South East Arts
building community through arts projects and partnerships

South East Arts supports arts and cultural development in the South East region by providing advice and assistance across all art forms and undertaking strategic initiatives and projects for the communities, artists and Councils of Bega Valley, Bombala, Cooma-Monaro, Eurobodalla and Snowy River.

South East Arts is a non-profit incorporated association, formed in 2002 with the current services of 3 staff positions and guided by a representative volunteer Board of 9 members, drawn from across the region. The Board is comprised of council representatives from each Local Government Area and up to four co-opted members with specific experience and skills. South East Arts is dependent on the continued financial support of the five member Councils and the NSW Government through Arts NSW. It is one of thirteen regional arts development organisations operating across NSW, forming the Regional Arts Network.

“The Councils have jointly agreed to establish the South East Arts as a catalyst and vehicle for regional cultural development for the social and economic benefit of local communities.” First clause in the Memo of Understanding, 2002.

What services does South East Arts provide?
As part of the agreement with participating councils in the region, South East Arts provides the following services:

• cultural development expertise, advice, support and training to the councils, communities and artists of the region;
• assisting communities to secure grants for cultural activities and projects;
• administration of small grants programs including Country Arts Support Program, Regional Arts Fund and ArtStart;
• auspice and project management services for individuals and community groups;
• training and capacity building for community organisations and artists;
• developing and implementing strategic regional initiatives to strengthen activity at a local level;
• developing and presenting a regional touring program of performances and exhibitions;
• building audiences for and increasing participation in cultural activities of the region;
• assisting the development of creative industries and cultural tourism;
• contributing to council and community advisory committees on arts-related issues.

Promotion and Marketing
South East Arts actively promotes and markets arts and culture throughout the region and beyond, through a comprehensive communications strategy. At present South East Arts offers the following promotional opportunities to local artists and community groups:

• maintaining a regional database of arts organisations and arts patrons;
• quarterly newsletters and regular email updates distributed to the database;
• a cultural events calendar on the South East Arts website updated weekly;
• events highlights on the South East Arts website and the Regional Arts NSW website;
• a weekly regional arts program on ABC South East radio (Thursday between 9.30 and 10.00 am).

Partnerships and networks
The South East is blessed with active and dynamic individuals and groups that make up the cultural life of the region. South East Arts is always keen to create partnerships and networks that assist people in working together, building capacity and pursuing big dreams.South East Arts staff have worked with visual artists, musicians, flimmakers, technicians, community arts groups, festival committees, theatre companies, schools, music societies, galleries, museums, historical societies – in fact anyone interested in cultural activities in the region.

In addition to the ongoing partnership with the Councils in our region, South East Arts has worked with a diverse range of organisations including:

• National Parks and Wildlife
• Southern General Practice Network
• NSW Sport and Recreation
• Housing NSW
• Arts ACT
• NSW Department of State and Regional Development
• Cooma Correctional Centre
• Southern Catchment Management Authority
• Sydney Theatre Company
• ANU School of Music

Advocacy and representation
As a regionally focused arts organisation, South East Arts is well placed to advocate for support of cultural activities in the South East. As part of the NSW Regional Arts Network, South East Arts lobbies key arts decision-makers and develops strategic partnerships with other industry sector and government bodies. South East Arts contributes to inquiries, surveys, conferences and arts-sector consultation to provide effective representation of the region.

Creative Industries
In addition to supporting community arts, South East Arts provides advice, support and training to artists and groups keen to develop the economic potential of arts and cultural activities. South East Arts presents and coordinates workshops, forums, residencies and talks aimed at developing arts practice and business skills, understanding of legal and financial issues, and awareness of funding and support opportunities.

South East Arts Achievements
Quick facts and figures

• Employed 220 artists, technicians and designers in a diverse range of art forms
• Presented 282 performances and exhibitions for over 30,000 audience members
• Delivered over 1,000 workshops developing arts skills and practice
• Secured $920,000 in arts-funding from government and philanthropic sources
• Received $87,000 in sponsorship support for cultural activities
• Developed cultural plans for the councils of Bega Valley, Cooma-Monaro and Eurobodalla

Touring
South East Arts makes a significant contribution to the live performance opportunities for local audiences through an active touring program. Since 2005, South East Arts has toured 18 theatre productions and music concerts for general public and school audiences. Many of these shows have been presented to audiences in small villages and towns that would otherwise not have access to quality live performance.

Projects
Over the years, South East Arts has developed and managed a diverse range of projects supporting the cultural and social life of the region. These have included projects such as:

• South East Film Festival - provided film making training for over 100 young people and included screenings of new short films
• Beyond Roundabouts – a photography and film project documenting the lives of teenage parents on the Monaro, giving them a voice and an opportunity to share their stories, which won the 2010 AbaF Arts and Health Foundation Award
• Now You See Us - a photographic exhibition of endangered flora and a children’s book on endangered fauna of the high country
• Indigenous Arts – establishment of Kari Yalla Aboriginal artists’ cooperative, arts practice and business skills development and visual-arts exhibitions
• SEARCH Map - production and distribution of 20,000 copies of the first coordinated cultural tourism promotion for the South East region

fLing Physical Theatre
Based in Bega, fLiNG creates and performs original dance based physical theatre that is alive with character and vigour. It is the only funded youth dance company in New South Wales and was recently featured nationally as part of the SBS regional arts promotion. South East Arts auspiced fLing during its establishment providing financial, human resources, marketing and administrative services.

Project Management
South East Arts has managed a range of projects for councils and community groups, providing professional expertise in their establishment. Events such as Sculpture by the Lake and the Basil Sellers Art Prize have benefited from South East Arts' cultural management experience in the early stages of development. Both events have continued to grow in scope and significance under council staff management.

The main office is located in the Bega Valley Regional Gallery, Zingel Place, Bega, with two part-time offices in Jindabyne and Cooma.South East Arts staff are often out and about in the region, so can meet in person, or be in contact via phone and email.

Contact details:

Bega
(mon to fri)
Phone 02 6499 2286 or 6499 2207
Email: agray(at)sear.org.au

Jindabyne
(mon to wed)
Phone 02 6451 1104
Email: hkunz(at)sear.org.au

Website: http://www.sear.org.au/

“The greatest public value of the arts is through participation in them, rather than merely being exposed to them as spectators. The most intense benefits of the arts flow from actually creating and performing – singing, dancing, acting, writing, painting. What better way of fostering a sense of community, promoting mental health and wellbeing, and reducing the pressures of a competitive, materialistic society than by encouraging widespread participation in the arts? ” (Hugh Mackay, social researcher and writer, 2008)