Reports I ZINE I Programs I Organisation Overview I Income & Funding$ I Engagement I Members
The STA Annual Report 2024 and Audited Financial Statement
presented at the 2025 AGM on Tuesday 27 May at the Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre
President’s Report, Louise Wakefield The Regional Arts Rollercoaster
Welcome, friends, to our annual affair, the Regional Arts Rollercoaster, we ride it with flair! Ups and downs, loops galore, A thrilling year we bravely explore.
Government shifts and policy spins, Create NSW, new rules begin. Funding models twist and sway, Yet we adapt, finding our way.
Building bonds with council and peers, Renewing through laughter and maybe some tears. Valued staff moved to paths anew, We cherish their efforts, and welcome new crew.
Led by the Board, brave and bold, our ED be steering, truths be told. Our remit firm, goals aligned, Supporting our artists, unmatched and refined.
Financial strength, in-kind embrace, Backing creativity in every place. Art fuels prosperity, wellbeing grows, Regional pride, every town glows.
Theatre, painting, music, dance, Communities thriving, given a chance. Economic boosts from cultural seeds, Investment returned, fulfilling our needs.
But intangible magic also flows, Connections deepen, confidence grows. Arts breathe life into regional hearts, Wellness, pride—the greatest imparts.
Today, the Presidents Awards highlight, Those who inspire, bringing delight. To all unsung heroes, take your deserved bow, Your impact immense, celebrated now.
Southern Tablelands Arts, we proudly declare, Ready for the ride, together we dare. Rollercoaster bound with spirits high, Here’s to our future—let creativity fly!
Treasurer’s Report, Joanne McCauley
Once again it has been an honour to serve as the Treasurer of Southern Tablelands Arts. We continue to provide an amazing service to the local government areas we represent, and the creatives who reside there. In these uncertain times it is incredibly important that we are able to find outlets to be creative, to express our thoughts, to find beauty, to see passion, possibly to escape for a while…..
Executive Director’s Report, Rose Marin
STA continued to thrive in 2024, with large project delivery and increased participation in programs and projects. Across the year we worked productively with our seven contributing Councils and communities. Reflecting back 2024 was a busy complex and amazing year for STA with a myriad of successfully delivered activities, a few of which stand out for special mention… Read the full report
ZINE
This online 2024 Annual Report is complimented by the printable 2024 Annual Report ZINE – a double sided colour A3 that folds into a zine booklet.
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.
- Please email STA for a copy of the 2024 STA Audited Financial Statement
- Download the STA Strategic Plan 2025-2028
- 2024 AGM Minutes (to be ratified)
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
2024 Project Overview
More than 150+ programs with 70+ organisations. Check out some of our favourites below
Stories from the Studio
Our flagship online program published every Friday featuring a different artist or group for an exclusive visit to discover more about their practice. Stories from the Studio now has over 250 stories from artists & organisations from across the STA Region and is a pivotal connection point between STA and the Creative Sector. SFTS 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…
Mobile Office
STA Mobile Offices were held monthly at partner venues in each of our seven local government areas throughout 2024. The Mobile Office program offers creatives and organisations regular face to face appointments with STA staff. STA acknowledge the partner venues who hosted the program in 2024; Goulburn Library in Goulburn Mulwaree, Young Library in Hilltops, Suki & Hugh Gallery in Queanbeyan-Palerang, Connect at Gunning Station in Upper Lachlan, Wingecarribee Public Library in Wingecarribee, Wollondilly Shire Council in Wollondilly and Yass Valley Library in the Yass Valley Find out more…
STA Creative Directory
The Creative Directory is a major feature of the STA website. The STA Creative Directory currently has nearly 500 listings in a searchable database of creative practitioners from across our seven local government regions. Making it the most comprehensive directory of the Creative Industries in the STA Region.
Find out more…
Creative South
In 2024, the Creative South cultural tourism website continued to grow and expand, now including every town south of Sydney and north of Canberra, from the coast west to Hilltops across 13 local government areas. With over 500 listings across 13 local government areas, it has become the largest cultural destination website in regional NSW. Making the Creative South the most exhaustive offering of museums, galleries, public art, festivals and hidden cultural gems bewteen Sydney and Canberra. Don’t go anywhere before a visit tocreativesouth.com.au. Find out more…
PAINT THE TOWN Street Art Festival
Our multi-mural festival guided by Creative Director Joe Quilter had its finale in Goulburn Mulwaree in 2024. The festival featured murals, workshops, exhibitions and activities led by nationally established artists and local talent. Murals were co-designed with fire-affected community members through workshops that reflected our shared recovery journey since the 2019 fires.
PAINT THE TOWN now transforms into a street art tour that embraces all council areas in the STA Region. STA continues to add murals into the PAINT THE TOWN Street Art Tour. The impressive facts: PTT created over 50 murals with an investment of over 500k, making it the biggest dedicated street art tour in NSW. Find out more.
The Country Arts Support Program (CASP)
Our much loved small grants program that STA invests 21k in annually to support grass roots cultural programs in our region. In 2024, CASP supported 12 creative projects, from dozens of artists to offer rich cultural programs in our community. These were: SILO SOUNDS Inc. Youth Classical Music Mentoring Program – Hilltops; Third Place Studio: Meet Our Makers – Hilltops; VASY: Art Starter Two – Yass Valley; Worlds in Harmony – Unique Musical Collaboration between Shō and Didgeridoo – Upper Lachlan; Drawn from the Collection – Upper Lachlan; Ramshackle Orkestra EP: Young Composers Project – Wollondilly; Ink & Imagination Project – Wollondilly; Unlocking Creativity: Art Workshops for Youth Well-Being – Wollondilly; Penrose Art Exhibition 2024 – Wingecarribee; Right to Work: Hidden Lives – Connecting Past and Present – Goulburn Mulwaree; GDAS Inc 2024 Tutored Workshop Program – External Tutors – Goulburn Mulwaree; and Lea Durie: Pottery Teaching Studio in Braidwood – Queanbeyan-Palerang.
STA BOX Gallery
In 2024 the Box Gallery Program expanded to five with a further Box Gallery installed in Bowral Library. Box Galleries host a rotating program of micro exhibitions & regional tours for artists at five partner venues. Every STA BOX Gallery exhibition is complimented by a digital exhibition at the STA website. STA Box Galleries are at Hilltops Council at Young Town Hall, Wollondilly Shire Council Foyer and Yass Valley Library, The Q Theatre Queanbeyan and Bowral Library. Find out more…
Is the arts & cultural hub for the entire STA Region, operated by STA within the train station buildings at Gunning. Connect@Gunning celebrated its first birthday in November 2024 & to mark the end of the first amazing year STA invited the community to a large open day event with live music, art activities and more. During the year Connect hosted 8 exhibitions & 10 workshops, involving over 70 artists. Open every follow us online @southerntablelandsarts Friday & some weekends, Connect@ Gunning Station continues to offer regular exhibitions, workshops & events. Find out more…
Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize
The Waste to Art (WW2A) Prize is an annual exhibition that celebrates creativity and sustainability by inviting artists to transform waste materials into works of art. The 2024 exhibition continued to showcase incredible ‘treasure from trash’ alongside a program of workshops and events. Thanks to the support of Veolia, this year the Prize also toured to Yass, expanding its reach and impact across the region. 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 reducing the waste going to landfill by inviting Artists to make art from waste materials.. Waste to art workshops were run all across the region in 2024 and continues into 2025 Find out more…
STA Commissions
STA proudly supports local artists through our ongoing commissioning and licensing program. We work with creatives to produce authentic imagery and objects that celebrate and promote our region. In 2024, we commissioned Yass Valley artist Jenny Johnson to create The Meeting Place for our Season’s Greeting, symbolising connection, family, and shared journeys. Find out more…
Mob in Focus
Held during NAIDOC Week, the Mob in Focus Showcase was an online exhibition reflecting on a significant and emotional year for Aboriginal communities. To acknowledge the 2024 NAIDOC theme Keep the Fire Burning: Blak, Loud and Proud, STA brought together 20 Aboriginal creatives from across the region to share powerful works that express their thoughts, ideas, and stories. Find out more….
STA Elder in Residence established in 2024
Aunty Enid Clarke, Wiradjuri Elder and Senior Knowledge Holder living on Wiradjuri Country in Young was the first STA Elder in residence for 2024. The STA Elder in Residence is an Ambassadorial and cultural advisory role that supports STA to achieve informed activities and outcomes in the First Nations spaceand to support First Nations engagement with our services and programs. STA aims to continue the Elder in Residence program as relantions continue to develop with other Elders. Find out more
A hightlight of 2024 is when Aunty Enid hosted the entire STA team and the Council Delegates that form the STA Regional Advisory Panel for a day of cultural training. We walked on Country, heard traditional wisdom and shared bush tucker. Its was without a doubt the most amazing day of learning from Elders.
The STA Artist in Residence Program
In 2024 STA ran two artist in residence programs. Musician Garth Prentice, spent two weeks at The Crisp Galleries composing original blues tracks. He collaborated with local musicians to develop and perform the work. The residency concluded with a live concert, Looking Out My Back Door. Ang Hart created pop art-inspired works using iconic branded items from Robert’s Shark Tank in Young and painted a family portrait featuring personal relics. She also led a community workshop where participants made their own pop art pieces. Her work explored themes of legacy, memory, and social connection. Find out more …
Illuminate Wollondilly
Our winter once again lit up with the Illuminate Wollondilly Festival in 2024! 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…
Hilltops Off The Beaten Track
STA are proud program partners in the annual festival of arts and culture across the Hilltops region. off the Beaten track is a annual Immerse yourself in an unforgettable celebration of creativity across 3 massive weekends and 2 inspiring weeks of arts and culture in the Hilltops Region! From hands-on workshops to live performances and exhibitions in local wineries and many tourist destinations, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Find out more..
Diwali Mela QPRC
STA delivered a vibrant contribution to the QRPC Diwali Mela Festival, hosting a popular lantern-making workshop on the night of the event. Our professtional team of creative facilitators helped the community to create over 1500 lanterns in just over four hours. WOW. Lanterns created by community members featured in a spectacular lantern parade, which drew over 1,000 participants. This project builds on our partnership with QPRC and the Queanbeyan Multicultural Centre and continues to grow our presence in the region. Read more…
In 2024, STA Screen delivered a curated program of film screenings at the Goulburn Performing Arts Centre (GPAC), featuring Cult Classics and 90s Favourites, selected by Gary Vehtic. The 2024 Screen series started with a very special screening of the Lonely Heart Club followed by a Q&A session with the Director, Writer/star and key crew members including Climatographic Brian Rapsey. In 2025, the program expands to new partner venues across the region: Southern Cross Cinema, Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre, and The Q in Queanbeyan. See this year’s line-up!
In addition to the screening program, STA also offers a giant pop-up outdoor screen and full mobile film equipment hire—perfect for community events, festivals, and special occasions.
Peer 2 Peer
The STA Peer 2 Peer Mentoring program connected artists and creative professionals. The program culminated in the Creatives’ Recharge Retreat at St Clement’s Retreat & Conference Centre in Galong—a weekend of inspiration, reflection, and connection. The retreat offered mentors the opportunity to meet the full cohort, deepen their connection with their mentor partner, and explore their creative practices in a supportive environment. What emerged was a unique space for creative exchange, storytelling, and shared reflection on the Peer 2 Peer journey. Find out more…
100% Home Grown Artist of the Month
A partnership with Highland FM, Old Binda Road Recording Studio and Southern Highland News that features a local musical act every month, in 2024 we continued the 100% Homegrown live showcase gig series every quarter at Bowral Bowling Club. The partnership continues in 2025. 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 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. Find out more…
Across 2024 STA hosted multiple creative workshops for children and families across the region through partnership with Librarys, Council Events and community groups.
Dance for Wellbeing
Dance for Wellbeing returned in 2024 after a hiatus, with STA re-establishing classes in Yass facilitated by award-winning dance artist Jess Conneely. The program is designed for anyone who wants to dance; particularly people with Parkinson’s, chronic pain, arthritis, repetitive strain injury, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, neurological conditions, and other physical or mobility challenges, along with their carers, partners, and friends. The program continues in 2025. Find out more…
Palliative Care Art Project
In 2024, eight original artworks were installed in the new Palliative Care rooms at Goulburn Base Hospital as part of a partnership between STA, Goulburn Base Hospital and the Goulburn Palliative Care and Oncology Support Group. Created by four talented artists under 30, the works bring warmth and beauty to the hospital’s state-of-the-art facilities, helping to create a more comforting environment for patients and their families.
Arty Parties
After such a huge year STA wanted to see Summer in with a series of cool parties. STA Arty Parties brought the fun and creativity to the silly season! To help everyone get into party mode, STA curated seven Arty Parties in partnership with seven organisations from across the STA region.
In Wollondilly at the Wollondilly Big Bang Performing Arts opening. In Yass with Tyger Gallery. With live music at the QBN Hive, as part of the 100% Home Grown Concert in Wingecaribee. A big party OPEN DAY AT Connect@Gunning Station. Concert at the Goulburn Club with Garth and Friends (a program we now support every month). Arty Parties finished in Hilltops at the opening of the 41 Cherry Festival exhibition. Find out more…
Give-A-Little-Get-A-Little 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…
Organisation Overview
Southern Tablelands Arts works with our members, makers & creative communities to energise and support the living culture of the STA Region. We do this through a rich program of professional services and projects that support, create, educate and advocate for the arts and cultural sector.
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 Network of 15 Regional Arts Development Organisations 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.
Income & Funding
STA operate through core funding from Create NSW and our seven contributing Councils who make us the STA Region. In 2024 STA earned 42.1% of the overall income through service fees and successful funding submissions. As a not-for-profit STA invests our income directly back into the local creative sector through professional opportunities for creatives and the professional STA team, all of whom live within our region.
Communications
STA is a central platform for Cultural activities across the STA Region.
We achieve impressive numbers for people engaging with our content online.
With 71,226 visitors and 108,188 page views in 2024 our website is the main place our communities engage with us online.
Numbers over socials continue to grow.
The use our platforms to promote STA activities, amplify other cultural activities within our region and advocate for the Creative Industries through information share and expert commentary.
To think of it another way consider the MCG biggest stadium in Australia full to the brim with people and that’s less that the page views for the humble but well-loved STA website. WOW
Members
All residents living within the TSA Regional are eligible to be STA members. Membership is generally comprised of Artists from a myriad of practice types (established and emerging), arts workers, cultural organisations and community leaders.
STA MEMBERSHIP
free & connects you to the STA universe
Reach out to us
[email protected]
0427 938 110
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