By Melissa Blewitt

Condo Sista Shed and Lachlan Arts Council are among eight organisations from the region that will share $23,812 in funding for small arts projects under the Community Arts Support Program.

The CASP regional arts funding program provides support to employ artists in locally initiated arts and cultural projects.

The aim is to provide access to arts activities for regional communities, to encourage communities to work together on cultural projects, to foster cultural diversity in the region, and to ensure that regional and rural areas have an artistic voice.

Lantern maker Phil Relf, from Ikara Celebratory Events, with the Condo Sista Shed fibre artists in Condobolin and Lachlan Arts council will hold a Pastel Workshop in Lake Cargelligo.

Other funded projects include: A Schools Eco Day and workshop for students in Parkes and Forbes shires; A mural for the community hall at Adavale Lane Community Centre near Peak Hill; The Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows in residency at Cowra Civic Centre; Parkes School of Dance Summer Series Workshops; and Arts programs for people in residential aged care in Oberon.

“These eight projects offer exciting opportunities to communities, art makers, and audiences in the region. They also provide employment opportunities to local artists and arts workers,” Arts OutWest Executive Director Tracey Callinan explained.

These funded projects will employ around 20 professional arts practitioners and utilise hundreds of volunteer hours. Much of the funds will be spent locally and the projects will also make use of in-kind goods and services from local councils, businesses, and community groups.

The Country Arts Support Program is a devolved funding program coordinated locally by the 14 regional arts development organisations in NSW on behalf of the NSW Government. Applications are assessed locally by a panel.

Arts OutWest is the regional arts development organisation, servicing the 11 local government areas of Bathurst Region, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, and Weddin.