Jo Pickup

ArtsHub's Arts Feature Writer Jo Pickup is based in Perth. An arts writer and manager, she has worked as a journalist and broadcaster for media such as the ABC, RTRFM and The West Australian newspaper, contributing media content and commentary on art, culture and design. She has also worked for arts organisations such as Fremantle Arts Centre, STRUT dance, and the Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub of WA, as well as being a sessional arts lecturer at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).

Jo Pickup's Latest Articles

Fremantle Biennale 2025: a large smokey empty room with 7 large black square shaped speakers suspended from the room while three young people are sitting on the floor looking at them.
Features

5 powerful highlights from this year’s Fremantle Biennale

The 2025 Fremantle Biennale brought to life over 25 ambitious, site-responsive artworks. Here are the five that stood out from…

arts philanthropy: a bird's eye view over the atrium entry space of a large gallery showing around 15 gallery visitors moving around the space.
News

Successful arts philanthropy fund winds up in scarce donor environment

A promising philanthropy initiative that has raised significant sums for independent arts projects in Western Australia has closed due to…

Image: Dan Farrell on Unsplash.
Features

AusArt Day, first ever government-backed giving day for the arts: was it a success?

Billed as an important new initiative to boost arts philanthropy, Creative Australia’s inaugural AusArt Day achieved mixed results.

fringe festival audiences: a brightly lit outdoor scene crowded with people queuing to enter a performing arts show in a circus tent.
Features

Which Australian Fringe festival is achieving the greatest growth?

All four of our major fringe festivals continue to draw strong crowds, but one looks likely to be on the…

opera audiences: A theatre stage with four soldiers in shadow standing in pairs in the background. In the foreground are two soldiers, crouching on the ground, each one holding a woman in his arms. The women are wearing white gowns.
News

Are opera audiences really in decline? Big picture results reveal all

ArtsHub has collated the data on our major opera companies recent attendance figures and financials to reveal some interesting trends.

youth arts: a photo of two teenage girls standing in an art gallery space looking at two contemporary art paintings that hang on two different walls of the gallery.
Features

Government policy champions youth arts, so why is funding slipping?

The benefits for young people are well documented, but leaders in youth arts say greater commitment is needed.

Arts funding: four Australian bank notes laid on a table. Two twenty dollar bills appear at the back covered partially by two fifty dollar note on top.
News

Where’s the money from this local government arts program gone?

A local government with a legacy of arts investment is now facing tough questions about dramatic gaps in its arts…

A large mass of circus performers forming an amorphous pyramid shape with their bodies on stage against a black background. The lone performer at the top of the human pyramid is balancing in a one handed handstand.
Features

It’s time to rethink how we fund international touring – here’s why

Companies are facing cost barriers to touring work overseas. Could one of our most energetic Artistic Directors hold keys to…

Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke: a middle aged white man with grey hair wearing a suit standing spotlight against a dark background. In this article, Burke discusses arts policy and Revive.
Opinions & Analysis

What Arts Minister’s press briefing reveals about policy evaluation

Digging in to Federal Arts Minister’s recent media briefing points to some of his policy evaluation preferences.

Corporate arts partnership dilemmas: a close up of someone's hand holding a gold pen over a desk about to sign a contract.
Features

Leaked CEO email reveals hazards of arts leaders in corporate partnership dilemmas

A sector CEO’s attempt to reassure staff amid corporate partnership-related backlash has sparked questions around best practice in these situations.

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