We have certainly been criss-crossing the New England North West this quarter - from artist residencies in Wallabadah to family arts festivals in Glen Innes. While some of our focus has naturally been on Tamworth (and artstate) we have been very conscious of making sure that our whole region has been represented. Read up on our projects - Art Connections and Art Word Place which were part of the artstate program. Arts North West continues to provide advice and support to artists and arts organisations across the region. We are also fortunate to be part of a key network of regional arts development organisations, who meet three times a year for high level strategic discussions and networking sessions with metropolitan arts organisations and funding bodies. Our Board meeting was held in August in Tamworth, and we look forward to our November meeting in Narrabri.
Art Connections - A Creative Journey Through the New England North West
Nestled in the mountains of the New England and scattered throughout the plains of the North West are numerous hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Creatives busily working away on their kitchen tables, in the garden shed, a shop in the main street, converted shipping containers or a purpose-built studio, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and environments that surround them in the beautiful New England North West to make and produce unique and diverse works.
Our latest project, Art Connections, has been developed to capture the creative venues of the New England North West, from the larger-scale venues such as commercial galleries and volunteer-run museums to the quirky artists run initiatives and studios off the beaten track, compiling a comprehensive database disguised as the North West Arts Trail Directory and Open Weekend.
Art Connections is more than one event – it is, in fact, a series of over 50 destinations across almost 100,000km2. It will bring visitors into the smaller villages and towns of the New England North West, to explore and experience regional NSW. This project connects communities and highlights the significant contribution made by artists and cultural workers to the region’s economy and community identity.
These trails will reveal what we locals have known all along, there is something special and unique about our region and the self-drive Open Weekend on the weekend of the 31 October to 4 November provides the perfect opportunity to meander through the picturesque changing landscapes of the New England North West, the environment in which creativity and inspiration is drawn from.
Arts North West covers an enormous part of the New England North West. From bustling regional centres, to rural towns and remote villages, the vast differences between these communities include the obvious; size and location but there is an overarching similarity between them all, individuals and collectives building community identity through the power of creativity.
Online and hard copy directories will be launch on the 14th of October. Visit www.artsnwconnect.com.au for further information.
Narrabri Community Consultations!
Narrabri Aquatic Centre Multi Purpose Room
Tibbereena Street, Narrabri
Friday, 27 September 2019
10am – 3pm
Light lunch provided
Arts North West are committed to delivering consultation, professional development and mentoring to Aboriginal artists and organisations in the Narrabri Shire. We are seeking input from community to allow us to effectively provide outcomes for the Narrabri community. This workshop will help Arts North West develop a program of services to be offered to Aboriginal people and organisations from the Narrabri Shire and will also contribute towards the Arts North West Regional Aboriginal Arts and Culture Strategy.
Aboriginal artists, arts workers and organisations are especially encouraged to attend.
For further information please contact Pene Riggs on 0428 406 744 or Lorrayne Riggs on
0467 668 977
Artstate and More Creative Opportunities
We are gearing up for an action-packed weekend at the state regional arts conference which is being held in Tamworth in November. Registrations are open now, and I encourage you all to book in - it will be a fabulous couple of days of high level discussion wrapped up in arts and culture. Our entire region is represented in both the Speakers and the Arts Program and we are delivering a number of projects as part of this event. The last couple of months have been busy, as usual. We have been out and about across the region, delivering projects, meeting with our wonderful artists and arts organisations, and supporting creativity in the New England North West. We held our Board meeting and AGM in Glen Innes on 10 May where we welcomed Lauren Mackley to the Board. Lauren is the Cultural Precinct Team Leader at Gunnedah Shire Council and we are looking forward to working with her to generate creative opportunities in the New England North West.