Fremantle a unique community.
Our Arts, Culture, and Creative Strategy 2024-2034 outlines our commitment to growing a diverse and resilient arts and culture community, through capacity-building programs and programming.
This strategy articulates how we partner effectively with many other contributors to Fremantle’s cultural development.
If we can achieve a coordinated approach and a real sense of partnering, we can provide a much stronger foundation for Fremantle’s creative future.
A ‘First Nations First’ approach informs the design of our key programming areas, and content creation and program delivery is driven by cultural leaders and First Nations artists.
With live music venues and a compelling program of world-class festivals and events, arts and culture significantly reinforce the city’s spirit and soul.
Our investment in spaces for creatives to develop existing work, perform, exhibit and evolve their enterprises, maximises use of facilities for arts and culture activities.
Fremantle is building on its rich history and culture, and unlocking its potential as a destination to live, work and invest.
