You may have seen us around a bit on the news in the last week, and here’s why. The outcome of recent funding models and allocations have triggered a growing crisis in arts funding across NSW and regional artists and communities are, unfortunately, affected in significant ways.

Our CEO Dr Tracey Callinan OAM has spent many hours advocating for regional artists, and, with the outcome of the 2-Year Arts and Cultural Funding round looking uncertain, she has decided to speak publicly. She has done this alongside other senior figures in the NSW arts sector and together they are calling on the state government to ensure equitable funding across NSW so no regional community goes without.

What you need to know

Recently the NSW government removed guaranteed funding from the 15 Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs) that RANSW supports. Under this new model, these organisations have had to compete for funding with larger city-based arts organisations, and as a result, three did not receive funding.

The RADOs provide crucial support to artists in the regions. Their services include direct support and guidance to local artists, building community, partnering with local councils on tourism and economic development and advocacy on the value of the arts in regional areas.

This funding decision has left three RADOs in a position where they are uncertain whether they will receive the government funding that enables them to carry out these essential services. Though they have applied to the 2-Year funding round, we suspect that the pool of money is small and there are many organisations competing for it. There is no guarantee that they will receive funding in this round.

If these organisations don’t get funded, there is a good chance that they will close. This would be a disastrous outcome for the regional arts ecology, leaving behind huge holes in RADO support services. It is an equity issue – all regional artists deserve to have equal access to these services for the good of their practice, development and their communities.

But this issue extends wider than just the RADOs

The outcomes of the latest funding decisions have also left the majority of regional galleries and many other small-to-medium arts institutions without funding.

Regional galleries rely on this funding to deliver their programs, many of which are directed at improving community wellbeing and supporting the residents in their area. Without this funding, we could see 600 arts projects being cancelled or significantly cut and 5000 artists and art workers no longer engaged across regional NSW.

Dr Callinan has raised, in a joint letter with other sector leaders, the fact that the new funding model fails to recognise the unique challenges faced by regional organisations. These groups often serve as vital community hubs, providing services far beyond programming.

These cuts risk creating “creative black holes” in regional areas, where local artists and audiences lose access to cultural opportunities. We are concerned that local governments, who are already under financial pressure, may withdraw support for RADOs in favour of picking up the slack for regional galleries, further eroding the sector.

The sector is currently in a state of uncertainty, with the unfunded RADOs, regional galleries and many other small-to-medium institutions being left unable to plan for the future or maintain their current level of service to communities.

So what now?

Right now, RANSW is calling on the government to step in and make sure that all 15 RADOs and the other affected regional arts organisations receive funding to keep their doors open and to continue to provide their essential services to communities. Ultimately, we need the re-establishment of stable, multi-year funding for all 15 RADOs. This is essential if we want to ensure that regional communities are not left behind.

We are also seeking a funding model from CreateNSW that recognises the unique challenges and value of regional arts, rather than forcing regional groups to compete directly with larger metropolitan organisations. We want to ensure that regional communities remain engaged in arts and culture, with access to opportunities for participation, professional development, and creative expression.

How can you help?

If this concerns you, we invite you to draw attention to this issue by sharing our content and the articles and interviews linked below.

We also invite you to contact your local state MP. You can find out who yours is here.

You can also write to the current Arts Minister, John Graham here.

We are very appreciative of your support and hope that we can work together toward an equitable and stable arts sector in regional NSW.

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