On Tuesday 3 November the NSW Government confirmed its commitment to supporting arts and cultural outcomes delivered through the Regional Arts Development Organisations across NSW, by increasing core funding for the organisations from 2021.
The Minister for the Arts, Don Harwin said the outcomes of the Regional Arts Network Review mean that regional NSW will be better supported through increased funding directly to communities where arts and culture programs and services are delivered.
“The NSW Government is committed to arts and culture in NSW, and it is critical that Regional Arts Development Organisations have greater ability to determine support for artists and projects and are empowered to make decisions locally that impact their regions.
“The Regional Arts Network has evolved over the years; it is now a mature network and it proves that Regional Arts NSW has successfully done the job that it was set up to do.”
“These changes will see that the network continues to thrive across the state, while still retaining a voice in the city through Regional Arts NSW,” said Mr Harwin.
The Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts, Ben Franklin endorsed the outcomes of the Regional Arts Network Review.
“This is great for the arts in regional NSW. More funding flowing directly into our communities means more artists and cultural workers delivering excellent cultural experiences for regional audiences.”
Each Regional Arts Development Organisation will receive an additional $28,000 per annum in core funding, increasing their core funding to $168,000 per annum. In addition, they will self-manage the Country Arts Support Program, worth a total of $250,000 every year, which will enable them to provide customised small grants programs for their communities. Finally, funding for the Artstate event, which has been in place for the past four years, will continue, with $150,000 available each year for a strategic program of activity.
To provide additional support to Regional Arts Development Organisations, Create NSW will allocate a position within the agency to service the Network, Regional Arts NSW, and Service Organisations across the State to assist in leveraging partnerships.
Media Release from NSW Government.