Create NSW commits to championing regional NSW’s First Nations arts and culture
23-02-2026
Raising the profile and economic potential of regional NSW First Nations arts and cultural practitioners and Aboriginal-led organisations is Create NSW’s vision for championing regional First Nation’s art and culture in its first-ever strategic plan for regional NSW arts, culture and creative industries just announced.
Noting the need for self-determined processes guided by Closing the Gap priority reforms, the plan identifies initial First Nations’ focus actions as
1) bringing regional NSW First Nations arts and cultural practitioners together and
2) supporting reconciliation with Stolen Generations survivors through continued engagement and development of Keeping Places at former Aboriginal children’s home sites.
Future focuses will be working towards increased training and programming opportunities in State Cultural Institutions for regional First Nations arts and cultural practitioners; paid workplace internships in technical and production roles and supporting increased participation in First Nations art fairs.
ACHAA is identified as taking a leading role working with the cultural institutions in developing the programming and training opportunities. The networking focus of bringing regional NSW First Nations arts and cultural practitioners together is also of great interest to ACHAA and its members, particularly given our strength of experience in organising multiple conferences each year and our proposal for a larger, biennial arts and cultural sector-wide conference contained in ACHAA’s 2026-28 strategic plan.
The new regional strategy commits $400,000 over two years to work with First Nations creative and cultural communities to explore opportunities to bring arts and cultural practitioners together.
It’s part of a $5m kickstart commitment attached to the plan, aimed at boosting regional creativity and cultural experiences and includes $1m for a Regional NSW Strategic Partnership Fund now open for applications for grants of up to $150,000 (see separate story and link below in New Opportunities). The grants aim to establish partnerships that strengthen the arts, culture and creative industries in regional NSW through programs that prioritise skills development, capacity building, audience development, investment sourcing and creative activation of spaces.
Overall, with Create NSW as the State Government’s arts and cultural driver, the new strategy seeks to build partnerships, strengthen investment, activate networks, expand creative opportunities and enable sustainable growth through an integrated approach across government, industry, community and the creative sector.
Extending to include the Hunter and Illawarra regions, the strategy entitled Heartlands: a plan for regional NSW arts, culture and creative industries 2026-2035 covers 95% of the state geographically, representing about 40% of its population, two-thirds of its Aboriginal poplation and 14% of its creative industries workers.
The latest strategy to emerge from the 2023 Create NSW 10 year Creative Communities policy which prioritised First Nations culture, Heartlands places championing regional First Nations arts and culture as its first strategic priority, while also prioritising culturally and linguistically diverse communities, d/Deaf and disabled groups, LGBTQIA+ individuals and young people.
The other strategic priorities are:
2) Strengthen regional partnerships and networks – Strengthen capacity and investment in regional arts and culture, improve connections between regional cultural and creative networks, and nurture new partnership and philanthropic models.
3) Unlock regional creative spaces – Collaborate across NSW Government, local councils, universities and vocational education providers, promoting more creative spaces and hubs in regional NSW.
4) Open doors to regional creative careers – Develop new career pathway opportunities for creative workers, volunteers and young people in regional NSW, supporting workforce retention and critical skills development.
5) Showcase regional creative innovation and storytelling – Expand access to arts and culture in regional NSW incentivising and supporting cross-regional, national and international touring. Raise the profile of regional arts and cultural production and programming across the state through improved coordination.
6) Amplify statewide arts and cultural tourism – Drive arts and cultural tourism development initiatives to attract new audiences, foster partnerships and build a sustainable regional ecosystem.
The strategy acknowledges ACHAA as a Lead Sector Strategic Partner, while ACHAA Members featured in case studies on the Giiyong Festival at Jigamy (Two Fold Aboriginal Corporation), the BAAKA Cultural Centre of Wilcannia and Associate Members Bundanon (Nowra), and Art Gallery of NSW.
The power of place-based practice, anchored in our vision of Living Centres for Living Cultures, with many member centres prominently acknowledged for providing focus and representation for Aboriginal cultures in their regions including Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance, Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Mirromaa Language and Technology Centre, Armidale Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Maliyan Cultural Centre, Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation and Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum.
