Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts

The building at 53 James Street,[1] which dates from 1896, was for 40 years the Perth Boys' and Girls' School (one of several schools known collectively as Perth Central School).[2] The Perth Central School was developed principally between 1877 and 1914. It amalgamated the Infants' School, Perth Boys' School, Perth Girls' School,[3] Manual Training School[4] and Normal School on the one site between Roe and James Streets.

On 22 May 1895, the contract to construct Perth Boys' and Girls' Schools building in James Street was awarded to William Atkins for the sum of 10,452 pounds.[5] Soon after the contract was awarded, the plans were altered to include an extra eight classrooms, however only six of these were constructed at the time. On 18 January 1897, the new Perth Boys' and Girls' School building, which had been completed a few months earlier, was officially opened by Edward Wittenoom, the Minister for Education. The first headmaster was W J Rooney. The Education Department Report for the year 1896, stated: "The new Central Boys' and Girls' Schools, which had been in the course of erection on the reserve in James Street, Perth, for some nine or ten months, were completed at the end of the year. ... The buildings provide accommodation for 500 boys on the ground floor and 500 girls on the upper floor." The construction of the Boys' School was the largest project undertaken for the Education Department in the 1890s.[6] In April 1900, further additions to the Perth Boys' and Girls' Schools building were completed. The additions included two classrooms: one for the boys and one for the girls, each designed to house seventy-five children.[7]

In September 1936, the new Perth Girls' School opened in East Perth and the entire building was used by the Boys' School.[7] In 1947, the Perth Boys' School became the Perth Boys' High School.[7] During the 1950s, residential development in the inner city decreased as land values increased and the growth of the suburbs displaced inner city living.

In 1959, the Perth Boys' High School closed and the Perth Technical College moved into the buildings.[8] The building was known as the James Street Annexe.[6][9] In the following years, a number of minor changes were made to the building, including electrical connections and installation of gas heating.

The former Perth Boys and Girls School building was classified by the National Trust (WA) on 3 July 1978, and entered into the Register of the National Estate by the Australian Heritage Commission on 21 October 1980.[10] It was permanently entered on to the State Register of Heritage Places on 24 March 2000.[6]

In July 1988, the successor of Perth Technical College, TAFE, vacated the building and it became the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA). Plans to refurbish the building were drawn up by Donaldson and Warn. In 1991, the building was refurbished according to revised plans. On 8 November 1991 the building was officially opened as PICA. In 1992 Donaldson and Warn were awarded a commendation for their work on the PICA building by the WA chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in the category of conservation/recycled buildings. In 1996, PICA used the building for a variety of purposes including: a cafe, performing space, gallery space and administration space.

PICA operates a year-round program of exhibitions, performances, and screenings, and offers a public education program.

The "Hatched" program comprises residencies for emerging artists. One such artist is Noongar art student Ilona McGuire, who created a drone light show, Moombaki for the 2021 Fremantle Biennale, attracting thousands of visitors.[13]