17 December 2025

As we approach the end of the year, I think we all tend to become a bit reflective about how the year has gone. What were the highlights? Did we make progress? Was there any prevailing zeitgeist for the sector, some issues that we all experienced? What has been challenging for us?

At Regional Arts NSW (RANSW), there’s no doubt that there were challenges for the year, but we faced them and felt that we made significant progress. Our small but very dedicated team here at NSW were a formidable force and together we feel we have made a difference both to the sector and to our place within it.

I don’t think you would get many disagreeing with the assertion that in NSW the dominating topic of concern in 2025 was funding. At RANSW we made a decision to stand up and be heard about the concerns across the sector, and to fight for the many organisations in the regions who were genuinely distressed by the state of play. I am grateful to Brett Adlington at M&GNSW with whom we collaborated to get our message out, and to all those voices who added to the outcry. I believe that collectively we were able to bring about some change.

I don’t pretend that we don’t head into 2026 with everything rosy, but there is much to be positive about. RANSW has had a difficult few years, but we know that we have rebuilt into a strong organisation. We are clear about our purpose, our strategy. We are excited about new areas of development and the many relationships and partnerships that will strengthen what we do. The arts in regional NSW is a great place to be working. We see the way a regional identity, a sense of place, is giving so many arts practitioners a sense of purpose in their work. Our job along with the RADOs is to help the artists and arts organisations in regional NSW be the best they can be, and to let everyone know about this great work. We’re looking forward to what 2026 presents.

I would like to thank all of you who have contributed in some way to making the regional arts scene what it is in 2025. I would like to thank our staff team at RANSW who have worked so hard to achieve the things we have done, along with the RANSW board who have applied themselves responsibly and supportively to bringing our organisation into a sustainable position. Best wishes for the holiday period.

See you in 2026.

Tracey Callinan, Regional Arts NSW CEO