Flood damage to Mangkaja Arts (Fitzroy Crossing) at the time of the mid-January floods. Image: Sarka Pantuckova, courtesy Sarka Pantuckova and Mangkaja Arts.
The West Kimberley flood in early January was unprecedented in scale and devastation. Many in Fitzroy Crossing lost their homes, and others in the region were cut off from services and supplies for weeks (some are still semi-stranded).
The Kimberley is home to a number of important Aboriginal Art Centres and several of them have endured the flood’s devastating effects. As they return, they are coming to terms with lost artworks, intensive clean-ups and challenging conditions that pose serious threats to incomes and livelihoods.
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).
