Beyond its broad purposes to encourage, foster and promote the arts, the Arts Council was given specific functions:

• to enhance the standards of performance and execution in all aspects of the arts;
• to make accessible to the public of Western Australia all forms of artistic and cultural work;
• to foster and maintain public interest in the arts and culture of this State.

In 1976 the Western Australian Arts Council became affiliated within the Arts Council of Australia. That Council receives a grant from the Australian Council, to enable it to help individuals, groups and exhibitions to tour country centres in all State and Territories.