Welcome to our feature – Arts Scene Around Freo – compiled by our Arts Editor, Gayle O’Leary. Here we will bring to your attention community Arts events happening around Freo – visual arts, live performances, music gigs of various sorts, you name it. Each week we will post Arts Scene on our homepage as well as in The Weekly Edition. If you’d like to have your event included, let Gayle know!
So, what’s happening this week?
Roger Leevers: Retrospective
8 – 24 May
Roger Leevers Retrospective is presenting of a broad range of media and experience accumulated over sixty odd years of his career.
The ocean has featured repeatedly as sailing and fishing are easily accessed in Geraldton. The Abrolhos Islands nearby have a lengthy history.
Yachts, historical sailing boats and fishing boats all feature in Acrylic, Watercolours, Linocuts and Drawings. Imperative viewing.
In Fremantle in the 80’s Roger Leevers drew blackboards for the Matilda Bay Group, in 1996 chosen as ships artist for the Endeavour Replica World Tour
Upstairs, 35 High Street, Fremantle
Essex Street Gallery
The Paper Bird Illustration Exhibition
9 – 23 May 2026
Visit the inaugural Paper Bird Illustration Exhibition to wander hundreds of storied artworks from over fifty local, national and international Illustrators, both emerging and established.
Prints, originals and a limited edition 2026 Exhibition Catalogue will be available for sale.
Entry is free.
Moores Building Art Space 46 Henry Street, Fremantle
https://paperbird.com.au/illustration-exhibition-award/
Contemporary Print Media Awards 2026
16 May 2026 12:00 PM – 29 May 2026 4:00 PM
The Contemporary Print Media Awards 2026 is a print media exhibition exhibiting the work of over 70 printmakers living in Western Australia. A big congratulations to all involved, and a massive thank you to our sponsors and judges.
The exhibition is at PS Art Space, 22 Pakenham Street, Fremantle, and runs until 29th of May, 2026. We would love to see you there!
Please see the link to the online catalogue here: Online- Catalogue -PAWA- Contemporary-Print-Media-Awards-2026.pdf
PS Art Space, 22 Pakenham St, Fremantle
https://www.psas.com.au/pages/whats_on/print_makers_association_of_western_australia/
Backyard Truth Dwelling Series
Saturday 16 & 23 May 2026 4:30pm – 7:30pm
Backyard Truth-Telling showcases emerging and established Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian storytellers, sharing their lived experiences in their own voices and in their own way.
Across three weekends in May, audiences are invited into intimate backyard settings in and around Walyalup/Fremantle to listen to stories that speak to the resilience and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, confront difficult truths, hidden histories, and reimagined futures.
*Please note, these events are free but booking is essential
Randwick Stables, Hamilton Hill Sat, 23 May, 4:30pm – 7:30pm
WANGKA KUTJU, TJUKURPA TJUTA One Voice, Many Stories
Friday 29 May – 14 June 2026
Established in 2004, Artitja Fine Art is recognised for its commitment to ethical and fair trading in Aboriginal art. As a signatory to the Aboriginal Art Code, we work in close partnership with over twenty Aboriginal-owned, remote, community art centres across Australia.
With up to five curated public exhibitions each year and private viewings available by appointment in South Fremantle, we are dedicated to presenting authentic and meaningful artworks. Our regular visits over two decades to regions including Arnhem Land, the Tiwi Islands and the desert communities of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the APY Lands continue to strengthen our long-standing relationships with artists and communities.
330 South Terrace South Fremantle, WA
PennyFest 2026
Saturday 30th May 2026 2pm – 10pm
A celebration of Music, Community & Legacy…
Penny Fest marks the final chapter of a special fundraising journey that began with Richard Lane’s memorial in November 2025. This all-ages event brings together the heart of our music school and the local community for one unforgettable day.
🎸 What to expect:
- Live performances from the Penny Lane’s students and parents
- Teen bands from local high schools
- Awesome local musos
- Internationally renowned double headline acts:
- 8pm – Reuben de Melo (The Voice Australia 2024 winner & former Penny Lane’s teacher)
- 9pm – Michael Videlli & The Art of Dysfunction (WA Blues powerhouse)
🎥 Between sets, we will be screening the multiple award-winning Penny Lane’s documentary and archival footage celebrating Richard’s career and the music school history.
More than just music:
- Food vans – pizzas, burgers, chips & more
- Bar – serving a selection of alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks
- Face painting and activities for the kids
- Raffle prizes
Come along anytime from 2pm onwards for a day of music, community and legacy
Penny Lane’s Music Workshop 48 Knutsford St
Fremantle
https://humanitix.com/au/search/au–wa–perth/penny%20fest?dates=all
The Unyoung Chronicles Exhibition
24 May 2026 – 3 July 2026 6:30am to 3pm Mon-Sun + 5pm to 9pm Thurs – Mon (closed 3pm – 5pm)
UnYoung Chronicles is a group of artists exhibiting in a café (only people who go to galleries go to galleries) for six weeks (photos, sculptures, oils, acrylic, vox populi) 23rd May to 3rd July. By holding the exhibition where people eat and drink, we hope the theme surrounding customers will inspire conversations about getting older.
Unyoung Chronicles celebrates the richness and diversity of these bonus years, showcasing how individuals are embracing ageing in creative, meaningful, and inclusive ways. Through a multi-faceted initiative, we aim to challenge outdated perceptions of ageing and promote the idea of positive ageing as a time for personal growth, connection, and contribution.
South Freo Continental 318 South Terrace, South Fremantle
theunyoungchronicles.weebly.co
WA Day Festival
Monday 1st June 2026 11am – 6pm
Set against the stunning backdrop of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour and Bathers Beach, this lively WA Day celebration features a dynamic program of live entertainment from artists representing cultures across Oceania, Asia, Europe and South America.
Highlights include performances by Wadumbah Dance Group and Apotezzy Samba, along with colourful cultural showcases, roaming performers and high-energy acts across the precinct. Festival Carnivale at Bathers Beach will bring Latin rhythms, choreographed dance, live bands and vibrant costuming to the waterfront, alongside performances throughout Mews Park and the harbour.
Families can explore dedicated discovery zones featuring creative workshops, interactive storytelling and hands-on activities, along with unique attractions such as the Mermaid Aquarium & Marine Wonder Experience.
With a wide range of food vendors, festive atmosphere and entertainment for all ages, it’s the perfect way to celebrate WA Day in the heart of Fremantle.
Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour
https://www.visitfremantle.com.au/major-event/fremantle-wa-day-festival
Moored
Opening 5th June, 6pm
Gallery open 6th-21st June, 10-3pm
Art exhibition featuring Annette Wiguna alongside established and mid-career multidisciplinary artists, each responding to their unique ways of seeing their home port of Fremantle/Walyalup.
Moores Building Art Space Henry Street, Fremantle
WA World Ocean Day
Monday 8 June 2026 From 5pm
Western Australia’s oceans are some of the most unique in the world – and right now, they’re under pressure.
On Monday 8 June, leading scientists, conservationists and storytellers will come together at Gage Roads Freo for a free public event marking World Ocean Day – opening up a timely conversation about what’s happening beneath WA waters, and why it matters.
Presented by The Jock Clough Marine Foundation, the evening features two panel discussions spanning science, conservation and community – designed to be accessible, engaging and relevant to everyday West Australians.
With growing public focus on issues like climate change, marine biodiversity and fishing practices, the event creates space for a balanced and informed conversation.
“The conversations happening in WA right now – including around fishing and sustainability – show just how much people care about our oceans,” says Sam Moyle, Director of The Jock Clough Marine Foundation.
“This is about celebrating WA’s marine environment, while bringing science and the broader community together in a way that’s engaging, accessible, and inspiring.”
Event speakers include:
- Dr Glenn Moore (WA Museum) – unique WA marine biodiversity
- Dr Oliver Jewell (DBCA) – tagging and tracking sharks
- Nush Freedman (Terra Australia / Shipwreck Hunters) – conservation through the camera lens
- Dr Adrian Gleiss (Murdoch University) – climate impacts on iconic marine species
- Tony Worby (AWBF) – WA coral regeneration
- Dr Michaela Dommisse (The Nature Conservancy) – algal blooms and shellfish reef restoration
Together they’ll explore the key issues shaping WA’s marine environment right now, alongside the research and local success stories driving change.
Gage Roads Freo, Victoria Quay
Cost: Free (registration encouraged) via www.waworldoceanday.com
Burmese Diaspora Storytelling
Sunday 7th June 12pm – 1:30pm
Join us as intergenerational storytellers explore migration, memory, and myth within the Burmese diaspora.
Held within A Bag of Rice for a Saturday Child, artists and community members will share personal stories, ancestral knowledge, and lived experiences across generations. Through conversation and reflection, the event will create space to connect, listen, and honour the stories that shape identity, belonging, and cultural continuity.
Storytellers to be announced soon.
Free but RSVP essential.
https://www.dadaa.org.au/gallery/
Hidden Treasures
11 – 18 June 2026
Hidden Treasures takes over two suburban bowling clubs for two nights of music, mischief, and discovery — handpicked by Freo favourites.
Local Acts, Handpicked by Local Acts
Three stages in each venue.
Roam room to room. Catch something unexpected.
From Hilton to North Freo, we’re pushing the sound beyond the centre — into places you wouldn’t normally look.
North Freo Bowlo — 11 June
Hilton Bowling Club — 18 June
https://www.hiddentreasuresfreo.com.au/
If there’s any missed local shows and events that are about to open, do make sure to email Gayle so we can include your show, event, gig.
* Arts Scene Around Freo is compiled by our Arts Editor, Gayle O’Leary. If you’d like your community event listed email Gayle here.
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