About CAN
With its roots planted firmly in the social activism of the 1960s and the early international community arts movement, contemporary CAN continues to unlock Western Australia’s untold stories through community participation in art.
Giving voice to the hidden histories of this land and all of its people, stories and art in all its forms are shared to create positive social change, building inclusion and understanding between people.
Knowing that art transforms communities, CAN has pursued this purpose for 35 years, building relationships that create opportunities for people to determine for themselves what stories best express the diversity of experience, aspiration and imagination alive in Western Australians.
Across its history, CAN’s delivery and partnerships have adapted to the aspirations of its communities and the opportunities of the time with a nimbleness that keeps it relevant and vital, but the lifeblood of the organisation remains its values, which have informed more than 35 years of practice.
Strategic Framework
To create positive social change through the arts,
building inclusion and understanding between people.
First Peoples, First
All our work is underpinned by this principle. CAN supports the ULURU Statement from the Heart. Self-determination is at the heart of CAN’s work with all communities.
Respect
We believe in the inherent worth of all people and their right to be treated with dignity and honour.
Social Equity
We believe that creative expression should be accessible to all, as a vital part of being human.
Creativity
We use all forms of artistic and creative expression to inspire the sharing of stories and culture.
Arts Production
We make outstanding art with communities that tells their stories and shares their lived experience.
Community Development
In the process of making and presenting this art we build people’s capacity and strengthen communities.
Sector Development
We build sector knowledge, capacity and influence.
Organisational Sustainability
We are transforming our organisation to reflect and service our diverse community.
Nguluk Kaartadjin Wongi
CAN embeds Aboriginal wisdom in its governance structures and documenting working methods that underpin self determination for ATSI communities in CAN projects.
Nguluk Kaartadjin Wongi commits CAN to specific actions that enhance self-determination for ATSI communities and expand opportunities for ATSI people to influence engagement and dialogue with the broader arts sector in Western Australia, through CAN.
The Noongar title Nguluk (our) Kaartadjin (Knowledge) Wongi (Talk/speak) reflects the origin of our work on Noongar Boodja under the guidance of many Noongar people who have influenced CAN, and to whom we offer our thanks.
Board
CAN is governed by a Board of Directors who are leaders in their industries and bring diverse academic, social and career backgrounds and experiences to the Board table. Our Directors are responsible for the strategic leadership and governance of CAN and are charged with policy development, risk management and overall accountability.
Pearl Proud
Board Chair
Kenny Lye
Treasurer
Jane Long
Board Director
Antonella Segre
Board Secretary
Johnny Doan
Board Director
Lisa Longman
Board Director
Rosemary Roach
Board Director
Jack Collard
Board Director
Aboriginal Advisory Group
The Aboriginal Advisory Group (AAG) was established in December 2018 to provide cultural advice and counsel to CAN and to offer specific advice and support to CAN’s artists and artsworkers creating projects with ATSl communities. Membership of the AAG is open to all ATSI people and is chaired by CAN’s Cultural Advisor, Noongar Elder Geri Hayden.
Geri Hayden
Kobi Morrison
Cyndy Moody
Sharon Wood-Kenney
Cultural Navigator and Consultant
CAN Team
The CAN team is a highly diverse, talented and experienced group of professionals - from operations and program personnel to skilled artists and arts workers. CAN’s collaborative approach and its remote employment opportunities have enabled it to attract a broad range of individuals, from those starting out in their career to those with years of industry experience.
Danielle Antaki
CEO
Miranda De Baughn
General Manager
Pauline Sikweti
Finance Manager
Michelle White
Executive Producer
Elly Jones
Program Manager
Rebecca Lyon Augustus
Marketing and Design Manager
Nina Levy
Communications Coordinator
Long Nguyen
Arts Administrator
Shenali Perera
Community Development Manager
Lidia Castro
Community Development Officer
Irma Woods
Project Producer
Elisha Rahimi
Project Producer
Natalie Scholtz
Creative Producer
Nduta Gathoga
Place Names Melville Producer
Gia Hilditch
Place Names Producer
Niki Davison
Special Projects Producer
Annual Reports
Work Opportunities
When we have opportunities for employment in the core team or contracts within the project team, we will advertise them here and on social media.
Current Positions
Sorry, there are currently no open career positions. Please check back soon.
Pearl Proud
Board Chair
Pearl Proud was born in Durban, South Africa and migrated to Australia in 1987. Pearl has a background in Psychology, Governance and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She has held a range of board positions and overseen the inception and strategic evolution of boards with a footprint in the Arts, Health, and Mental Health, and held clinical and management positions in private practice, government, non-for-profit, tertiary, and corporate sectors.
Pearl is a Member of the Institute of Company Directors, an alumna of the Cranlana Leadership Colloquium, Executive Consultant & Coach, Board Chair, non-Executive Director and endorsed Mentor in a governance career spanning 18 years. She has been in roles as a Consulting Psychologist and Psychology Board Approved Clinical Supervisor for over 27 years. Pearl has a commitment to actively contribute to the civic, social, cultural and artistic life in Western Australia, was Patron for the Perth Arts Festival, the Founding Patron for the Perth Writers Festival and a Medici Donor. Her civic and philanthropic contribution acknowledgements include the national Living Legend Award 2012. Pearl has a deep ancestral connection, and a gratitude and respect for Noongar land and culture and acknowledges its elders, past, present, and emerging and the cultural safekeepers.
Kenny Lye
Treasurer
Kenny Lye is a Chartered Management Accountant and governance professional with over 13 years’ experience in the arts’ and culture sector in Western Australia. He has held senior executive roles in leading arts’ organisations, including as Business Director at Artrage (Fringe World Festival) and in his current role as Chief Financial Officer at Perth Festival.
Kenny’s experience spans financial, human resources, strategic and operational management as well as governance and risk functions.
Kenny holds a Bachelor of Social Science (with Distinction) from Curtin University and a Master of Professional Accounting from Edith Cowan University. He is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ course.
Jane Long
Board Director
Jane Long is a higher education consultant, board director and enthusiastic supporter of arts practice and community engagement.
She was until recently Provost at the University of Tasmania; and prior to that, Senior Deputy Vice- Chancellor at La Trobe University. She has also held senior executive and academic positions at the University of Western Australia and is a Professor of History. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (UK), her own areas of specialisation and research include the history of poverty; modern European political history; and contemporary gender relations.
Jane is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a keen interest in governance, risk management and ethical leadership, and is committed to widening participation in and beyond the professions.
Jane believes fervently in the life-changing power of education, and has worked as a mentor, board member and volunteer in various organisations at state and national levels. Alongside that work, she has always been inspired by the spirit, energy and diversity embodied across the arts, and those who create and participate in them.
Antonella Segre
Board Secretary
Antonella Segre was born in Milan Italy and migrated to Perth in 2001 after having resided overseas for 30 years.
Her background is in Leadership, Business Development, Marketing and Event Management. She is an alumni of the Cranlana Leadership Community, received a special commendation in 2011 by the WA Women’s Hall of Fame committee and is the recipient of the Rosemary Caithness award. She was the CEO of ConnectGroups Peak Body from 2008 to 2022 and is now the CEO of ADHD WA. She has a strong interest in social anthropology and the arts and a drive for social justice and inclusion and social return.
Johnny Doan
Board Director
JD is a migrant settler with Cantonese, South Vietnamese and French heritage whose family came to Australia as refugees post-Vietnam War.
He is a mental health practitioner at Holyoake and an independent consultant across the arts, technology and non-for-profits. As a devotee to radical change, his work spans diversity, equity and inclusion, human rights advocacy, community engagement and project management. JD is also an artist and producer, finding inspiration from his kinships with transient practices in community art, photography and theatre.
Lisa Longman
Board Director
Lisa is focused on creating conversations and challenging mindsets. Her experiences of living within queer and third culture identities and working all over the world has given her the insight and empathy to create connections across communities. Lisa uses her knowledge of profit-for-purpose to support others to create change. Utilising her experience in traditional commercial enterprises to create effective and targeted for-purpose models. She is the founder of The Boxing Project, which encourages you to claim your space without apology. In Lisa's current role as Director at Bloom: The Centre for Youth Innovation she works to support youth to turn their ideas into implementation. In her TEDxUWA Lisa spoke about her commitment to measurable results.
'The willingness to critically examine the implementation of our ideas is the difference between truly having an impact and doing something because it makes us feel good. Enacting change rather than just advocating for it.'
Rosemary Roach
Board Director
Rosemary is an experienced lawyer, specialising in employment and safety law. Rosemary advises on all aspects of employment law and industrial relations; from disciplinary matters to complex industrial strategies.
Rosemary has served as a board member for ConnectGroups (the peak body for support groups in WA) and also served on the advisory council at the school her daughters attend. She has a keen interest in building communities and is an advocate for equity and inclusion in the workplace.
Jack Collard
Board Director
Geri Hayden
Geri has worked with both Aboriginal community organisations, non-government organisations and government bodies. As the former chairperson of the Southern Aboriginal Corporation she gained experience working in Noongar communities to implement social justice and wellbeing projects. She worked as a project officer with South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council for several years and has been a part of the South West Native Title Settlement, the largest native title settlement in Australian history, which will affect an estimated 30,000 Noongar People 200,000 square kilometres in South West WA.
Kobi Morrison
Kobi is a 27-year-old Bibbulmun noongar who was born and raised in Perth. While working at the UWA Centre for Social Impact and Propel Youth Arts WA, Kobi spends his spare time playing music, being involved in various music projects such as Moombaki, Koondarm, Koorlong, Madjitil Moorna and Endeavourous, these are projects that earned him the 2018 Perth NAIDOC Youth of the Year Award.
Cyndy Moody
Cyndy Moody is a Nyoongar singer and songwriter, and founder of her own busines, DjoonyArt Creatives. She works in libraries and community centres across Perth, captivating audiences with Nyoongar story time and lullaby sessions. The seeds of Cyndy’s career were sown at CAN in 2018, when she participated in the Northam Poetry Project and wrote her first poem in Nyoongar language. She has remained connected to the organisation ever since. Cyndy’s talent for writing saw her collaborate with CAN to lead a poetry event in 2019, then in 2020 she took part in the Noongar Lullabies program. The song she composed and recorded for Lullabies, Ngany Koorlangka / My Kid, went on to win the 2021 WAM Country Song of the Year. In 2022 Cyndy became the lead artist in the Lullabies Northam program and a member of CAN’s Aboriginal Advisory Group.
Sharon Wood-Kenney
Cultural Navigator and Consultant
Sharon Wood Kenney has been honoured with hearing our old people's stories since she was a little girl, always knowing her place was bringing people together as one.
Inducted into the WA Womans Hall of Fame 2020 for work in positive mental health and well-being using sports as the vehicle to engage. Sharon founded Djinda Falcons education & leadership Programs, Djinda Bridiya Wellbeing and South West Kinships Cultural Immersions, to build pride and respect for culture, reconciliation and self-determination platforms for youth and families to belong, heal and grow.
The designer and facilitator of cultural Immersion training programs, being hailed as an elite systems change Innovative training initiative.
Her unique "Perception Is OUR Truth" Cultural Immersion training is currently being delivered across WA Police, Education and Mental Health Organisations, to build connections to community and agencies across WA.
Danielle Antaki
CEO
Danielle has over 30 years experience in the arts and cultural industries. With a background in theatre and extensive practice in community cultural development, as well as qualifications in education, she has worked as a director, writer, producer and performer. She was recently the Arts and Education Manager for the Constable Care Foundation, where she spearheaded the development of its award winning youth engagement programs. Prior to that she was the Artistic Director and CEO of Powerhouse Youth Theatre, developing original, ground-breaking work with Western Sydney young people. She is also a sessional lecturer in Applied Arts at Curtin University’s School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry.
Danielle is particularly motivated by how arts and cultural programs provide profound opportunities for illumination, renewal, transformation and connection within our communities.
When not working she enjoys cooking with her daughter, passing on and experimenting with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes from her family.
Miranda De Baughn
General Manager
Miranda is an experienced arts manager who joined the Community Arts Network team in 2019.
Miranda has a passion for design, initially graduating with a degree in Interior and Spatial Design from Edith Cowan University. In 2018 Miranda completed a postgraduate degree in Arts and Cultural Management at Deakin University, broadening her knowledge of the cultural sector.
With this expanded skill set, Miranda has brought an innovative approach that combines strategic thinking with sharp, efficient execution of operations. During COVID, Miranda’s leadership of projects such as the website redevelopment and IT infrastructure overhaul, steadily kept the organisation moving towards greater success. She is currently implementing an organisation evaluation framework that will add to the foundations of CAN’s business model in the future.
Miranda's commitment to delivering quality artistic outcomes with social impact for CAN’s communities, partners and artists compels her the most, and she acutely understands that to achieve this the core foundation of an organisation must be efficient and cohesive.
Outside of her work life, Miranda is a skilled seamstress and enjoys creating beautiful garments for herself out of her ever-growing fabric collection.
Pauline Sikweti
Finance Manager
Pauline Sikweti has a strong interest in Culture & the Arts and finance.
This has led Pauline to a career as a freelance bookkeeper/BAS agent to various arts companies and small businesses. Pauline has been working in the accounts industry for over 20 years and enjoys being surrounded with the creativity that the Arts sector brings.
As Finance Manager, Pauline oversees all areas of finance including: payroll, accounts payable and receivables, cash management, general ledger, banking and reconciliations. Pauline assists Management prepare budgets and is responsible for preparing the financial aspects of funding body reports.
Michelle White
Executive Producer
Michelle is an award winning former ABC journalist with more than thirty years’ experience in television, film, radio, print and digital media.
A proud Yamatij storyteller, she is passionate about sharing the stories of First Nation people and they have formed the basis of many of her creative projects, including short stories, publications and plays.
Michelle’s role at CAN is to look for opportunities to platform CAN’s work and partner with like-minded organisations so we can continue to deliver transformative arts and cultural development programs with communities.
When not working for CAN, Michelle volunteers on the board of 100.9fm Noongar Radio, Seesaw Magazine, As One Nyitting and is a member of the Kalamunda Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.
In 2019 Michelle was featured in the SBS series Every Family Has a Secret which explored her Mother’s stolen generation experiences of removal as a child. She also discovered her Grandfather was sent from England to Australia as a child migrant.
Elly Jones
Program Manager
Elly is an experienced Program Manager with a passion for creating spaces for connections to grow and for people to be heard. She joined the CAN team in March 2020 as Lullabies Project Coordinator and in 2021 moved into a Program Manager role, overseeing both CAN’s Lullabies and Place Names projects.
Since 2012, Elly has worked in a variety of project coordination and facilitation roles in the arts and community sectors including supporting young people to develop social action projects to advocate for their rights and create positive systemic change.
In 2020, Elly coordinated CAN’s Noongar Lullabies from Home project, bringing Noongar artists and families together online to learn and celebrate Noongar language through the creation and recording of lullabies.
Rebecca Lyon Augustus
Marketing and Design Manager
Starting out in regional WA, art education was Rebecca’s initial passion, but after living in International House in Illinois her love of people and culture became the driver for her future career. Later moving to Oakland, California, Rebecca spent several years developing curriculum to inspire early childhood involvement in literacy for a local non-profit. Her time living in the Bay Area and her studies at UC Berkeley provided a solid grounding for over 15 years of positions in marketing and community development.
Rebecca works closely with Michelle White and Miranda De Baughn across all projects. She champions the CAN brand and supports the strategic marketing goals of the organisation.
Rebecca believes in giving all people space to be their best selves, to have their voices heard, with encouragement and without judgement. In her spare time, Rebecca is often found listening to podcasts or talking about her kids!
Nina Levy
Communications Coordinator
Co-founder and managing editor of Seesaw Magazine Nina Levy has worked in arts writing and communications since 2007. For over a decade she wrote freelance reviews and feature articles for The West Australian and Dance Australia magazine. She edited Dance Australia’s website 2012-2020 and co-edited the print magazine alongside Karen van Ulzen 2016-2019.
Nina is CAN’s resident wordsmith, collaborating with Rebecca Lyon Augustus, Michelle White and Miranda De Baughn to write copy that shares CAN’s many stories with the world.
In her spare time Nina enjoys singing in Hengequeens feminist pop choir, taking tumbling classes and making her own clothes.
Long Nguyen
Arts Administrator
Long is a Vietnamese artist who enjoys working with creative people and experimenting with different art forms. He has experience in painting, graphic design, food photography, and media art, along with a master’s in applied design and art from Curtin University.
Long is bringing his administration, exhibition coordination, and marketing and communications experience to CAN. His main duty is to provide high-level operations, events, marketing, and social media support.
Besides arts, Long has a wide range of hobbies, including being a foodie, playing piano, singing, learning languages, and exploring things that capture his interest.
Shenali Perera
Community Development Manager
Shenali is an artist, producer, and community development professional working at the intersection of community arts and systems change.
She brings with her a range of experiences working in community education, social arts, and equity & inclusion across Australia’s university, not-for-profit and private sectors. Internationally, she has produced work for the Presencing Institute (MIT), United in Diversity (Indonesia), and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Labs in the Asia Pacific region.
At CAN, Shenali supports project producers and artists with community engagement and in ensuring CAN’s work is guided by best practice of community arts and cultural development. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hon) in Asian Studies from the University of Western Australia and completed her postgrad study at the Curtin University Centre for Human Rights Education.
Shenali loves food! The ocean, language and dancing.
Lidia Castro
Community Development Officer
Lidia is originally from Brazil. She is an enthusiastic and vibrant community worker who loves connecting different people through the culture and arts. Her career has been built on the development of multicultural and vulnerable communities, where she found her purpose in sharing her knowledge to impact the world around her positively. Her inspiring story is a testament to the power of believing in your journey.
Lidia is currently producing the Lullabies Belmont Project.
Lidia loves to meet new people! She also loves travel, bare-feet and listening to good live music.
Irma Woods
Project Producer
Irma is a Bibbulmun/Yamatji yorga with a work background in the performing arts, screen, and not-for-profit sectors.
Irma is the Co-Producer for the Lullabies Belmont Project with Lidia Castro.
She is involved with the Moorditj Footprints Nyoongar Stories of East Perth Project. Irma serves on the WA Screen Industry Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Group (DLG); Screenwest, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) WA Committee & National Performers Committee; and the Australian Writers Guild, WA Committee.
Elisha Rahimi
Project Producer
Elisha is a second generation Iranian-Australian, who is passionate about the role of the arts in giving voice to the stories of people, communities and cultures in creating meaningful social change. Elisha has a rich background in the arts and community development across regional and remote WA, and is currently based in Broome where she also works for the Kimberley Aboriginal Health Research Alliance.
Elisha is producing the Now Sounds project in Port Hedland - a project that has youth empowerment and intercultural connection at its heart.
Elisha loves nature, singing and a good book. She’s a big foodie, always up for good chats and adores her friends and family.
Natalie Scholtz
Creative Producer
Natalie Scholtz is an African Persian British Australian visual artist. She is inspired by creative conversations around the relationship of self and society, action and response, culture, arts and change.
Natalie has had the pleasure of being part of CAN’s Place Names over the past 5 years, connecting with local Noongar Elders, community and a range of learning and talent from Langford, Albany, Katanning and now Fremantle.
Nduta Gathoga
Place Names Melville Producer
Nduta holds a Masters in Human Rights from Curtin University - Centre for Human Rights Education and is a Kenyan native with a deep passion for community development, diplomacy, cultural rights, preservation of indigenous languages, protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the use of art for promoting human rights.
She worked with CAN from 2019 to 2021 and later returned to Kenya, contributing to the State Department of Culture and Heritage. During this time, she focused on the nationwide sensitization exercise of the Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Expressions Act 2016.
Currently serving as the Place Names Melville Producer, Nduta applies her expertise in community and stakeholder engagement to ensure the success of the project.
She is enthusiastic about the potential global impact of the project on indigenous language revitalization.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Nduta is a performing arts enthusiast who enjoys bringing characters to life in imagined realities.
Gia Hilditch
Place Names Producer
Gia has a strong background in delivering community projects and programs and has worked across areas such as homelessness, access and inclusion, and reconciliation at both a policy and direct service delivery level. Completing two post-graduates in arts from 20-22,’ she studied and explored the power of ‘artivism’ - art + activism. Ever since, Gia has been passionate about utilising art as a tool for social progress, inclusion and activism.
Gia produces projects within the community that aim to create space for the sharing of stories, understanding of others and potential catalysts for urgent social change.
Gia is producing the Place Names program in the Shire of Dandaragan on Yued Boodja.
Gia is an artist that loves any opportunity to work across dance, music and installation and is currently hyper fixating on neon paint.
Niki Davison
Special Projects Producer
Beginning her career at CAN back in 2010, Niki had the privilege of working through a range of roles including Project Coordinator for the Southern Wheatbelt and Acting Operations Manager. In 2015 she jetted off across the pond to spend several years in Glasgow, working across hospitality and event roles with Sonica and GlasGLOW festivals. Since moving back to her hometown of Perth in 2021 Niki has combined her passion for arts management and events work to take on a wonderfully broad range of roles with Fringe World, City of Fremantle events, Tura, Fremantle Biennale, Perth Comedy Festival, WA Music, Moodjar Consultancy and of course, back with her first love - CAN.
Drawing from her history and experience with the organisation, Niki now provides producing support to CAN and all the amazing people and projects within it.
When she moved back home Niki fell head over heels in love with Perth again, particularly our amazing local live music and events scene - so Niki’s down time is spent absorbing as much of this crazy good creativity as possible!
Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm
PO Box 7514 Cloisters Square WA 6850
King Street Arts Centre
Ground Floor 357-365 Murray St
Perth WA 6000
08 9226 2422
admin@can.org.au
ABN: 72106364407
Copyright 2024 CAN