On Sunday morning, a performance as part of Joanna Williams and Jesse Alston’s Homekeeper kicked off the morning in Machattie Park, before the Wiradyuri Elders a Smoking Ceremony, Ngurambang Yanhanhadhu, as a final farewell. Delegates and festival attendees then moved into the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, where the Regional Youth…

As the sun went down on Saturday, the Artstate night owls came out to play. At the Carrington House, the Artstate Dinner kicked off with none other than Bathurst’s Rusty Nails as cabaret hostess. Down at the Festival Club there was music and the Junkyard Circus Mumming Extravaganza to keep…

For the second day of Artstate Bathurst, delegates were treated to keynote speakers Jack Archer and Kresanna Aigner and another jam-packed day of the festival program, with three exhibitions and daily dance performances at Tremain’s Mill.   Jack Archer delivers his keynote ‘Hotspots of Creative Employment: Regional Development Through Creative…

After the Opening Night on Thursday evening, delegates arrived at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre bright and early, and ready for the first day of the Artstate Bathurst conference, with keynote speakers Jonathan Jones and Frith Walker kicking off the 2018 conversation.   Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Don…

As the sunlight began to soften on Thursday 1st November, smoke rose up in Kings Parade, tended to by Jonathan Jones and Wiradyuri Elders. The crowd milled in the street and dancers took positions – Artstate Bathurst was finally about to begin at the foot of Wahluu on Wiradyuri country.…

The evening before Artstate Bathurst, three Artstate exhibitions opened; Transformation by Nicole Welch, Out of Office by the Arts Outwest staff, and My Own Backyard. The exhibition was launched by CEO of Regional Arts NSW, Elizabeth Rogers, and attendees were treated to a performance lead by Tracey Callinan and the…

Want to relive your time at Artstate Bathurst, or catch a peek at what you missed? Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing photos, transcripts and audio recordings from each day of the Speakers and Arts Program.   To kick us off, enjoy this fantastic taste of the experience made…

On Saturday 3rd November, Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Don Harwin MLC announced Tamworth will be the next host city for Artstate, Regional Arts NSW’s celebration of arts across the state. The event will take place from Thursday, October 31st to Sunday, November 3rd 2019.   Minister Harwin said,…

It’s not all over yet! Check out our Arts Program events below that are taking place in Bathurst on Sunday 4 November, and don’t forget that Bathurst Museums are open and our Artstate Fringe and Artstate Regional programs are on too!     Image courtesy of the Bathurst Wiradyuri and…

Sixteen professional theatre, music and dance organisations, exhibitions and literature events have been selected to share in over $674,000 Regional Arts Touring funding, announced today by Arts Minister Don Harwin.   “This $674,938 in NSW Government support will result in more than 90 performances and events across over 50 NSW…

Creating New Income, a new toolkit aimed at helping small to medium arts, screen and cultural organisations to flourish was launched by Minster for the Arts Don Harwin at Artstate Bathurst today.   The toolkit has been developed by Create NSW in consultation with the industry to educate those working…

Love all things screen and film? We’ve got you covered at Artstate Bathurst with panels, presentations and screenings! Check out the activities below and don’t forget to head to our Arts Program and Speakers Program for more information.     Image: Still from the 2017 Best Film winner, Perdu, directed…

Artstate Bathurst is nearly here! We’ve got all your last minute questions sorted, including what to wear, where to eat, and museums to visit! Have a read below, and if you have a question that isn’t answered below find us at the registration desk at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre…

This year’s Artstate Dinner is proving to be a hit, and tickets have been flying out the door! Tickets will be on sale until 5pm on Thursday 1 November, or until sold out. You can purchase your Artstate Dinner ticket as a merchandise item when purchasing your registration. Already registered?…

As a part of Artstate Bathurst, three projects were commissioned from artists-in-residence at three of Bathurst’s museums: the National Motor Racing Museum, the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, and the Chifley Home. Artists were asked to create new work in response to these museums and their collections, and you can…

For Artstate Bathurst we are excited to present our Artstate Fringe and Artstate Regional programs of events organised by the communities of Bathurst and the broader Arts OutWest region! Artstate Fringe events are events planned by the Bathurst community within the Bathurst Regional Council footprint. For those wanting to see…

Looking for events and networking opportunities surrounding Artstate Bathurst? You’ve come to the right place! This year we have a few events taking place prior and during Artstate to expand your opportunities and ensure you get the most out of your time in NSW’s Central West.     SALON |…

Experience the vibrant musical sounds of the Central West at Artstate Bathurst this 1-4 November. From the Motown tunes of the Innocent Bystanders in Machattie Park following the Artstate Bathurst Opening, to the likes of Gabbi Bolt, Smith & Jones and the Honey Drippin’ Mudskippers, there’s something for everyone during…

Experience the sights and sounds of Bathurst, with the Artstate Speakers Program leaving plenty of time to explore the region before the Opening Ceremony on Thursday and following the Regional Youth Orchestra Finale Concert on Sunday. We’ve scoured the area for our favourite hotspots for you to try, so get…

Create NSW and Arts OutWest are hosting the inaugural NSW Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Exchange at Bathurst from 31 October to 2 November 2018 in the lead-up to Artstate Bathurst. The Exchange will highlight the creative innovation taking place across NSW and discuss ways to build capacity and strengthen networks…

Based in rural Scotland, Kresanna Aigner is the Artistic Director of the biennial Findhorn Bay Festival. She has previously worked across a spectrum of arts sector roles both in Scotland and Northern Island, including being the former Edinburgh Touring Circuit Coordinator, Audience Development & Event Manager for the Cathedral Quarter…

Originally hailing from theatre and events, Frith Walker is the Manager, Placemaking for Waterfront Auckland‘s Wynyard Quarter. Tasked to program and place manage new public spaces on the CBD Waterfront, Frith is a champion of healthy public realms, and advocate for prioritising people in the development of public spaces. For…

As a part of the Artstate Bathurst Arts Program, Central West artist Nicole Welch is exhibiting two new works; Transformation and Mementos. Represented by MAY SPACE, Welch’s practice regularly sees her traversing through bushland to create compositions using large-scale projectors, generators, spotlights, research-inspired objects, projections and in camera technologies. Having…

Have you registered for Artstate Bathurst? Time is ticking on our early-bird conference tickets sale, with the $100 discount closing this Friday 14 September at 11:30pm AEST.   To avoid missing out on your chance to save big, register via the button below! With our conference themes Sense of Place…

Artstate is a four-year project by Regional Arts NSW to shine a light on excellence in regional arts practice and to explore the exciting possibilities for arts and cultural development across the state. In 2018, Artstate is heading to the Central West, and partnering with Arts Outwest in Bathurst. From…

Artists, arts groups, and organisations are invited to submit their event for the Artstate Fringe and Artstate Regional progams.   Arts and cultural events scheduled in Bathurst between 1-4 November 2018 are encouraged to submit to be a part of Artstate Fringe, while events in the broader Arts Outwest footprint…

Today at the Australian Museum, Regional Arts NSW announced the program for Artstate Bathurst, a four-day event that will bring an expected 200 arts delegates to the city from 1st to 4th November 2018.   Artstate is a four-year program presented by Regional Arts NSW which aims to shine a…

Today at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, Regional Arts NSW launched Artstate Bathurst, the second iteration of a four-year program building upon conversations, partnerships and opportunities for regional artists and arts organisations. Partnering with Arts OutWest, this four-day event in Bathurst will welcome an anticipated 200 arts industry delegates and…

Regional Arts NSW in partnership with Arts OutWest invites you to the launch of Artstate Bathurst 2018.   Artstate is a four-year project celebrating regional excellence in NSW, with the inaugural conference and festival having taken place in Lismore in 2017. The second Artstate will be held in Bathurst from…

While the dust has well and truly settled on Artstate Lismore, you can relive the conference experience online with audio recordings and unedited transcripts of all keynote and plenary sessions.   Sessions recorded include Rhoda Roberts’ stirring keynote Aboriginal Creative Practice: A cultural narrative, but why do I also have…

The final day of Artstate Lismore hit the right note with the Regional Youth Orchestra performing on the Lismore Quadrangle Stage. A day to relax and unwind, delegates listened to the orchestra perform from underneath the shade of trees, before wandering off to explore the open exhibitions and museums scattered…

The second conference day of Artstate Lismore saw Karoline Trollvik from Riddu Riđđu Festival provide a stirring keynote, and Nick Mahmat exploring his work in arts education in the regional USA county of Kalamazoo. A few streets away the Lismore Quad was still bustling and alive as our Kids Program…

The skies were clear for the first day of the Artstate Lismore conference. Delegates milled into the Lismore City Hall for keynote and plenary panels, before scattering off to venues in the precinct for breakout sessions. In the afternoon, Esther Anatolitis, CEO of NAVA, opened the exhibition We’re Closer Than…

Following Djanda Mandi Gingerlah, the Spaghetti Circus acrobats took the stage with the Youth Jazz Orchestra and Shelly Brown to get things swinging 1920’s style. At the end of the evening, we flashed forward to the bright, cheeky and colourful 80’s as the Casette’s flash mob strutted their stuff. From…

On Thursday 30 November, crowds began to mill into the grassy new quadrangle in Lismore’s heart, the place coming alive with a bustling and excited energy. It was an energy that couldn’t even be dampened by a pouring burst of rain, and by the time the Djanda Mandi Gingerlah dance…

Check out these fantastic drone photographs by Tim Eddy (Lennox Head) that show the scale of Digby Moran’s sand installation at Artstate Lismore!   If you have photos from Artstate Lismore you can send them through at admin@regionalartsnsw.com.au. We’ll be sharing photos in the coming days from the festival and conference…

Minister for the Arts Don Harwin has announced three fellowships for NSW regional artists at the inaugural Regional Arts NSW event in Lismore.   Artstate is a new four-year project designed to shine a light on excellence in regional arts practice, and to explore the exciting possibilities for arts and…

Bathurst was announced as the next regional host city for Artstate 2018 on Saturday night at the Artstate Dinner in Lismore. The announcement was made by Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Don Harwin, MLC, followed by a ceremonial handover and exchange of gifts from Widjabul Elders from Bundjalung country…

Talented young musicians from Regional Conservatoriums across the state travel to Lismore this week to perform a very special concert as the closing event of Artstate, the new conference and arts event of Regional Arts NSW.   “Northern Rivers Conservatorium is thrilled to be hosting Regional Youth Orchestra NSW in…

We recently had a chat to Bettina Richter, Media & Communications Manager at Big hART to talk about the organisation’s recent Namatjira project, and Big hART’s plenary presentation Driving Creative Practice from Remote Locations – The Producer, the Publicist and the Choreographer at Artstate Lismore.   Can you tell me…

Artstate Lismore is nearly here! We’ve got all your last minute questions sorted, including what to wear, where to eat, and museums to visit! Have a read below, and if you have a question that isn’t answered feel free to shoot us an email or find us at the registration…

To mark this year’s International Day of People with Disability on Sunday 3rd December, eleven poignant and beautiful stories of regional artists with disability will be broadcast on ABC and ABC iview from Monday 27th November, with an official launch at St Paul’s Hall on Friday 1 December as a…

With a combined background spanning fine art, design and styling for film and magazines Natalie Bull and Zoe Robinson-Kennedy produce innovative programs and events both in their roles at Arts Northern Rivers and independently as artists and curators. The pair jumped at the opportunity to shape the visual arts component…

Brett Haylock is the founder and Creative Producer of the award-winning circus/cabaret variety production LA SOIRÉE. First created in 2004 as a little late night cabaret called La Clique, the show has since evolved into an international sensation, smashing box office records across Europe, the US and Australia, and trailing…

Artstate Lismore has plenty of events for young and old throughout the Lismore CBD precinct from 30 November – 3 December. Plan your family’s outing and make the best of what the Northern Rivers has to offer!   8 AND UNDER For those on the younger side, head to the…

As a part of Artstate Lismore, Screenworks are premiering a number of short documentaries produced as part of the annual Createabilty initiative that provides funded opportunities for professional filmmakers in regional NSW to profile artists with a disability living and creating in their communities. To find out more about the…

Can you only attend one day of Artstate Lismore? Well you’re in luck, with Artstate Day Tickets now on sale.   Choose between Friday 1 December with keynotes Soumik Datta and Rhoda Roberts AO, or Saturday 2 December with keynotes Karoline Trollvik and Nick Mahmat. Day tickets are $195 per…

Experience the Northern Rivers to its entirety on Sunday 3 December, with the Artstate Speakers Program leaving plenty of time to explore the region following the Regional Youth Orchestra Finale Concert from 10:00am – 1:00pm. We’ve scoured the area for our favourite hotspots for you to try, so get off…

Leading regional theatre company NORPA recently sat down with Director Kirk Page to discuss his career, and his upcoming dance theatre work Djurra, premiering as a part of Artstate Lismore. Kirk Page will also be speaking at Artstate Lismore as a part of the First Nations Creatives panel on Friday…

Create NSW, Principal Partner of Artstate Lismore, recently had a Q&A with Keynote Speaker, Soumik Datta (UK). You can find the original story here, or have a read of the interview below!   Artstate Lismore 2017: Q&A with Soumik Datta Soumik Datta is one of many international speakers who will…

Experience the very best of live music at the Artstate Lismore stage in the Lismore Quadrangle and around the Artstate precinct from 30 November – 3 December.   Catch Northern Rivers acts Sara Tindley, WHARVES, Tora, Blakboi, Tralala Blip and Tullara on stage in the Lismore Quadrangle for free on…

Create NSW, Principal Partner of Artstate Lismore, recently had a Q&A with Keynote Speaker, Karoline Trollvik (NO). You can find the original story here, or have a read of the interview below!   Artstate Lismore 2017: Q&A with Karoline Trollvik Karoline Trollvik is one of many international speakers who will…

Image: Spaghetti Circus dancers, photo by Fran Schneider.     Early Bird registrations for Artstate Lismore have been extended until Monday 23 October, 11:30PM. Join the conversation and celebrate the arts in regional NSW at Artstate Lismore, from 30 November – 3 December.   An exciting line up of speakers…

  Marisa Snow is a Creative Producer with 15 years experience in site-specific events and arts management. She’s worked with the likes of NORPA, Splendour in the Grass, Sydney Festival, Darwin Festival and Belvoir Street Theatre to name a few. Over the past three years Marisa has specialised in place-making…

Image: Keynote Speaker and musician, Soumik Datta     Regional Arts NSW has announced the full program for the inaugural Artstate Lismore, a four-day event that will welcome an anticipated 200 arts industry delegates from 30th November to 3rd December 2017.   Artstate is a four-year program of conversations, partnerships…

Lennox Head-based indie-rock quartet, WHARVES are confirmed to play live and free at Artstate Lismore this December.   Members Matt, Mike, Scott and Fraser formed the band only 2 years ago whilst studying music at Uni in Lismore and Byron Bay.   In July 2017, they won the triple J…

Hear Sara Tindley’s fearless new tunes from her album Wild And Unknown at Artstate Lismore!   Written in a beach shack at Iluka on NSW’s north coast, the songs capture the healing virtues of sand, sunlight and sea. You can hear the cane shimmering in the summer heat, feel wonder…

Regional Arts NSW is extending a call for papers as part of the speakers program at Artstate Lismore.   Responding to the themes of creative practice or creative partnerships in a regional area your proposal may take the form of a panel, a presentation or workshop. Sessions will be one…

Artstate is announced, preliminary speakers and events are up, and we’re making headlines! We particularly love this great article from the Northern Star in Lismore by Marc Stapelberg, available both online and on the front page of the 10th August 2017 edition of the paper.   The article includes the…

23 year old Australian singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Tullara performed at the Artstate Lismore launch at the Australian Museum today, providing a taste of the vibrant Arts Program.   Tullara is renowned for her guitar playing, described as “beautifully complex and intericate while within an instant raw and powerful.” She will grace the…

Today at The Australian Museum, Regional Arts NSW, in partnership with Arts Northern Rivers, announced the program for the inaugural Artstate NSW, a four-day event that will welcome an anticipated 200 arts industry delegates from 30th November to 3rd December 2017.   Artstate is a four-year program aiming to build…

Artstate Lismore is pleased to announce that the world premiere of Djurra at NORPA will feature as a part of Artstate Lismore’s Arts Program. Djurra is a new direction for the project formally known as the Three Brothers based on the Three Brothers Bundjalung creation story. The production features writer…

Artstate Lismore was today launched locally in Lismore at the Lismore City Hall with the Hon Ben Franklin MLC (Parliamentary Secretary for Northern NSW), Cr Isaac Smith (Mayor of Lismore), Peter Wood (Executive Director, Arts Northern Rivers), Ben Roche (Deputy Chair, Regional Arts NSW), and Elizabeth Rogers (CEO of Regional…

Artstate NSW is a four year program of regionally based arts and speakers events in NSW. The first iteration of Artstate will be held in Lismore, 30 November – 3 December 2017! Save the date and keep your eyes peeled as our program develops!