Aboriginal art centres in Western Australia are rarely just workplaces.

They are living archives, classrooms, and engines of local economies — places where painting, carving, weaving and storytelling sustains culture as much as it produces it.

That dynamic is what will be on display at this year's Our Business: Aboriginal Art Centre Forum, held in Port Hedland on Kariyarra Country from October 30 to November 2.

The annual gathering brings together artists, managers, curators and policymakers to take stock of where the sector is heading.

For the more than 40 Aboriginal art centres scattered across WA, forums like this are a chance to showcase their work, swap knowledge, and address challenges that range from funding uncertainty to the pressures of the global art market.

Chad Creighton, chief executive of the Aboriginal Art Centre Hub WA, said art centres play a role that extends well beyond their studios.

"Aboriginal art centres are leaders in their communities. They're innovators, hubs for the continuation of culture and language, and important generators of income and local jobs," he said.

Mr Creighton described the forum as a gathering rooted in community and culture.

"Our Business is about coming together – it's a gathering of community and culture from across WA," he said.

"The forum is a chance for art centres and arts workers to share their stories, make connections, grow their knowledge and professional expertise, and continue to build a strong, resilient Aboriginal arts sector."

Past forums have sparked collaborations that stretch from desert studios to major city galleries.

They have also been a place where artists speak candidly about the realities of running art centres in remote communities — including the difficulty of retaining staff, and the need for digital literacy.

This year's event is expected to spotlight not just economic contributions but the cultural power of art centres.

Exhibitions, panel discussions and workshops will highlight how these organisations sustain languages, transmit stories and create pathways for emerging artists.

For Kariyarra Country, where Port Hedland sits at the edge of the Pilbara, the forum also represents a return to Country for many artists whose families have been displaced by mining and industry.

Organisers say that grounding the event in place is central to its spirit — reminding participants that the art shown in national galleries begins with the relationship between artists and their homelands.

As one past participant put it, "Art centres aren't just about making paintings; they're about keeping our communities strong".