Valedictory President’s Report
On behalf of the Board it gives me pleasure to present the Annual Report and financial statements for the year 2023.
Looking back over the last 7 years I recognise it as a period of real change for STA. And it is evident in many areas.
The last Create NSW Review of Regional Arts Development Organisations resulted in STA moving to a 4-year funding cycle, different reporting, increased funding, all lowered our stress through funding certainty and increased status to the government. NSW Government recognition of the now 15 RADOs as a network has brought remarkable change leading to collaboration, sharing resources and building partnerships, adding to the strength and cohesion of the entire group. Read the full report
Treasurer’s Report
Southern Tablelands Arts continued to thrive in 2023. With so many projects on the go, Rose and her team were incredibly busy. While the aim is not to make a profit, we do need to ensure that we are financially viable. This year funds were managed well, and I am pleased to report a small profit of $80,529 for the financial year. Read the full report…
Executive Director’s Report
STA hit a number of significant milestones in 2023. It was a year of great achievement, busy and productive. Across the year we worked productively with our seven contributing Councils one iteration of established events and program as well as some exciting new offering for our communities. Read the full report…
The STA Annual Report 2023 and Audited Financial Statement were presented at the 2024 AGM on Tuesday 30 April at The Crisp Galleries Bowning, Yass Valley.
This page is complimented by the printable 2023 Annual Report – a double sided colour A3 that folds into a zine booklet. The video above shows you how. You can even print A4 if you want a smaller final booklet. Alternatively you can request a printed copy be sent via post or pick up a copy from any STA Mobile Office.
- Download the printable 2023 STA Annual Report ZINE to print and fold. (850kb)
- Please email STA for a copy of the 2023 STA Audited Financial Statement
- Download the STA Strategic Plan 2022-24
- Download the STA Financial Report 2023
- 2023 AGM Minutes
PRESIDENT’S AWARDS FOR CREATIVE MERIT
- Joe Quilter, Street Artist & Creative Director PAINT THE TOWN Street Art Festivals (Wollondilly)
Joe was the Creative force behind the STA PAINT THE TOWN project. What Joe doesn’t know about street art isn’t worth knowing. - Adam Stokled Station Manager, Highland FM 107.1 (Wingecaribee)
For his ongoing support of local musicians & the cultural community, in particular his achievement with the 100% Home Grown Artist of the Month program and associated live gigs. - Heather Ruhl Young Society of Artists (Hilltops) &
- Chris Burnett President of HARTS (Hilltops ARTS
For their dedicated work to realised Hilltops Off the beaten Track or HOBTrack, the annual arts and cultural trail for the Hilltops regions. Since its first year in 2022 the event has grown in quality and depth with dozens of events and activities from across Hilltops now benefiting from being part of the HOBTrack fringe program.
LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP AWARD went to Susan Brindle as she finishes her time on the STA Board
STA are part of the Regional Arts Network, supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW. Our contributing local councils are Goulburn Mulwaree, Hilltops, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Upper Lachlan, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly & Yass Valley
2023 Project Overview
More than 150+ programs with 70+ organisations. Check out some of our favourites below:
PAINT THE TOWN Street Art Festival
Our multi-mural festival guided by Creative Director Joe Quilter kicked off in Wingecarribee in Autumn then in Upper – Lachlan in Spring, with events, workshops and a total of 22 murals created by nationally established artists and local talent in 2023. Murals were co-designed through workshops held with fire effected community members to reflect our recovery journey since the 2019 fires. PAINT THE TOWN contines with more murals planned. Find out more..
FOCUS
Focus is a region wide photographic professional development project for STA Members who are creative practitioners to receive professional quality images of their work and a portrait. Seven local professional Focus photographers delivered photography sessions with creatives across the 7 local government areas. Each creative received professionally photographed images of their work and a head shot. These images were gifted back to each artist to support their creative practice. Find out more….
The Country Arts Support Program (CASP)
In 2023 projects eight projects were funded including Find Your Folk – Emerging artists program in Wingecarribee, SILO SOUNDS Inc. Youth Classical Music Mentoring Program in Hilltops, Discover Possum cloaks though Aunty Matilda’s workshop and story-telling session in Queanbeyan-Palerang, Under the Influence in QPRC, Connecting Community Through Clay in Goulburn Mulwaree, Workroom Lockers in Wingecarribee, and Goulburn District Art Society – Tutored Workshop Program in Goulburn Mulwaree.
Creative South
2022 was the year of consolidation for the Creative South cultural tourism website with the inclusion of Queanbeyan-Palerang. The website now boasts 440 listings of arts and cultural experiences making it the most exhaustive offering of museums, galleries, public art, festivals and hidden cultural gems across 10 local government areas. Be sure to visit when planning your next trip into the Creative South. Find out more…
Stories from the Studio
A weekly online program featuring a different artist or group every Friday evening. Stories from the Studio now has over 200 stories from artists across the region! The feature has grown to boast a large regular following and continues to build an online record of the creative sector in our region. Find out more…
Mobile Office
STA Mobile Offices were held monthly at partner venues in each of our seven local government areas throughout 2023. The Mobile Office program offers creatives and organisations regular face to face appointments with STA staff. STA acknowledge the partner venues who hosted the program in 2023; Goulburn Regional Art Gallery in Goulburn Mulwaree, Young Conservatorium of Music in Hilltops, Braidwood Regional Art Group in Queanbeyan-Palerang, Connect at Gunning Station in Upper Lachlan, CTC Robertson in Wingecarribee, River Road Creative Academy in Wollondilly and Yass Valley Information Centre in the Yass Valley Find out more…
Creative Directory
The Creative Directory is a major feature of the STA website. The STA Creative Directory currently has 273 listings in a searchable database of creative practitioners across our seven local government regions. Find out more…
STA BOX Gallery
In 2023 STA installed another BOX Gallery in the foyer of the Q Performing Arts Centre Theatre, Queanbeyan. There are currently four STA Box Galleries in operational hosting a rotating program of micro exhibitions at partner venues across the STA region. Every STA BOX Gallery exhibition is complimented by a digital exhibition at the STA Gallery. STA Box Galleries are at Hilltops Council at Young Town Hall, Wollondilly Shire Council Foyer and Yass Valley Library and The Q Theatre Queanbeyan. Find out more…
Connect @ Gunning Station
Connect @ Gunning Station is a new Arts and Cultural hub. STA worked with Transport for NSW and the Gunning Community to activate the interior spaces at Gunning Train Station. Across the year STA hosted public events and program at the station culminating in the official opening celebration in October. Visitors can visit now Connect@Gunning Station for regular exhibitions, workshops & events. Find out more…
Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize
The WW2A Prize is an annual art exhibition with a deep commitment to reducing the waste going to landfill by inviting Artists to make art from waste materials. The exhibition is a gallery full of creative treasure made from trash complimented by a program of workshops and events. Find out more..
Hilltops Off The Beaten Track
STA are proud program partners in the annual festival of arts and culture across the Hilltops region. STA supported the program with a dedicated webpage and map in 2023. STA continues to support the program in 2024. Find out more…
Diwali QPRC
STA worked with QPRC and the Queanbeyan Multicultural Centre to offer multiple lantern making workshops with the community to create lantern for the inaugural Queanbeyan Diwali festival. STA brought expert lantern maker Tracy Luff in to work on the project which expands our lantern making expertise into a new region. The lanterns featured in the lantern parade of over 300 community members. Read more…
Goulburn Base Hospital Palliative Care Unit Art Project
STA in partnership with Goulburn Base Hospital, and the Goulburn Palliative Care and Oncology Support Group have commissioned eight captivating artworks for the new Palliative Care Rooms located in the Goulburn Base Hospital’s Medical Inpatient Unit. This project was generously funded by the Goulburn Palliative Care and Oncology Support Group. Read more…
Dance for Wellbeing
Dance for Wellbeing started up in Yass in 2023 with classes created and facilitated by STA Special Projects Officer, Kiri Morcombe. Dance for Wellbeing is for everyone who wants to dance, specifically: people with Parkinson’s, chronic pain, arthritis, repetitive strain injury, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, neurological conditions and other physical/mobility complaints, their carers, partners and friends. The program is currently on hiatus while we serch for a suitible faciltator.
Illuminate Wollondilly
Our winter once again lit up with the Illuminate Wollondilly Festival in 2023! STA delivered multiple lantern workshops with Tracy Luff leading up to a community lantern parade through the Picton Botanic Gardens. STA is proud to be a foundation partner of this spectacular festival. Find out more…
The STA Artist in Residence Program
In 2023 Lisa Stevenson completed a two week residency at the QBN Hive. During her residency Lisa explored place, and the plants that grow along the Queanbeyan river to create natural dyes to modify materials sourced from Queanbeyan op shops. Lisa also ran a drop in weaving circle at QBN Hive during her residency. Find out more about the STA AiR Program…
100% Home Grown Artist of the Month
A partnership with Highland FM, MusicNSW and Southern Highland News that features a local musical act every month, in 2023 we launced the live showcase gig 100% Homegrown gig series every quarter at Bowral Bowling Club. The partnership continues in 2024. Find out more…
Aboriginal Community Supports Network
STA partnered with Community Circles to achieve the ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT NETWORKS consisting of an online page of
resources, service providers and community links for Aboriginal people. For this reporting period the page is one of our top ten visited webpages. Find out more…
STA Music
Tons of tunes from talented locals. Check out the video clips and Spotify playlists. Use the STA Directory to find Regular Events for live music, open mic nights and festivals. Find out more…
STA Screen
STA Screen ran film screenings across the STA region throughout 2023 with our giant pop-up oudoor screen available for hire. We provide a full service of mobile film equipment, screens and projectors for hire to suit most events.
Gary Vehtic curated a fabulous program of films in 2023 STA Screen program at GPAC and Dalton Hall. The theme for 2023 was Classics and 80s Gems. The program continues in 2024 Find out more…
STA Kids
Our online portal for creative families now boasts more than 20 artist-led making activities and a growing list of creative opportunities for children and families. STA also hosted workshops across the region in partnership with Librarys, Council Events and community groups. Find out more…
Waste to Art
Waste to art is an ongoing project of creative opportunities for our communities that demonstrates our commitment to the environment and waste reduction. Waste to art workshops were run all across the region in 2023 and continues in 2024. Find out more…
STA Place
STA Place is a dedicated webpage that highlights the rich public art and heritage in the Southern Highlands and Tablelands. Significant additions were made during 2023, including the Liberty Theatre in Yass. Find out more…
Dress Circle
Community theatre is the life blood of the performing arts in our region with healthy troupes in every one of the STA contributing council areas.
The Dress Circle is a regular collegial online meeting for members of amateur and semi-professional theatres in the Southern Highlands and Tablelands.The Dress Circle continue to meet online in 2024. Find out more…
STA Paparazzi
Formed in 2021 the STA Paparazzi are a group of enthusiastic volunteers that were trained by Hamish Temè. In 2023 the group covered arts and cultural events across the STA region. Community organisations can request an STA Paparazzi to capture and promote arts events and programs. The STA Paparazzi group continues in 2024. Find out more.
G.A.L.S – Goulburn Arts Leaders
GALS met meeting during 2023 to talk and connect with local creatives in the Goulburn Mulwaree Region.
GALS continues to meet in 2024 on the last Friday of the month at the Greengrocer Café in Goulburn to coincide with the STA Mobile Office at Goulburn Region Gallery.
STA Gallery
The STA Gallery is a our dedicated digital display space where our visitors can experience diverse and inspiring exhibitions. The online program is curated to showcase the amazing works of art being produced across our region and the extraordinary Artists who create them. Find out more.
Maisie’s Choir
Maisies Choir is a dedicated group of venerable singers who meet and perform regularly in Yass with Heather Bullock. Maisie’s Choir aims to improve health and reduce social isolation and is open to new members regardless of singing level or experience. Ongoing in 2024! Find out more…
Give-A-Little-Get-A-Little Merch Shop
Every purchase supports the arts across the Southern Highlands and Tablelands of NSW. Local Artists – Unique Designs. Head over to the STA Give-A-Little-Get-A-Little merch shop at Redbubble. Local Artists – Unique Designs. STA staff and artists are oftern seen wearing one of the designs from our shop. Find out more…
STA Community Bunting Project
STA continued the Community Bunting Project in 2023. The Bunting is the perfect addition to any event, celebration or gathering. The STA Community Bunting project is a great way to turn your scrap fabric into a community resource. Once created the bunting will be available to STA members for events and celebrations. Find out more…
Organisation Overview
Southern Tablelands Arts works with our members, makers & creative communities. Energising and supporting the living culture of the Southern Highlands & Tablelands of NSW through a program of activities and events. We support, create, educate and advocate for the arts in the region.
Our Councils are Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Hilltops Council, Upper Lachlan Shire, Wingecarribee Shire, Wollondilly Shire, Yass Valley and Queanbeyan Palerang Council. STA are part of the state wide Regional Arts NSW Network supported by Create NSW and members of Regional Arts NSW.
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands where we create, live & work.
We are regularly in a town near you at one of our Mobile Office locations.
Communications
Funding
STA MEMBERSHIP
free & connects you to the STA universe
Reach out to us
[email protected]
0427 938 110
Or by appointment at one of our
Mobile Office locations
PO Box 1323 Goulburn 2580
ABN 67 208 214 681
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands where we create, live & work.
© Southern Tablelands Arts. All Rights Reserved