President’s Report, Susan Brindle
I am proud to present the Annual Report for the period January-December 2021.
The year has seen STA responding to the worldwide challenge of the continuing pandemic, supporting the artistic efforts of individual members of the creative industries whose past livelihoods have not yet recovered, consolidating newer ways of working remotely and continuing to reach out to our geographic communities through the hugely successful Mobile Office initiative.
Some of our regions have been the recipients of generous NSW Government funding resulting in major cultural infrastructure projects now opening: Ngununggula Southern Highlands Regional Gallery in Bowral, The Creative Precinct additions to Hume Conservatorium, GPAC Goulburn Performing Arts Centre and other smaller projects are already enriching communities through contemporary creative programs, entertainment, motivation and professional opportunities for creative practitioners in the STA region.
The year saw the completion and implementation of the Stage 2 NSW Regional Arts Network Review carried out by funding partner Create NSW. The long-awaited review resulted in significant changes for the Regional Arts Network and for STA. The most welcome change was moving the Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs) to the status of Multi-Year Funded Clients, with 4-year secured funding with a modest annual increase. In addition, funding was allocated for a 15th RADO to STA’s east, covering Shellharbour and Shoalhaven. Recognition by Create NSW of the cumulative and collective experience of the RADOs together with their intimate understanding and connections to the communities they serve across the huge area of regional NSW has led Create NSW to utilise the Network for the delivery of pandemic relief funding grant application processes and overseeing their delivery. CASP grants will be administered by each RADO in the Network, starting in 2022.
Regional Arts NSW (RANSW), the RADO Network’s umbrella organisation has been defunded. It has changed strategic direction somewhat and has pivoted to a subscription-based model of which STA is proud to be a financial member. STA values the past work, professional development, governance and experienced management input from RANSW and its former CEO, Elizabeth Rogers. We look forward to its continuing development over time as it positions itself to meet both ongoing and emerging needs of its membership.
In liaison with the Regional Arts Network, Create NSW has made available significant funding for a major creative project, across the whole of Regional NSW, designed by Network members to be delivered through 2022 and beyond by creatives who have achieved excellence in their practice. This unique and exciting project will have a participant from the STA region.
The STA Strategic Plan 2022-2024 was prepared during the year and accepted by Create NSW in late December. The Board Committee tasked with preparing drafts and the entire Board worked quite tirelessly through the process of visioning, revisiting core values, considering Partner Councils’ community plans, considering inputs from the STA Regional Advisory Panel and reviewing operational achievements, all with due consideration to the complex external situations in our region.
Five key focus areas or core objectives were decided. Capacity building, robust governance and facilitating project partnerships will continue to guide resource allocation and assessment of opportunities. The primary focus unanimously decided by the Board and ED is that STA will build environmental sustainability methods and actions into every executive and management decision. STA will highlight environmental considerations to all stakeholders, in this way underpinning all actions. The final core objective is to actively seek and shape revenue generating activities so that the work of STA will continue strongly into the future through increased financial reserves while allowing for additional creative opportunities which can be delivered each year. We look forward to the journey as STA navigates the Strategic Plan through the coming 3 years.
I am grateful to our Partner Councils for their funding and support of all our activities. I am grateful too, to STA’s hundreds of members and to our communities for their enthusiastic participation in our work. And I am grateful to the energetic, focused and generous people who are the STA Board and the STA staff. Special recognition goes to Executive Director, Rose Marin whose energy, drive and warmth together with her extraordinary ability to juggle more balls than any would have thought possible, embodies the values of STA.
To all of you: your efforts result in work that is important, touching the lives of individuals in ways that forge connections to people and to place, offer pleasure and entertainment through the contributions of our many creatives, making our communities better places to live and be.
Susan Brindle, President 2021
Treasurer’s Report, Joanne McCauley
It was another successful year for Southern Tablelands Arts despite another set of unexpected challenges.
The 2021 year started with a rebound from COVID. We were all hopeful that the worst of it was over. Australia was relatively COVID free and there was hope that life could return to normal. Our optimism was short lived when we returned to lockdown conditions in June 2021. The arts sector was once again hit hard yet continued to show resilience and adaptability.
Rose Marin and her team worked incredibly hard to provide support to the creatives in our regions. New projects, new grants, smart ideas and tireless efforts, the Board are incredibly proud of what has been achieved over the year.
The financials reflect a profit of $63,163 for the year. This amount is the direct result of detailed, attentive and careful financial management and the ED is to be congratulated on this substantial contribution towards future additional projects and to financial sustainability reserves and, importantly, contributing to STA’s role as a sustainable resource for the community, STA has definitely achieved that goal. Never before have we had so many projects being developed and funded, providing opportunities for local creatives. We move into the new year with sufficient funds in the bank to complete existing projects, start new projects and add some new team members. STA is in a strong position to meet its strategic objectives into the future.
I would like to thank Giselle for the wonderful job that she has done for the organisation over the past nine years, and wish her all the success in her new job. I would also like to thank the rest of the Board for the support this year, and of course, the organisation would not be the success it is without the efforts of Rose Marin and Susan Brindle. Both should be commended for their dedication and commitment during an incredibly tough year.
Let’s hope that all levels of Government continue to recognise the important role that the Arts sector plays in our economy. As we once again try to adapt to the new normal of living with COVID, local tourism is expected to thrive. We know that the Arts sector is a strong driver of regional tourism. Now is a great time to embrace the opportunities that come out of this crazy world. May 2022 finally be a good year for all of us.
Executive Director’s Report, Rose Marin
2021 was a year of contrasts, a year where STA and our communities restarted many programs and events with optimism and a sense of hope only to have the pandemic continue throughout the year. A roller coaster of global proportions that no doubt we will look back on with a sense of confusing frustration. There were however still many positive outcomes, and the STA team achieved an amazing array of projects not least of which a suite of RESTART initiatives that injected nearly $200k into the local creative economy.
STA administered over $75k through the STA Micro Grants and Top Spots programs to support our creative sector get through a very tough year.
STA continued our critical support to the creative communities providing, advice, online engagement and connection. It was a very busy year, full of change, dynamic realities and even silver linings.
The STA online presence went from strength to strength with the website boasting unprecedented traffic and our social media following increasing throughout the year. Several new pages and areas of the online portal were developed to further support our members and audiences.
Throughout the year STA ran the ZOOM circle online, a place to share and connect while we were separated physically the ZOOM Circle was a weekly gathering to support each other through tough times.
STA also started up the Dress Circle, a online forum and accompanying facebook group that created the regions first collective network for our many community theatres.
STA launched a new cultural treasure map website for cultural tourism, Creativesouth.com.au guides locals and visitors to find hidden gems like bush studios, village galleries, roadside art, cultural walks, country craft, unique festivals, markets and museums. Encouraging tourism by allowing visitors to explore and celebrate the genuine talent of the southern regions. Creative South is a partnership project between Southern Tablelands Arts and South East Arts. Possible with support from the Restart stimulus funding through Create NSW.
The STA Creative Directory continued to grow as an extensive listing of creative practitioners across our region.
Stories from the Studio continued to be a weekly focus on our creative members attracting increased engagement every Friday night. The project now has over 100 featured artists contributing to a rich tapestry of practitioners and their stories.
The Goulburn Film Group moved to a new home at Goulburn Workers Club and while many of the screening were cancelled due to the pandemic the new partnership with the club is a development that will attract new audiences to this much-loved program.
STA kids grew into the most extensive online activity portal in our region and significant on a national level with multiple online artist-led activities designed to connect and enhance other projects.
The STA Mobile Office program become a popular way for our members and communities to connect directly with STA staff.
The Waste to Art project with Wollondilly Council proved to once again be a popular exhibition and award held at Wollondilly Library. STA delivered workshops and online content as part of the project.
The STA Advisory Panel meet for the first time in 2021 in Crookwell, dedicated Delegates from each of our six Contributing Councils met to share strategic information about arts and culture.
STA also delivered a new strategic plan was created through the dedicated efforts of a sub-committee of the STA Board. The process took months of thoughtful discussion and was adopted and submitted to Create NSW in December 2021.
It’s was a very busy and complex year possible only with the dedication of Giselle Newbury the STA Communication Projects and Communications Officer and the STA Board.
Most of all a huge thanks you go out to our creative practitioners and communities for your continued support and appreciation.
Rose Marin
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