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  • 01 Understanding governance
    • 1.0 Understanding governance
    • 1.1 The important parts of governance
    • 1.2 Indigenous governance
    • 1.3 Governance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations
    • 1.4 Case studies
  • 02 Culture and governance
    • 2.0 Culture and governance
    • 2.1 Indigenous governance and culture
    • 2.2 Two-way governance
    • 2.3 Case studies
  • 03 Getting started
    • 3.0 Getting started on building your governance
    • 3.1 Assessing your governance
    • 3.2 Mapping your community for governance
    • 3.3 Case studies
  • 04 Leadership
    • 4.0 Leadership for governance
    • 4.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership
    • 4.2 The challenges of leadership
    • 4.3 Evaluating your leadership
    • 4.4 Youth leadership and succession planning
    • 4.5 Building leadership capacity to govern
    • 4.6 Case studies
  • 05 Governing the organisation
    • 5.0 Governing the organisation
    • 5.1 Roles, responsibilities and rights of a governing body
    • 5.2 Accountability: what is it, to whom and how?
    • 5.3 Decision making by the governing body
    • 5.4 Governing finances and resources
    • 5.5 Communicating
    • 5.6 Future planning
    • 5.7 Building capacity and confidence for governing bodies
    • 5.8 Case studies
  • 06 Rules and policies
    • 6.0 Governance rules and policies
    • 6.1 What are governance rules?
    • 6.2 Governance rules and culture
    • 6.3 Running effective meetings
    • 6.4 Policies for organisations
    • 6.5 Case studies
  • 07 Management and staff
    • 7.0 Management and staff
    • 7.1 Managing the organisation
    • 7.2 The governing body and management
    • 7.3 Managing staff
    • 7.4 Staff development and training
    • 7.5 Case studies
  • 08 Disputes and complaints
    • 8.0 Dealing with disputes and complaints
    • 8.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous approaches
    • 8.2 Core principles and skills for dispute and complaint resolution
    • 8.3 Disputes and complaints about governance
    • 8.4 Your members: dealing with disputes and complaints
    • 8.5 Organisations: dealing with internal disputes and complaints
    • 8.6 Practical guidelines and approaches
    • 8.7 Case studies
  • 09 Nation building and development
    • 9.0 Governance for nation rebuilding and development
    • 9.1 What is nation rebuilding?
    • 9.2 Governance for nation rebuilding
    • 9.3 Governance for sustained development
    • 9.4 Networked governance
    • 9.5 Kick-starting the process of nation rebuilding
    • 9.6 Case studies
  • Glossary
  • Useful links
  • Acknowledgements

Warakurna Artists, WA

May 9, 2012

Winner of the 2008 National Indigenous Governance Award.

About Warakurna Artists 

Established in 2004 in Warakurna, a tiny community in the remote Ngaanyatjarra lands of Western Australia, Warakurna Artists is a locally owned and managed Indigenous arts enterprise that supports the production and marketing of diverse, colourful, culturally intense and artistically rich works of art. The organisation, which also serves the nearby community of Wanarn, returns a broad range of benefits to the artists and residents of the region by providing access to independent income, sharing small business experience and facilitating equitable engagement with mainstream markets.

Warakurna Artists supports first time, mid-career and established artists to access the art market while contributing to important community outcomes. One of Warakurna’s core aims is to use painting as a vehicle for the sharing and transmission of culture in the community between individuals, families and generations. Warakurna also supports and engages the elderly, pre-school and school children. The business provides opportunities for employment and development through the production and sale of artworks.

Governance

One of the building blocks of Warakurna Artists is their long-term emphasis on governance training and highly participatory governance processes. Each year the artists and executive committee participate in the Ngaanyatjarra Arts Governance Training program; an experience cultivating skills, confidence and other professional development opportunities. It gives Warakurna Artists high quality, culturally appropriate, fully translated governance training and information and has created strong regional relationships and role models. The training has helped build confident executive committees across the region, ensuring better management of their enterprises and increased participation of all members in the management of their organisations.

Judges’ Comments

Warakurna Artists is a very impressive operation. It is run by the artists who are the main beneficiaries for the services it offers, and there is only one full time staff member and two to four part-time staff periodically.

The artists are well trained in governance and that is a great strength of the organisation. They represent an expanding opportunity for artists in remote communities to enhance their economic development and to deliver benefits to all members of their community. Throughout the organisation they have a sustained commitment to leadership and governance excellence – from the governing committee, the artists and the staff.

The considerable strength of the organisation is revealed in the courageous stance taken in relation to ethical dealing in Indigenous art. The Board, through its leadership, plays an important role in helping to resist the predatory purchase practices allegedly engaged in by some merchants.

Warakurna Artists is having a positive impact on the community as a whole with increased school attendance and better health outcomes. This is because the organisation provides meaning (and meaningful engagement) as well as income. The organisation helps to keep culture strong in a contemporary way and is making a positive contribution to the overall strength of its community.
The organisation has a credible business plan with a long term vision – a clear commitment to look beyond short-term (bottom line) issues in favour of adopting long-term goals.

Warakurna Artists is a leading best practice organisation that is founded on good governance.

Some Key Factors Of Success

  • The organisation is owned and operated by the artists.
  • Sustained commitment to good governance and governance training.
  • The standard of administration is ethical and highly transparent.
  • Management is competent, skilled and capable.
  • Culture and Country are successfully integrated into the business, with paintings contributing to the maintenance and transmission of culture.
  • The involvement of young people with clear policies and practices directed towards the engagement of the next generation via painting.
  • Impacts beyond the WA arts community.
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The Australian Indigenous Governance Institute

The Australian Indigenous Governance Institute is a unique Indigenous led national centre of governance knowledge and excellence. We know that practically effective and culturally legitimate governance is the staple building block for delivering real change.

We assist Indigenous Australians in their diverse efforts to determine and strengthen their own sustainable systems of self-governance by identifying world-class governance practice, informing effective policy, providing accessible research, disseminating stories that celebrate outstanding success and solutions, and delivering professional education and training opportunities.

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