Our arts and aged care project is one of seven to share in over $668,000 Renewal funding in NSW.
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery will be funded to engage a First Nations curator to develop a program of art and cultural activities to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Bathurst War in 2024 (see details of both of our projects below).
Also of direct connection to the Central West are the programs of the Aboriginal Regional Arts Alliance (which involves our Aboriginal Arts Development Officer Aleshia Lonsdale) and the Outback Theatre for Young People program which will see a return to Lake Cargelligo/ Condobolin to continue the excellent work OTYP developed in Lake 2017-18.
All seven projects across NSW are very exciting and will be of huge value to regional NSW communities.
This funding comes from the Australian government. More details below.
Virtual Art Snacks
Arts OutWest Inc will receive $119,900 for Virtual Art Snacks: Developing a new online approach to providing arts experiences in rural, residential and aged care.
Virtual Art Snacks will train rural artists and health workers to deliver a program of short, sequential cross-artform activities to residents and carers in aged care. The project is a piece of action research, trialing and assessing different creative online experiences, plus six face-to-face residencies. Working with Western NSW Local Health District’s 25 Multipurpose Services spread across the regions covered by Arts OutWest, Orana Arts and Outback Arts, the online sessions can continue throughout any COVID-19 restrictions while also finding new ways of providing better quality of care and increased access to creative opportunities for aged care residents and carers.
This program has come from the pilot work we’ve done in Oberon MPS and Grenfell MPS.
Federal Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts The Hon. Paul Fletcher MP announced RAF Renewal funding recipients at Arstate Wagga_Image by Jackie Cooper
The full announcement
Media release from Regional Arts NSW, 8/11/20
Read the Regional Arts NSW media release
NSW is the first state to award Renewal funds under the Regional Arts Fund Recovery Boost Program. Funds of over $668,000 will support seven exciting, long-term projects that will be delivered across eight regions of NSW and beyond, through partnerships and digital engagement. The selected projects will collectively provide First Nations curatorial and cultural employment opportunities, outreach, relationship development and accessible high quality arts programs for youth, people in aged care and at festivals.
This is the first time the Regional Arts Fund has supported such large, long-term projects for small to medium organisations and Regional Arts NSW is excited to witness the longer term sustainable development of the funded organisations through this support.
The Regional Arts Fund Recovery Boost is a $10 million targeted measure announced by the Australian Government in April 2020 as part of the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund. It responds to the difficulties experienced by regional artists, arts organisations and communities who have been heavily impacted by COVID-19.
RANSW is pleased to announce the following projects have been successful under the RAF Renewal program for long-term support:
- Outback Theatre for Young People – $110,000
- Arts OutWest Inc – $119,900
- Flying Fruit Fly Circus – $120,000
- Bathurst Regional Arts Gallery – $120,000
The panel decided to partially fund the following 3 projects:
- Aboriginal Regional Arts Alliance – $60,000
- Byron Writers Festival – $68,188
- The Wired Lab – $70,000
RANSW CEO Elizabeth Rogers commented, “the RAF Recovery Boost has provided much needed support for artists and arts organisations across NSW that have been hit very hard with the succession of natural disasters and COVID-19. The projects funded in NSW demonstrated that regional arts organisations had well thought out strategic projects with multiple partners that will assist their communities in the future recovery process.”
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the Australian Government is proud to support regional arts and culture through the Regional Arts Fund, and warmly congratulates the NSW recipients.
“The Morrison Government recognises the challenges regional communities have faced because of COVID-19. We are proud to play a part in the social and economic recovery of regional communities through our $10 million COVID-19 regional response fund on top of our annual funding of $3.5 million,” Minister Fletcher said.
“I am impressed with the diversity of activities being funded through the fund – extending from young people to those living and working in aged care facilities, from First Nations people to writers to circus performers.”
The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government Program that supports sustainable cultural development in regional and remote communities in Australia. It meets the strategic priorities of supporting participation in, and access to, the arts; and encouraging greater private sector support for the arts.
Regional Arts NSW delivers this program in NSW on behalf of the Australian Government and in partnership with Regional Arts Australia.
IMAGE: Federal Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts The Hon. Paul Fletcher MP announced RAF Renewal funding recipients at Arstate Wagga_Image by Jackie Cooper