Regional Arts Australia launches five projects to help sector’s recovery

Regional Arts Australia (RAA) has announced a swathe of new projects to drive creative engagement within areas of regional Australia.

As part of the Australian Government’s $10 million Regional Arts Fund Recovery Boost, the creative body has received $1 million to launch five projects in regional communities around the country, focusing on artistic development, engaging with First Nations approaches, youth mental health and diversity.

Each project will encompass multiple creative disciplines, including music, visual arts, theatre and dance, with one project, the 100K Creative Jobs Plan, seeking to integrate creative jobs with tourism, agriculture, health, education and technology sectors as part of their pandemic recovery phase.

Local Giants will serve as a multi-faceted creative project to provide artist residencies and producer training for up-and-coming regional artists, and Regional Scribes will encourage participants from remote areas to collaborate on writing and storytelling endeavours.

Meanwhile, the First Nations-led Knowledge Circle will help to provide national awareness about diverse cultures and languages, while the National Regional Fellowships Recovery Extension will drive professional development and sustainable creative practices within the sector.

Federal Arts Minister Paul Fletcher said that the $1 million in funding would help long-term recovery strategies for arts bodies operating in regional areas of Australia.

“We know our regional and remote communities have been hit hard by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why the Government acted quickly to introduce our $10 million targeted measure in April 2020, as part of the Relief and Recovery Fund,” Fletcher said.

“These five projects will support regional artists, arts workers and organisations across Australia to develop viable career pathways, build partnerships and foster creative community engagement, as we rebuild from the pandemic.”

RAA’s executive director Ros Abercrombie said that the Federal Government’s investment into regional arts development programs would prove crucial in the wake of the pandemic.

“All our National Strategic Recovery projects will strengthen artistic and creative practices that will build a stronger, more vibrant and sustainable national arts and creative sector,” Ambercrombie explained.

“They will also improve opportunities for access, diversity and participation for regional Australian communities across multiple industries and sectors.”