The 2025 STA Annual Report and Audited Financial Statement presented at the 2025 AGM on Tuesday 19 May at the Leider Theatre Goulburn
President’s Report, Louise Wakefield
Last year I gave you a poem at the AGM. This year I give you a speech. Every year someone asks me why councils should fund the arts when there are potholes to fix. Every year I aim to have a better answer…
I’ll start by borrowing from a UCL researcher who published in May 2026: arts and cultural engagement is not a luxury. It is an essential, as fundamental to human health and longevity as exercise. Science has now caught up with what anyone who has ever watched a community come alive around a creative experience already knew.
Over 2025, STA delivered 63 Mobile Office days across seven venues, 50 editions of Stories from the Studio, 48 letters of support for artists and organisations, and nine CASP grants reaching every LGA. Connect@Gunning Station drew 2,500 people through 21 exhibitions and hosted 552 participants in free creative workshops…Read the full report
Treasurer’s Report, Joanne McCauley
It has once again been a privilege to serve as Treasurer of Southern Tablelands Arts. Over the past year, STA has continued to play a vital role in supporting the local government areas within our region and the diverse community of artists and creatives who call it home… Read the full report
Executive Director’s Report, Rose Marin
2025 was a year of renewed cycles. Critical to our existence is the four-year funding through Create NSW, and 2025 marked the first year of the current agreement, which extends to 2029. STA was successful in securing funding after being moved into a competitive funding stream alongside our fellow Regional Arts Development Organisations that make up the Regional Arts Network (RAN). This was an unprecedented move by the State Government and resulted in a complex, challenging, and highly pressurised process… Read the full report
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. We are members of Regional Arts NSW.
- If you would like to read the 2025 STA Audited Financial Statement please email us for a copy
- Download the STA Strategic Plan 2025-2028
- 2024 AGM Minutes (to be ratified)
2025 Project Overview
Across 2025 STA achived more than 150+ programs with 70+ organisations. Check out some of our favourites below.
ZINE – This online 2025 Annual Report is complimented by the printable 2025 Annual Report ZINE – printable as a A3 or A4 size, it’s a double sided design that folds into a zine booklet.
- Download the printable 2025 STA Annual Report ZINE to print and fold. Alternatively, you pick up a printed copy from any STA Mobile Office. We can even send you a copy in the mail – just email and ask.
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 nearly 400 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…
STA Story 2025
In 2025 STA also produced the “STA Story” video, offering an insight into the amazing programs and services STA offer across its 7 LGA’s. Watch now.
Mobile Office
STA Mobile Offices were held monthly at partner venues in each of our seven local government areas throughout 2025. 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 2025; Goulburn Library in Goulburn Mulwaree, Boorowa and District Historical Society and Museum in Hilltops, Crookwell Historical Society Crookwell Memorial Hall in Upper Lachlan, Berrima Museum in Wingecarribee, The NSW Rail Museum Thirlmere in Wollondilly, Yass Valley History Centre, Queanbeyan-Palerang Heritage Library. Find out more…
STA Creative Directory
The Creative Directory is a major feature of the STA website. The STA Creative Directory currently has over 400 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, this directory is free for all STA members to join. Find out more…
STA Regional Advisory Panel
To ensure a direct line of communication and information exchange STA operates the Regional Advisory Panel, made up of two Delegates from each of our partner Councils.
Delegates work with STA to optimise Council engagement with STA operations and ensure STA are across Council projects and plans in the Arts and Cultural space. Find out more…
Regional Arts Network (RAN)
STA staff attend regular meetings in person and online to ensure a dynamic and productive engagement across the RAN and is supported by Regional Arts NSW.
Regional Arts meeting Sydney 2025
PAINT THE TOWN Street Art Tour
‘PAINT THE TOWN’ has now transformed into a street art tour that embraces all council areas in the STA Region. STA continues to add more murals into the ‘PAINT THE TOWN’ Street Art Tour.
The impressive facts: ‘PAINT THE TOWN’ created over 50 murals with an investment of over 500k, making it the biggest dedicated street art tour in NSW.
Check out the Paint The Town website. Find out more…
PAINT THE TOWN – STA offers $1k to support new murals.
Kim Nelson Mural – This mural honours the life, legacy and art of celebrated Yass artist Kim Nelson. It was created by Katherine Nelson, Kim’s niece in 2025 to coinside with the 10th anniversary of Kim’s death.
Corontion Park Tables – In partnership with Yass Valley Council and Tyger Gallery, STA proudly supported the restoration and vibrant artwork refresh of the park’s much-loved picnic tables, engaging Calvin Morgan from the Yass Valley for the final artwork.
PAINT THE TOWN Legacy exhibitions.
Original canvases by artists who have created murals as part of the PAINT THE TOWN Street Art program were exhibited at the Goulburn Club in Goulburn and at the exhibition spaces at Connect@Gunning Station. Find out more…
Creative South
In 2025, 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 website 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 to creativesouth.com.au. Find out more…
STA BOX Gallery
In 2025 the Box Gallery Program continued across our five Box Gallery installations. 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 on the STA website. STA Box Galleries are located at Hilltops Council in the Young Town Hall, Wollondilly Shire Council Foyer, Yass Valley Library, The Q Theatre Queanbeyan and at the Bowral Library.
Find out more…
Image credit: Camille Kersley me, you and everyone we know
The Country Arts Support Program (CASP)
Our much loved annual small grants program that support grass roots cultural programs in our region. In 2025, CASP supported 7 creative projects from dozens of artists to offer rich cultural programs in our community. These were:
• Local Playwrights Showcase: from Lieder Theatre – Goulburn Mulwaree
• Small World Small Wonder: from Lizz Murphy – Yass Valley (with Links to Hilltops and Goulburn Mulwaree)
• Art for Wellbeing: Creative Journeys for Children from
Mrs Jennifer Browne – Wollondilly
• Folk on Gundungurra Country: from the Bundanoon Folk Festival
Wingecarribee
• “Editors Realm”: The Art of Making Movies & Special Effects – Hilltops
• ‘Paint the Hive’: Storage Container from QBN Hive – Queanbeyan Palerang
• LET THERE BE LIGHT AND SOUND! From Gunning Focus Group – Upper Lachlan
Find out more…
Connect @ Gunning Station
Is the arts & cultural hub for the entire STA Region, operated by STA within the train station buildings at Gunning. Connect@Gunning celebrated its second birthday in November 2025. During the year Connect hosted 8 exhibitions & 10 workshops, involving over 70 artists.
Open every Friday & some weekends, Connect@ Gunning Station continues to offer regular exhibitions, workshops & events. Find out more…
Connect@Gunning Station – 150th Birthday
Southern Tablelands Arts successfully delivered the Sesquicentenary celebrations marking 150 years of Gunning Railway Station. A heritage display was produced by Gunning & District Historical Society, the event highlighted the station’s opening in 1875. The celebrations culminated in a major Anniversary Open Day on Sunday 2 November, featuring a commemorative ceremony, creative activities and live music. The free, family friendly event attracted over an estimated 500 visitors and formed part of the Upper Lachlan Arts, Culture & Heritage Trail, with support from Transport for NSW. Find out more…
STA Committees and Event engagement
STA Staff and board members serve on various committees as ambassadors and judges for various Arts and cultural programs.
- Veolia Creative Arts Scholarship Panel – An annual panel to decide on recipients of this important scholarship. Check out the 2025 recipients.
- Goulburn Hospital Arts and Cultural – Ongoing role as a member of the annual panel and enhancement of arts and heritage outcomes achieved for the Hospital redevelopment. STA Ed has served since 2019.
- Hilltops Off the Beaten Track Committee – Ongoing role to support the Hilltops region wide event of programs.
- QPRC Cultural Development and Public Art Advisory Committee – Rose attends regular evening committee meetings at to support QPRC in the arts and Cultural Space.
- Judging of arts awards & prizes.
First Nations
STA works to promote and support First Nations artists, cultural organisations and communities. We connect to Aboriginal creatives, colleagues and communities to share, create, live & work.
The STA First Nations page has further developed to include more links and options for First Nation makers and the community. Find out more….
Aboriginal Makers Market at the Bundanoon Folk Festival
STA supported a local group of Mob makers to delver an exhibition at the Bundanoon Folk Festival. This dedicated Aboriginal Makers Market celebrated local Indigenous creativity, culture, and artistry. Find out more…
Aboriginal Makers Market at the 100% Arty Market at Bowral Art Gallery – The 100% Arty Market was all about creative makers with local and hand made from across the STA Region. Local Aboriginal makers joined STA for a stall at the 100% Arty Market in November. Find out more…
STA Screen
In 2025, STA Screen delivered a curated program of film screenings featuring Cult Classics and 90s Favourites, selected by Gary Vehtic.
Our partner screening venues were:
– Southern Cross Cinema Young
– Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre
– The Q in Queanbeyan
In 2025 we screened:
– The Rocky Horror Picture Show
– Idiocracy
– Jaws
– Psycho
– Labyrinth
– Die Hard
See this year’s line-up!
Giant Screen Hire – 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.
Filmmaking Workshops
In 2025, STA delivered a ‘Filmmaking Workshop’ in the Hilltops Region.
Participants got hands on experience at the Southern Cross Cinema in Young, using professional film production cameras and edit suites. This workshop was facilitated by STA’s very own Kev.
STA ‘Filmmaking Workshops’ are available to all of STA’s 7 Local Government Regions. 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 2025 exhibition continued to showcase incredible ‘treasure from trash’ alongside a program of workshops and events. Thanks to the support of Veolia. Find out more..
Power-Up Program
STA Members booked in for bespoke training, mentoring and support tailored with an STA Team member. 3×60 mins support sessions at their local STA Mobile Office or Online. 1 session each month for three months. POWER UP is free for STA Members and has been well received by creatives with most available sessions booked.
Power Up is a package product that better articulates the potential of the MobileOffice program. Find out more…
AMPP 2025
AMPP is for Artists, Musicians, Producers & Performers. If you’re a creative AMPP is for you.
AMPP is a mixer networking event that happened every season in 2025. No agenda, just social time – it’s a place to connect with other creatives, share news, opportunities and ideas.
STA Commissions
STA proudly supports local artists through our ongoing commissioning and licensing program. We work with creatives to produce authentic imagery, song and objects that celebrate and promote our region, in 2025 we commissioned:
- Singer songwriter Jerikye Williams to spread the festive cheer. Jerikye is a Wiradjuri man, born in Cowra & living on Ngambri/Ngunnawal land in Queanbeyan Palerang. Watch here…
- Make Art Not War mugs created by Win’s Creek Pottery – Maryanne Devey from Win’s Creek Pottery has created an exquisite range of mugs for STA. 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 an 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…
Arts Health with Camile Kersley
STA engaged Camillie Kersley (Yass) to deliver an 8 week program at Kenmore Mental Health Hospital in Goulburn (Southern NSW Local Health District) Delivered by Camille Kersley with support from Rose Marin this series of eight weekly art workshops aimed to enhance the well-being of patients at Kenmore Hospital, with a focus on inclusivity and cultural engagement.
This project is being delivered as a fee for service by Kenmore
Hospital who achieved funding to run the project.
Arty Markets
In 2025 STA delivered 2 successful art markets to provide low cost retail platforms for local creatives.
• Connect Market was held in November 2025 at Connect@Gunning Station as part of the Connect 150 party event.
• 100% Arty Market was held in Bowral in November 2025. Highland FM held a live broadcast on the day. Peter Campbell performed live. Find out more…
Upper Lachlan Arts and Heritage Trail
The inaugural ULACHT Trail was highly successful, generating strong community engagement and positive feedback across participating events. Delivered on the first weekend in November 2025, the trail celebrated creative practice and place‑based experiences. STA designed a dedicated web page to support promotion and access, helping audiences navigate the program and contributing to the strong attendance and overall success of the trail. Find out more…
Arts Alive
STA held a headdress making workshop at the Wollondilly ‘Arts Alive’ Festival in Picton as part of the ‘Arts Alive’ Festival.
‘Arts Alive’ is a new festival that replaces Illuminate Wollondilly and has been funded by the state Government for three years.
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 professional 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. Find out more…
Tea Talks
STA partnered with Goulburn Soroptimists for a delightful series of talks that spilled the ‘T’ on being a Creative in our region. Our three super fabulous speakers, Jo Quilter, Mandy McDonald and Rose Marin shared stories and showcased their creative work at the Goulburn Community Centre. Each Tea Talk featured a
delicious afternoon tea, raffle, and lucky door prizes – making for an inspiring and enjoyable afternoon for all who came along.
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.
Across 2025 STA hosted multiple creative workshops for children and families across the region through partnership with Libraries, Council Events and community groups. Find out more…
STA Dreaming Artist Bursary at the Dragon Dreaming Festival – awarded to Helen Gibson and Lucinda Ferguson who recited poetry and offered an interactive art collaboration with festival goers. Find out more…
The Majors Artist Bursary for 2025 – Since 2023 STA has worked with the Majors Creek festival to offer the Major’s Artist Bursary. In 2025 the bursary was awarded to Frank Linder who ran a fabulous photography program at the festival and captured some amazing shots. Find out more
Image credit Frank Lidner Melted Cheese Man
Arty Parties
STA curated a series of Arty Parties with partner organisations from across the STA region. Attended by hundreds of local creatives and arts lovers.
• Live music at the QBN Hive
• Garth and Friends live at the Goulburn Club
• Young Society Of Artists Inc. Opening of the 42nd Annual Cherry Festival Competitive Art Exhibition.
• Bop Till You Drop at the Southern Highlands Festival of Light
Arty Parties were a very successful concept to work with partner
organisations and groups and host huge parties.
Supported Programs
A Brush with Poetry – Supported by STA, A Brush with Poetry is held at the Studio at Café on Queen St, Binalong. An arty afternoon. Listen & recite – All welcome.
Find out more…
Dance for Wellbeing – Facilitated by award-winning dance artist Jess Conneely expanded to include sessions in Yass and Young. Find out more…
Bungendore Open Mic – Monthly music in Bungendore. Proudly presented by STA, the 2nd Saturday of each month. Free and fun grassroots live music sessions in beautiful Bungendore.
Find out more…
Maisie’s Choir – Supported by STA, Maisie’s Choir is a dedicated group of venerable singers who meet and perform regularly in Yass. 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 up the STA Region. In 2025 STA earned 30% 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 55,721 visitors and 108,242 page views in 2025 theSTA website is the main place our communities engage with us online.
Numbers over socials continue to grow.
We use our platforms to promote STA activities, amplifycouncil and community cultural activities within our region and advocate for the Creative Industries through information share and expert commentary.
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands where we create, live & work.
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