Every so often at Regional Arts NSW (RANSW) we get a comment from someone querying why we are based in Sydney. It’s a fair enough question, but one that indicates that people don’t always get what we do or why we are not based in the regions, so I thought this might be a good opportunity to explain a bit more about the day-to-day business we undertake.
The model in NSW is different to any other state in Australia. At RANSW we are only a small organisation, but we have a network of RADOs – Regional Arts Development Organisations – that are based in the regions. These 15 RADOs, employing over 50 regionally-based arts workers, are responsible for the groundwork, the direct contact and the support of artists. For them it is vital that they are based in the regions and that they know and understand the nuances of their area. They have the independence to work out their own programs to fit their needs.
Here at RANSW we don’t try to duplicate this work, but instead we support the RADOs to achieve the outcomes that follow from working directly with their local creative and cultural sectors. Our work at RANSW is one of advocacy, support and leadership. If we are to be effective advocates, we need access to the politicians, arts organisations and other stakeholders that all contribute to shaping our sector. While the RADOs do their own advocacy at a local level, our position is focused on a state-wide approach to arts and cultural development. We are in a position to be frequently having the conversations that can influence support for the arts.
We can help connect things up and arrange opportunities – the things that are not so easy when you’re based in the regions. We can act as a central point so that it’s easier to bring people together or to respond to whatever is happening. We meet with kindred organisations and work on creating new partnerships and relationships. When we do deliver a project working with artists, we do so from a state-wide perspective. We also represent NSW at a national level in discussions about the importance and direction of regional arts in this country.
I really want to emphasise that being based in Sydney does not mean that I am distanced from regional life and its associated issues. I grew up in regional NSW, and after a few decades gaining experience in Sydney, Adelaide and internationally, I came back to the regions and worked there for 13 years before taking up this role at RANSW in 2022. I still spend part of my time in Bathurst and continue to conduct a choir there and to be part of that community. I travel around regional NSW often in my role as CEO, but I have no doubt in my mind that being based in Sydney is the most effective way that RANSW can deliver on the three pillars of our strategic plan: Advocate, Support and Lead.