The Culture Vulture Guide to Fremantle

There's no doubt about it: Fremantle is the cultural capital of Perth.

The high concentration of artisan markets live music venues, and art galleries make this portside city one of the best places in Western Australia to immerse yourself in all things creative.

If it's visual arts you're drawn to, these gallery spaces are a must-visit.

Fremantle Arts Centre

1 Finnerty St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia

The Fremantle Arts Centre is a true cultural hub, part gallery, part event space, and live music venue. It houses the City of Fremantle Art Collection – the most extensive municipal art collection in WA – made up of historical and contemporary works by Fremantle makers. Inside the magnificent 19th century gothic building, you'll find the main gallery. Outside in the grassy courtyard, there's a rotating roster of events, including artisan markets, performances from major national and international acts, and local live music on the lawn every Sunday in summer.

PS

22-26 Pakenham St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia

A total of 36 creatives and companies from all different artistic disciplines call PS in the West End of Fremantle home. It's one of the largest centres for artist studio spaces in WA, facilitating both the creation of contemporary art and its presentation to the general public. A large industrial area works as a blank canvas that can transform for a project or performance. Throughout the year, you can catch any number of art exhibitions from resident and visiting artists, dance performances, and even live music concerts there.

Japingka Aboriginal Art

45 High St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia

Immerse yourself in the colours and stories of Aboriginal culture and art at Japingka Aboriginal Art on High Street in Fremantle’s West End. The gallery – nestled between The David Giles Art Gallery and Port Jarrah Furniture – spans two levels of a beautiful heritage building and showcases large- and smaller-scale works by selected artists from around Australia. The gallery celebrates several Aboriginal art styles, with landscape paintings and colourful abstracts just as represented as the iconic dot paintings. What’s displayed on the gallery floor isn’t just what’s on offer. There’s also a large stock room that holds an additional 3,500 artworks for visitors to peruse and purchase to take home.

Moores Building

46 Henry St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia

The Moores Building is one of the oldest in Fremantle’s West End, built between 1862 to 1899 by businessman William Dalgety Moore. It has a colourful history from beer brewing to manufacturing hardware equipment. Today it’s a contemporary art gallery and café, and sister site of the Fremantle Arts Centre, showcasing local and national artists in its vast hall and upstairs rooms. Post-art-browse, pop into the adjoining café with its serene, secluded courtyard where they serve all-day brunch, coffee and fresh Prana chai.

Art Marx

15 High St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia

Art Marx is the home of abstract art in Fremantle. Opening in 2020, the High St gallery is the only space in WA to dedicate entirely to this particular art style. Each month Art Marx draw from their stable of works and run themed exhibitions – think Vibrance or Creatures and Critters – to showcase their pool of West Australian artists. They also host monthly new exhibition openings on a Friday (with a glass of bubbles), so keep an eye out for the opening night tickets by email or on socials.

J Shed

1 Fleet St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia

Behind the colourful doors of the J Shed warehouse on Bathers Beach, you'll find the active creative spaces of five local artists. From life-sized bronze sculptures at Greg James Sculpture Studio Gallery to a range of fluid silk-crepe scarves and shirts in Rose Megirian's studio, the spaces are home to artists working in all corners of the art and design worlds. Drop by to watch art in action before heading onwards for a spritz or two overlooking the ocean at Bathers Beach House.

Plus, keep an eye out for… Fremantle Biennale

Mark your calendar: On every two years during the Nyoongar season of Kambarang (November), the greater Fremantle region comes to life with an exciting program of large-scale, site-responsive contemporary art as part of the Fremantle Biennale. The festival celebrates the region's cultural, social, and historical uniqueness. Previous years have seen wildly popular installations and displays such as the choreographed drone light show, MOOMBAKI, in 2021, and the Arcs d'Ellipses in 2017, a perspective piece that framed the historic buildings on High Street in a tunnel of yellow lines.

Photo credit: Main and second image - Pixel Poetry