President’s Report
It is with great pleasure that STA welcomes Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council as a financial member and the diverse communities of the QPRC area to the STA region. All 7 Councils in the STA region have renewed their partnerships, each operating under a new Memorandum of Understanding.  This is great news for the STA region as it shows a continued commitment to supporting and promoting the arts… read more

Treasurer’s Report
With the pandemic seeming to be behind us and life starting to return to normal, 2022 was a successful year for Southern Tablelands Arts.  A small increase in funding from the NSW Government has allowed the organisation to increase staff levels and roll out many valuable and interesting projects… read more

Executive Director’s Report
2022 was a year of reconnection, as we rediscovered the power of the Arts in our communities. It was an extremely busy and productive year for STA as our region and nation keenly emerged from the pandemic. Collectively our appetite to put the pandemic behind us was metered by a wariness of how to recover from such a deeply effecting time of change and uncertainty… read more


STA are part of the Regional Arts Network, supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW. Our contributing local councils are Goulburn Mulwaree, Hilltops, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Upper Lachlan, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly & Yass Valley.

The STA Annual Report 2022 and Audited Financial Statement was presented at the 2023 AGM on Friday 12 May at the Bundanoon Soldiers Club.

This page is complimented by the printable 2022 Annual Report  – a double sided colour A3 that folds into a zine booklet. The video above shows you how. You can even print A4 if you want a smaller final booklet. Alternatively you can request a printed copy be sent via post or pick up a copy from any STA Mobile Office.

Folding instructions video was recorded at Rusten House Arts Centre in Queanbeyan within the Exposed exhibition by the Marsden Art Group.

2022 President’s Award Recipients

Ronnie Jordan, recognising outstanding work in design, development and delivery of Aboriginal weaving and cultural knowledge workshops. Ronnie brings a deep knowledge of culture and joy of weaving to her amazing workshops, included many delivered as part of the Woven Together program. Find out more about Ronnie and Culture on the Move

Alive in the Park, was born from a group of Yass community members who saw a need for a local music and arts festival, so they created one. STA is proud of its association with the Alive in The Park Music and Arts Festival since the first event in 2021.  Check out Alive in the Park and save the date for the next annual festival.

Peter Campbell is a established and well respected designer and principle of Peter Campbell Design. His work on, and dedication to, the Southern Highlands Arts Trail and the ArtsFile website, have made a huge contribution to the Cultural Life of the STA region. Peter designed the Creative South website. A recent focus on music has revealed a strong talent for sharing stories through song. Read more; Stories From The Studio: Peter Campbell 

 

Erin Adams, Owner operator of EA Experience, Erin has been instrumental in the development and delivery of the Southern Highlands Pop Up Project. An amazing grass platform for artists to work together to create sales and promotional opportunities. 

2022 Life Time Member Award

Mark Bradbury is the Principal at Mark Bradbury Legal operating in Goulburna and an STA Board member recognised for his; 
Length of service, Leadership through periods of change, Contribution to the strategic direction and financial success of the organisation, Skills, talents and accomplishments resulting in outstanding contribution to STA and Personal qualities contributing to the positive culture of the organisation

2022 Project Overview 
More than 150+ programs with 70+ organisations.  Check out some of our favourites below:

PAINT THE TOWN Street Art Festival
Our multi-mural festival gudied by Creative Director Joe Quilter kicked off in Wollondilly  with events, workshops and 12 murals created by nationally established artists and local talent. Murals were co-designed through workshops held with fire effected community members to reflect our recovery journey since the 2019 fires. PAINT THE TOWN contines with more festivals planned. Find out more...

Woven Together
First Nation weaving workshops with local weavers; Ronnie Jordan from Culture on the Move and Jodie Munday were held throughout 2022. Woven Together is about coming together, sharing skills and having a yarn and consists of free workshops in each of the STA local government areas with First Nations mob and community and with small schools. Woven Together continues in 2023. Find out more…

The Country Arts Support Program (CASP)
CASP was devolved in 2022 by Create NSW to be directly administered by STA. Eight projects were funded including Fight or Flight in Upper Lachlan, Sunset Dreaming in Wingecarribee, Artists Walk on “On Country” Exhibition in Hilltops, Community Art Gallery revamp at the VASY in Yass, Drought & other plays  with Music Theatre Project in Goulburn Mulwaree, Imperial Stockings catalogue/gallery book in Wingecarribee and Poetic Art Workshops in First Nations Language in Wingecarribee. 

STA BOX Gallery 
In 2022 STA launched the STA BOX Galleries. Glass covered plinths that host a rotating program of micro exhibitions at partner venues across the STA region. Every STA BOX Gallery exhibition is complimented by a digital exhibition at the STA Gallery.
BOX Galleries were install in 2022 at Hilltops Council at Young Town Hall,  Wollondilly Shire Council Foyer and Yass Valley Library. Find out more…

Mobile Office
STA  Mobile Offices were held monthly at partner venues in each of our seven local government areas. Mobile offices offer creatives and organisations regular face to face appointments with STA staff.   STA Mobile Offices continue monthly in 2023! Find out more…

GET NOTICED – Get you ducks in a row in 2022!
In 2022 STA delivered a series of eight workshops  specially tailored to support the creative sector, artists, arts orgs and cultural groups. This program was made possible due to the generous support of Creative plus Business, Business Plus Yass and funding from the NSW government small business grants. Find out more…

Stories from the Studio
A weekly online program featuring a different artist or group every Friday evening. Stories from the Studio now has over 200 stories from artists across the region! The feature has grown to boast a large regular following and continues to build an online record of the creative sector in our region. Find out more…

Creative Directory
The Creative Directory is a major feature of the STA website. The STA Creative Directory currently has 239 listings in a searchable database of creative practitioners across our seven local government regions. Find out more…

QPRC Reconnect Program
A big development for 2022 was the reconnection with Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council who voted to resume their relationship with STA for the second half of 2022. The reconnection was celebrated with a rich program of workshops, professional development opportunities and community meetings. Find out more… 

Connect @ Gunning Station
Connect @ Gunning Station is a new Arts and Cultural hub. STA worked with Transport for NSW and the Gunning Community to activate the interior spaces at Gunning Train Station. Transport for NSW and STA hosted a family open day in May, inviting the public to explore the newly restored Gunning Train Station!  Find out more…

200 – Bargo – Tahmoor – Picton
To celebrate 200 years of Picton, Bargo and Tahmoor, STA worked with leading local Historians and community members to bring a rich tapestry of stories and images from each town, documenting stories, places and people’s memories of place, and the some of changes that have occurred since then.  Find out more…

Champions of Change
STA and Landcare premiered five locally produced documentaries about real people working in July 2022, to create a more sustainable future in our community. These five short stories focused on the local landscape and environment in the Upper Lachlan and Yass regions, working with local citizen scientists who have been regenerating the land, preserving and protecting native species and developing solutions to improve the land and ecology. Find out more..

Illuminate Wollondilly
Our winter once again lit up with the Illuminate Wollondilly Festival returning in 2022 after a two-year hiatus. STA delivered multiple lantern workshops with Tracy Luff leading up to a community lantern parade through the Picton Botanic Gardens. STA is proud to be a foundation partner of this spectacular festival. Find out more…

The STA Artist in Residence Program
In 2022 STA delivered three Artist in Residency programs. Including Vonne Patiag at Southern Cross Cinema in February, Devon V Leggo at Retford Park in April, and Joel Zika and James Voller at NSW Rail Musium in July. The STA Artist in Residency Program continues in 2023. Find out more…

Hilltops Off The Beaten Track
STA are proud program partners in the annual festival of arts and culture across the Hilltops region. STA supported the program with a dedicated webpage and map in 2022. STA continues to support the program in 2023. Find out more…

Creative South
2022 was the year of consolidation for the Creative South cultural tourism website  with the inclusion of Queanbeyan-Palerang. The website now boasts 440 listings of arts and cultural experiences making it the most exhaustive offering of museums, galleries, public art, festivals and hidden cultural gems across 10 local government areas. Be sure to visit when planning your next trip into the Creative South. Find out more…

100% Home Grown Artist of the Month
A partnership with Highland FM, MusicNSW and Southern Highland News that features a local musical act every month, in 2022 we launced the  live showcase gig 100% Homegrown gig series every quarter at Bowral Bowling Club. The partnership continues in 2023. Find out more…

STA Music
Tons of tunes from talented locals. Check out the video clips and Spotify playlists. Use the STA Directory to find Regular Events for live music, open mic nights and festivals. Find out more…

STA Screen
STA Screen ran film screenings across the STA region throughout 2022 with our giant pop-up oudoor screen available for hire. We provide a full service of mobile film equipment, screens and projectors for hire to suit most events.  

In Regualr film screening in Goulburn and Dalton featureing independent and iconic films as well and locally made content. The program continues in 2023. Find out more…

STA Kids
Our online portal for creative families now boasts more than 20 artist-led making activities and a growing list of creative opportunities for children and families. STA also hosted workshops across the region in partnership with Librarys, Council Events and community groups. Find out more…

Waste to Art
Waste to art is an ongoing project of creative opportunities for our communities that demonstrates our commitment to the environment and waste reduction. Waste to art workshops were run all across the region in 2022 and continues in 2023.  Find out more…

Maisie’s Choir
Maisies Choir is a dedicated group of venerable singers who meet and perform regularly in Yass with Heather Bullock.  Maisie’s Choir aims to improve health and reduce social isolation and is open to new members regardless of singing level or experience. Ongoing in 2023! Find out more…

STA Place
STA Place is a dedicated webpage that highlights the rich public art and heritage in the Southern Highlands and Tablelands. Significant additions were made during 2022, including the Picton, Bargo and Tahmoor 200 Project, Champions of Change and The Liberty Theatre in Yass.  Find out more…

STA Paparazzi
Formed in 2021 the STA Paparazzi are a group of enthusiastic volunteers that were trained by Hamish Temè. In 2022 the group covered arts and cultural events across the STA region. Community organisations can request an STA Paparazzi to capture and promote arts events and programs. The STA Paparazzi group continues in 2023. Find out more.

G.A.L.S – Goulburn Arts Leaders

GALS met meeting during 2022 to talk and connect with local creatives in the Goulburn Mulwaree Region. 

GALS continues to meet in 2023, on the last Friday of the month at the Greengrocer Café in Goulburn to coincide with the STA Mobile Office at Goulburn Region Gallery. 

STA Music
Tons of tunes from talented locals. Check out the video clips and Spotify playlists. Use the STA Directory to find Regular Events for live music, open mic nights and festivals. Find out more…

SH Pop-Up Project 
Held over the June long weekend. More than 20 Artists opened their Studio’s to the public in the Southern Highlands. It was an opportunity for the community to meet the artist, enjoy their space and appreciate their work. The Pop-up Project will continue in 2023! Find out more…

STA Gallery 
The STA Gallery is a our dedicated digital display space where our visitors can experience diverse and inspiring exhibitions. The online program is curated to showcase the amazing works of art being produced across our region and the extraordinary Artists who create them.

 

In 2022 STA hosted four online exhibitions including a First Nations and Members Exhibition. Find out more..

Give-A-Little-Get-A-Little Merch Shop
In 2022 we added 16 new designs to our online merch shop. Every purchase supports the arts across the Southern Highlands and Tablelands of NSW.  Local Artists – Unique Designs. Head over to the STA Give-A-Little-Get-A-Little merch shop at Redbubble. Local Artists – Unique Designs.  STA staff and artists are oftern seen wearing one of the designs from our shop. Find out more…

Share R Streets
STA in partnership with Upper Lachlan Council delivered an ambitious and innovative program of public artworks in Upper Lachlan in 2021 and 2022. This included major commissioned works by regional artists Al Phemister, Heidi McGeoch, Dianna Bisset and Jan Green that were installed in Taralga in January 2022. Find out more…

Dress Circle
Community theatre is the life blood of the performing arts in our region with healthy troupes in every one of the STA contributing council areas.
The Dress Circle is a regular collegial online meeting for members of amateur and semi-professional theatres in the Southern Highlands and Tablelands.The Dress Circle continue to meet online in 2023. Find out more…

Round the Mixing Desk
In partnership with Luminous Entertainment, Round the Mixing Desk was an invitation to all musicians and performing artists from around the STA region to join a monthly fun online meeting of musical minds hosted by Luminous Entertainment and supported by STA. Participants were able to meet other artists and like minded people and discuss albums, EP launches, collaboration opportunities and plan possible gigs. Find out more…

STA Community Bunting Project
STA continued the Community Bunting Project in 2002. The Bunting is the perfect addition to any event, celebration or gathering. The STA Community Bunting project is a great way to turn your scrap fabric into a community resource. Once created the bunting will be available to STA members for events and celebrations. Find out more…

Bush Poetry
When A Brush with Poetry was unable to meet in person in 2022 STA supported the Brush with Poetry series from Binalong and used the STA Zoom account to meet. A Brush with Poetry was able to resume face to face mid way through 2022 and STA supported with promotion of the program. Find out more… 

Organisation Overview

Southern Tablelands Arts works with our members, makers & creative communities. Energising and supporting the living culture of the Southern Highlands & Tablelands of NSW through a program of activities and events. We support, create, educate and advocate for the arts in the region.

Our Councils are Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Hilltops Council, Upper Lachlan Shire, Wingecarribee Shire, Wollondilly Shire, Yass Valley and Queanbeyan Palerang Council. STA are part of the state wide Regional Arts NSW Network supported by Create NSW and members of Regional Arts NSW.

We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands where we create, live & work.

We are regularly in a town near you at one of our Mobile Office locations.

Communications

Funding Sources

Population

[email protected]
0405 339 838  
Or by appointment at one of our
Mobile Office locations

PO Box 1323 Goulburn 2580
ABN 67 208 214 681

 

We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands where we create, live & work. 

© Southern Tablelands Arts. All Rights Reserved