Regional Arts NSW

Media Release

12 April 2010

Country Arts Support Program funds 155 new projects for 2010

Regional Arts NSW is delighted to announce the successful funding applicants of the Country Arts Support Program (CASP) for 2010. This year 155 new arts projects have been given the go-ahead in regional, rural and remote NSW, with a remarkable range of activities, ranging through opera, oral histories, hip-hop dance, knitting, community choir workshops and farm machinery sculpture.

"We welcomed the announcement of an additional $45,000 in funding from the NSW Government to add to this year’s funding pool” said Elizabeth Rogers, CEO of Regional Arts NSW. “CASP provides small grants for arts projects across the State that yield great benefit to regional communities. The grants are distributed evenly to the 13 Regional Arts Boards and the additional money assisted to meet the increased demand from this program.”

CASP is a key regional arts funding program for NSW which provides support to employ artists in locally initiated arts and cultural projects. The aim is to provide access to arts activities for small communities, to encourage communities to work together on cultural projects, to foster cultural diversity in the regions and to ensure that regional and rural areas have an artistic voice.

Grants of between $200 and $3,000 were provided from a total pool of $200,000 which is devolved to Regional Arts NSW from the NSW Government. For 2010, this amount was bolstered by a one-off addition of $45,000 from Arts NSW. Recommendations on funding are made locally by regional CASP assessment panels, coordinated by the Regional Arts Boards. Applications from local government areas not serviced by a Regional Arts Board are assessed by the State CASP assessment panel which meets in Sydney to approve the final allocations.

This year there were 238 applications received from every region of the State, with a total request of over $480,000 – an increase of nearly 15% from the previous year. Many of these were first-time applicants and 155 grants were approved.

Some of the highlights among this year’s list are:

The knitting and crocheting of a life-sized garden for display at the Griffith Regional Gallery by local community group “The Natty Knitters of Griffith”
The Gumbaynggirr Dreaming Dancers, made up of Aboriginal teenagers from the Bellingen region, will work with Aunty Shaa Smith and Ashley Walker to tell Gumbaynggirr Elders' stories through dance and song. The dance group will have weekly practice sessions and will perform at regional, conferences and community events.
An oral history project consisting of photographic images that document and present via exhibition the war stories of 20 women in the Gilgandra Shire - the theme ‘war’ reflecting such diverse aspects as their own war with the environment, community, home or military conflicts. The project will utilize skills of local artist Gail Naden and Editor Kerry Ellen.
Providing attendees at the NSW Rural Women's Gathering to be held at Wentworth with a memorable and unique theatre performance from theatre group "Ratbagz".

Read the full list of grant recipients here

Contact: Annette Eassie, Funding Manager, Regional Arts NSW
Tel 02 9270 2502 Email fundingmanager@regionalartsnsw.com.au