Many creatives in our region have been developing amazing projects for 2021. Eight of them are set to receive a funding boost from the NSW Government through Create NSW.

The Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is a much loved annual funding program that supports excellence in regional arts with a locally determined small grant.

Southern Tablelands Arts are thrilled to announce that 8 projects have been funded with the total money awarded of $21,902 – a funding record for CASP in our region.

We can’t wait to see the following programs come to life: 

Goulburn Liedertafel Inc Prophesy ($3,000): The Lieder will engage 3 professional regional theatre artists to develop and rehearse a new script entitled Prophesy, written by ex-Lieder member, Patrick Russell, and performed as the highlight and focus of the Company’s 130th birthday celebrations in July 2021 in their own historic art deco venue built in 1929. 

Survival: Herstory Collective SURVIVAL: HERSTORY ($2,990): The project is a professionally facilitated Weekend Workshop exploring regional women’s stories of surviving hardship, through generations.  The published/recorded stories will then be integrated as an art installation into PROJECT HERSTORY’s several theatre presentations, and afterwards distributed for future community use.

Look our for our Stories from the Studio feature for this project on Friday 25 December. 

Hilltops Arts Inc Hilltops Arts AiR (Artist-in-Residence) Project ($2,500): Hilltops Arts will tender the position of ‘Artist-in-Residence’ to eligible visual artists within the region administered by Southern Tablelands Arts, the successful applicant will be provided with accommodation, basic necessities, studio space and a budget for art supplies to use within a two-week period in February of 2021.

Visual Arts Society of Yass Incorporated Artworks Reconnect – reconnecting artists and engaging new beginners ($1,448): VASY will aim workshops at the arts community while encouraging those ‘beginners’ who would like to try but never game. Reconnecting the community after the isolation of the pandemic is forefront. Attracting new members for VASY and connecting with local teachers in our region after COVID.

St Vincent de Paul Society NSW – Creative Space Southern Highlands Creative Space: Drawing Foundations & Colour Theory Workshop Series ($3,000): 2 Local Art Facilitators will be employed to share their expertise in an inclusive accessible space with Makers of all abilities through 8 full day workshop sessions.

Rocky Hill Musical Theatre Company Inc Page to Stage: How to Write A Musical ($2,964): This introductory, 10-week, Term 1 2021, musical writing course will give youth (14-21) experience and knowledge in developing a musical from concept to creation, by addressing written, musical, design and performance requirements. Online, fortnightly lessons with the dramaturg will be supported with fortnightly, practical workshops, live in Goulburn.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council Post Pandemic production ($3,000): A production of music to be performed by the choir and supports and performed in a public performance to celebrate International Day of People with disability 3/12/21. The current working title is A Short History of the Best Songs in the World (According to Us!).

Goulburn & District Chamber of Commerce Main Street Community Portraits ($3,000): The project will address vacant shop front windows in the main street of Goulburn, and work with existing stores to create a street gallery of local personalities Portraits celebrating some of the people in the community over 50 years of age who give back to their community.

9 CASP submissions were received from across our region. The high standard made it very difficult for the panel to make their recommendations of which projects merited support. In fact STA were able to advocate for extra funds to support more of the projects from this year’s applications, raising the allocation from 17k to just under 22k. 

CASP is a state wide fund from the NSW Government distributed into the community by the Regional Arts Network through Create NSW.