State Cultural Treasures Awards

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.

2022 State Cultural Treasures Awards

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.

2022 Awards recipients

Information on each of the 2022 State Cultural Treasures is provided in the publication below including videos of each recipient. 

State Cultural Treasures 2022

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The Western Australian State Cultural Treasures Awards honour senior Western Australian artists who have made a lifelong contribution to their art form and their community.

Previous State Living Treasures

Living Treasures 1998

Western Australian State Living Treasures 1998

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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.
Western Australian State Living Treasures 2004

Western Australian State Living Treasures 2004

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This is the second time the awards have been presented, the first being in 1998.
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Western Australian State Living Treasures 2015

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The Western Australian State Living Treasures Awards were inaugurated in 1998 to honour senior West Australian artists who have made a lifelong contribution to their art form and their community.
Page reviewed 15 December 2022