Member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries today urged arts and culture organisations in Broken Hill and the Far West to get applications in to secure their share of a new $47 million round of funding as part of the NSW Government’s Regional Cultural Fund (RCF).
Kevin Humphries said applications from Council, as well as arts, screen and culture organisations, are being invited from 1 July, and will close on 21 September 2018.
“This is a fund which has the potential to totally transform the arts and culture scene not only in Broken Hill and the Far West but across the entirety of regional NSW.
“This $47 million funding pool comes on top of the $48 million which was already allocated to two projects in Broken Hill as part of round one of the fund. These projects were the Johns Bros Joyland fun fair collection to finally have a permanent home at the Sulphide Street Railway Museum and Screen Broken Hill, to utilise unused space above the Post Office in Broken Hill as a film, TV and digital hub.
“Now, as part of round two, with an additional $47 million available for regional areas, we have a further chance to secure even more financial support for Broken Hill and the Far West’s arts and culture sector,” Kevin Humphries said.
“Also as part of round two, up to $5 million will be dedicated to the revitalisation and creation of public library spaces as a priority, helping to extend community access to library services.
“Public libraries are vital resources that support community engagement and education, especially children’s literacy,” Kevin Humphries said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said due to popular demand funding will also be available from the $47 million to support permanent, artist-led public art projects, including sculptures, murals and street art.
“We have heard your feedback and agree, local artist-led public art projects foster community identity, pride and engagement,” Mr Barilaro said.
“I’ve seen first-hand how a mural in Portland in the Central Tablelands – home to one of NSW’s first cement works – was able to transform historic concrete silos into a buzzing tourism hotspot,” he said.
Mr Barilaro said on top of public art, the second round of funding was available for infrastructure and redevelopment projects including major new exhibition and performing arts spaces, the refurbishment of theatres and museums as well as smaller, grass-roots community projects.
“As I travelled the state to announce projects funded under round one, I saw first-hand just how much our arts and culture communities appreciated the support.
“As Minister for Regional NSW, I want people to look to our regional areas, and think ‘I could have a great life there’, and as a government we know that a diverse and vibrant arts and culture scene is key to achieving that,” Mr. Barilaro said.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said in addition to the $47 million available for community projects in round two, the NSW Government is funding a digitisation project under the Regional Cultural Fund to preserve cultural collections from regional NSW.
“Arts, screen and culture is at the heart of every regional community. The success of our recent first round of funding shows the Government’s commitment to driving growth in arts, screen, culture and heritage in regional NSW is making a difference. I am confident that the second round will go even further to show this.”
Aspiring applicants in Broken Hill and the Far West can review guidelines for applying for funding at the Create NSW web page www.nsw.gov.au/regionalculturalfund .
Email enquiries: regional@arts.nsw.gov.au.
The $100m Regional Cultural Fund is a vital piece of the broader $1.3 billion Regional Growth Fund which the NSW Government announced last year.
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