Young WA Artists Explore Connection, Hardship and Hope in New RAC Arena Exhibition Supporting The Salvation Army WA
Thousands of people move through RAC Arena every week – often passing by strangers without ever knowing the stories they carry.
That idea sits at the heart of Passing By Project, a new public art exhibition launching at RAC Arena in collaboration with SAVA ART and The Salvation Army WA.
Located on ground level outside Door 2 at RAC Arena from June 27, the exhibition features original works from 16 emerging young Western Australian artists aged 14 – 24, many of whom have engaged with youth support services through The Salvation Army or The Y HQ.
Created specifically for the arena space and its constant flow of visitors, the exhibition explores how people move through life alongside one another – often overlooking the struggles others may be facing.
The project carries a deliberate double meaning.
While audiences physically pass by the artworks in one of Australia’s busiest entertainment venues, the exhibition also reflects the people in society who are too often “passed by” – including those experiencing homelessness, family and domestic violence, isolation and other personal hardships.
Through visual storytelling, the installation encourages people to pause, reflect and consider the value of giving time, care and attention to others – mirroring the work The Salvation Army does every day through its community and youth support services.
“It’s a privilege to provide a platform for talented local artists while also supporting our long-standing community partner, The Salvation Army,” says Michael Scott, General Manager of RAC Arena.
“As a live entertainment venue, we see firsthand how art can inspire connection, create impact, and bring people from all walks of life together.”
The exhibition has been produced with Perth creative Zac Cawdron and co-curated with Nelson Mondlane. Zac is a former Salvation Army youth services client who now works closely with disadvantaged and at-risk young people across Perth. While Nelson is the Visual Arts Project Officer at The Y HQ youth services in Leederville.
“The ‘Passing By Project’ explores how people move through life alongside one another, often overlooking the struggles others may be facing,” says Zac.
“Designed for a high-foot-traffic environment, the installation invites people to pause, engage, and reflect on the importance of truly seeing and valuing others, particularly those experiencing homelessness, family domestic violence and other similar hardships.”
“In this way, the artwork mirrors the care and connection The Salvos provide through their support services.”
WA State Manager for Youth Services, The Salvation Army WA, Guy Rees says the initiative demonstrates the transformative role creativity can play for young people.
“The Salvation Army Youth Services is proud to be part of this initiative and are incredibly grateful for the support.”
“All funds donated from this project will be utilised to create ongoing opportunities for young people to connect and express themselves through art and encourage budding young artists to explore possibilities and develop skills and experience.”
For Zac, the exhibition also highlights the strength of Perth’s emerging creative community;
“Artists between the ages of 14 – 24 have completed artworks interpreting the theme ‘Passing By’, capturing what brings happiness, their challenges and youth culture,” he says.
“SAVA couldn’t be more proud and appreciative of the young people who contributed to this exhibition, proving that Perth has a bright artistic future.”
All artworks have been custom created for the exhibition and will be available for purchase via SAVA ART’s website, with proceeds supporting both the participating artists and The Salvation Army Youth Services.
Proceeds from artwork sales will be distributed with 60 per cent donated directly to The Salvation Army Youth Services, 20 per cent allocated to the artists, and 20 per cent supporting SAVA ART’s exhibition curation costs.
The exhibition will be on display at RAC Arena for six months from June 2026.
Patrons can purchase artworks https://savaart.com.au/pages/passing-by-project
EXHIBITION DETAILS
Exhibition: Passing By Project
Location: Outside Door 2, RAC Arena, Perth
Exhibition Dates: 27th June – 13th December 2026
Access: The exhibition is free and open on event days throughout the exhibition period to all ticket holders
ABOUT ZAC CAWDRON
Zac Cawdron is the founder and curator of SAVA ART, recipient of the 2024 WA Young Volunteer of the Year Award and the 2026 Perth Young Citizen of the Year Award for the charity work he has done helping disadvantaged and at risk youth.
Zac has been a curator for over five years, including creating Project Elevation which has provided a platform for more than 30 young artists.
His personal creative outputs are poetry and painting, including being a twice-published author of poetry and art books.
About RAC Arena:
RAC Arena is proudly managed by Legends Global, on behalf of VenuesWest.
RAC Arena is the home of live entertainment in Western Australia. Located in the heart of the Perth CBD, we play host to the world’s best live music, sport, family, and comedy.
Since opening our doors in 2012, the Arena has attracted the world’s greatest entertainers including The Rolling Stones, The Wiggles, Dua Lipa, and Kevin Hart. Home of the Perth Wildcats, West Coast Fever and Perth’s annual tennis tournament, United Cup, we’re never far from the on-court action.
About Legends Global:
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world’s greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services, including feasibility and consulting, project development, sales, partnerships, venue management, hospitality, merchandise, and content and booking. Our white-label approach ensures our partners remain front and centre while we harness the power of our global network – including over 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually – to enhance their business and guest experience. To learn more, visit us at www.LegendsGlobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Legend Global (APAC and MENA):
From its regional headquarters in Brisbane, Australia, Legends Global books, operates and manages a network of venues that includes:
Stadiums – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; Kai Tak Sports Park Main Stadium, Hong Kong; and 50% ownership of VenuesLive, the operator of Optus Stadium, Perth; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Entertainment and Indoor Sports Arenas – Afterpay Arena, Sydney; RAC Arena, Perth; Brisbane Entertainment Centre; Newcastle Entertainment Centre, TikTok Entertainment Centre; ICC Sydney; Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Great Hall; Cairns Arena, Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai; and Kai Tak Sports Park Indoor Arena, Hong Kong; Bangkok Arena, Thailand (under construction), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Live Performance Theatres – Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, The Cutaway, Sydney and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Convention & Exhibition Centres – Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Newcastle, Sydney, Christchurch, Kuala Lumpur, The Cutaway, Sydney and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Shooting Range – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
About VenuesWest:
VenuesWest owns and manages 14 sport and entertainment venues across the Perth metropolitan area on behalf of the State Government, including RAC Arena and Optus Stadium.
The organisation has a proud history of successfully delivering world class sport and entertainment experiences and hosting major events at their precincts and venues for Western Australians and visitors to Perth.
VenuesWest directly supports high performance sport by providing training and competition facilities, direct subsidies to sports on venue and event costs, and through the provision of accessible high-performance sport experiences for the community.
