Arts + Culture Across
SOUTH EAST NSW
Country Arts Support Program
2026 CASP recipients announced
The Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is an annual small grants program funded by Create NSW and managed by South East Arts. CASP provides financial support to creatives across the Bega Valley, Eurobodalla and Snowy Monaro. Four group applications and five individual applications were successful in their 2026 applications.
South East Arts received 43 applications in the 2026 round. Kate Bradbury, South East Arts Executive Director, appraised the 2026 CASP round as, “an incredibly strong field of diverse applications from across the Bega Valley, Eurobodalla and Snowy Monaro regions.”
She stated, “Our selection panel was greatly impressed by the breadth of creativity and the calibre of applications. Although we can only allocate nine grants through CASP this year, we look forward to supporting all applicants with their professional practice through the support services, practical advice and advocacy that we provide to the South East NSW creative community.”
This year’s CASP projects span community arts workshops, Pride community celebrations, textile innovation, bronze casting workshops, screen development workshops and both film and children’s television productions.
South East Arts chair, Denise Ferris, reflected that “It is always a pleasure to support creative individuals and groups through the CASP grants. This year's CASP projects reflect the breadth of creative practice across our region and highlight the important role that South East Arts plays in fostering cultural development and community connection.”
2026 CASP recipients
CASP
2026
Andrew Poppleton
Bronze sculpture workshop pilot
A hands-on bronze sculpture workshop held in the Bega Valley. Participants will create sculptures directly in wax and learn about the intricacies of the traditional lost wax casting process. Participants can take home their own sculpture in bronze. This pilot workshop will inform the delivery of ongoing bronze casting workshops in South East NSW.
CASP
2026
Delegate Cottage Hospital
Community workshops & exhibition
Free community art-making workshops will produce a site-specific installation in recognition of the Delegate Cottage Hospital’s deep historical and emotional significance for the Snowy Monaro community and its centenerary celebrations.
CASP
2026
Far South Film Inc
Two‑part screen development program (online + workshop)
Award-winning screenwriter Dr Alec Morgan will deliver an 8-week online scriptwriting course focused on story fundamentals, character, dialogue, structure and rewriting; and a one-day in-person storyboarding and visual storytelling workshop held in the Bega Valley.
CASP
2026
Makushla (Kush) Bourke
Writers room facilitation for Squishy Taylor TV pilot
The funding will enable facilitation of a 2-day writer’s room to develop a pilot TV episode for a children’s animated series based on the Squishy Taylor books by author Ailsa Wild. The resulting pilot episode will create professional opportunities for local animators, screen talent and production staff in South East NSW.
CASP
2026
River of Art Festival
Professional grant writer support
Providing specialist expertise to River of Art – an artist-led organisation that has spearheaded cultural tourism in the Eurobodalla for 22 years. This will help safeguard this important event and ensure the resulting benefits to regional identity, cultural participation, and the creative economy continue.
CASP
2026
TEO (The Everyday Observer)
Textile equipment, creation of work & exhibition
Purchase of a tapestry loom, warp and yarn will support the development of a body of work translating drawn works into textile form. The textile works produced will be publicly exhibited within an open-studio at the Bodalla Arts Factory in Eurobodalla.
About CASP
The Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is an annual small grants program funded by Create NSW and managed by South East Arts.
The aim of the Country Arts Support Program is to support community arts and cultural development in regional NSW through small grants that:
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Assist locally determined community arts and cultural activities.
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Increase opportunities for regionally-based groups to access a diverse range of arts programs.
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Enable communities to explore and express their cultural identities.
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Bring social and economic benefits to the community through training, employment and promotional opportunities.
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Lead to greater awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity.
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Increase the sustainability and resilience of regionally based community arts organisations.
Create NSW’s objective for this program is to support community arts and cultural development in regional NSW through small grants that:
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Assist locally determined community arts and cultural activities
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Increase opportunities for regionally based groups to access a diverse range of arts programs
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Enable communities to explore and express their cultural identities
Key Dates for 2026:
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Applications close: 31/01/2026
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Outcomes: 28 February 2026
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Projects commence after 1 March 2026
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Projects finalised, acquittals due: 28 February 2027
2026 funding round:
A total of $17,000 funding pool will be allocated as:
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4 grants of $3,000 for larger artistic projects based in the South East Arts region.
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5 grants of $1,000 for professional development or the realisation/presentation of an artistic outcome based in the South East Arts region.
How to apply
Applications closed on 31 January 2026. If you have any questions regarding your application, please email ed@southeastarts.org.au
Applications are assessed based on their ability to address the funding objectives and eligibility criteria outlined on the application form.
Eligibility
Individuals must:
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Reside within one of the Local Government Areas under South East Arts (Bega Valley, Eurobodalla and/or Snowy Monaro)
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Have an ABN
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Consent to be featured on the South East Arts Artist Directory
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Propose a creative activity that will substantially take place within the South East Arts region, or in the case of professional development, it must support an outcome that will take place in our region.
Community groups must:
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Be an incorporated entity, or
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Be a group, partnership or company whose project can be auspiced by an incorporated entity, or
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Be a 355 Committee or volunteer-run facility of Local Government.
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Propose a creative activity that will substantially take place within the South East Arts region, or in the case of professional development, it must support an outcome that will take place in our region.
Funding restrictions
Funding cannot be used for the following purposes:
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Prize money or gifts
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Expenses which are already covered by an organisation's existing funding (e.g. existing worker salaries)
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Illegal activities
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Works or projects of an offensive nature
2025 CASP Recipient -
2025 Candelo Village Festival.
Photo by Marcus Ward Curran