Western Riverina - Create NSW

Western Riverina Region Arts & Culture Snapshot | 2013

Introduction This report has been prepared by the Regional Arts Development Officer, Western Riverina Arts and provides an overview of the arts and cultural sector in the Western Riverina region of NSW. It outlines some of the key issues and trends impacting the region and provides a summary of the structure and business models it operates within. It has been developed with the primary aim of providing Arts NSW Arts Funding Program (AFP) assessment panels with a contemporary context in which to make informed funding decisions.

Overview – Western Riverina Region in NSW

The region is geographically compact – north to south travel in the region is approximately 80kms, while east to west it is approximately 70kms. The main economic driver in the region is agriculture. Significant service providers in the region include but are not limited to: Kurrajong Waratah (disability services), The Cerebral Palsy Alliance (Griffith) and the Multicultural Council of Griffith.

Arts and cultural practice in the region The Western Riverina has a relatively small population but a reasonably high proportion of resident artists. Many of these artists do not produce artwork as their main source of income, but artistic practice forms an important part of their cultural identity and indeed social life. There are a number of visual art societies that host well-attended prizes and exhibitions, and a number of amateur theatre and music groups that occasionally produce shows or concerts. There are also writers groups, and a few key annual cultural festivals within the region. All three council LGAs in Western Riverina are financial contributors to Western Riverina Arts. There are no Cultural Officers employed in the region, although there are librarians employed in each centre, a part-time theatre manager employed in Leeton, and a full-time theatre manager and a part-time gallery manager employed in Griffith. All councils have strategic plans in place that identify increased activity and participation in the arts as a key goal.


Western Riverina Region

The total population of the Western Riverina Area is 41,303 (2011 census data) and the largest centre in the region is Griffith (population 17,616). The region covers the Local Government Areas (LGA) of Narrandera, Leeton and Griffith. The major centres are the townships at the centre of the three LGAs: Narrandera, Leeton and Griffith. The region features a diverse cultural identity, with a significant culturally and linguistically diverse population in the western end of the region.

Main areas of activity Visual Arts There are a number of active visual arts groups in the region including The Leeton Art Society, the Narrandera Rotary Art Society, and Expozed Arts (based in Griffith). All of these groups exhibit members’ works regularly. In some centres local artists maintain small galleries as a shopfront to private residences, such as Peter Kopilow (painting – Leeton) and Brett Naseby (photography – Griffith). Visual artists are inspired by the geography in particular the unique twisting riverfront and red gum forests – Gail Sharpe from Narrandera and Eva Clarke from Leeton are two artists working in the traditional mode of landscape painting. There are a number of high-profile Aboriginal artists in the area – such as Michael Lyons and William Ingram – and they also work within a heritage that has lived on the river for many thousands of years. There is scope for a greater emphasis and promotion of Aboriginal artists in the region. A project soon to be initiated in the region by Western Riverina Arts (and funded by the Murrumbidgee Catchment Authority) will seek to address this issue. Art prizes are a regular feature in the region, including those with substantial prize money (such as the recently established Penny Paniz Memorial Prize, as well as the Casella Prize), and generate much interest. Professional gallery exhibition space is limited but the recent establishment of the community art space at The Roxy Theatre has enabled many artists to independently mount solo exhibitions. Western Riverina Arts has also built a pop-up gallery hanging system that allows empty buildings to be converted into gallery space. Artists in all centres are still keen to develop shared studio/workspaces. There are loosely formed writers groups in each of the three LGAs. The incorporated Leeton Writers’ Group regularly runs workshops; and the Narrandera Writing for Pleasure TAFE Group regularly host writer’s workshops (often featuring touring writers from other areas). The Griffith Readers’ Festival was first held in 2012 and will take place again in 2013, hopefully on a larger scale. Overall in the region, writers have a strong concern with recording the stories of their families and their land. Many have self-published memoirs, such as Natalie Hopwood, who recently published her book detailing growing up in the town of Barellan.

Performing Arts Western Riverina is lucky to possess functioning old theatres, and has the capacity to host mediumsized productions in all three LGAs. The Griffith Regional and Performing Arts group regularly produces community-based shows in Griffith; and Leeton Amateur Dramatics will sometimes put together a show. There have been touring shows in the past (such as Critical Stages in 2012); however improving audience numbers remains a challenge. There is scope for touring productions to each of the three LGA theatres, particularly contemporary dance and theatre productions. Although there are some small music organisations (such as the Leeton Town Band) there are limited performance or development opportunities for independent or experimental musicians – the CAD Factory (see below) have staged Remote Spaces shows in the past (music performances in old or abandoned venues) but the music scene is for the most part dominated by cover bands playing pub gigs.


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Other Key Groups The CAD Factory is an innovative cross-platform performing arts organisation based on a small property near Narrandera. Over the past few years they have been successful in securing major funding from a number of arts bodies, and have produced art projects in the region on a significant scale. ‘Tipping Point’, for example, was a recent show that combined visual artwork, music and the narratives of local Narrandera residents, all projected onto an old abandoned brewery. The CAD Factory have also built a world-class recording studio on their property, and this piece of infrastructure represents enormous opportunities for future program links and benefits to local emerging artists.

Cultural Infrastructure The region benefits from significant physical cultural infrastructure in the western end of the region with a professional performing arts centre, regional art gallery, a professionally staffed museum and several high profile rural cultural festivals (these include the Griffith Readers’ Festival; the Leeton Art Deco Festival; and the Narrandera John O’Brien Poetry Festival). Although there is a significant multicultural population in the region, and some arts participation via the Griffith Multicultural Festival and Griffith’s La Festa, this participation is limited and may represent a key growth area. Performing arts venues are reasonably well represented with the Griffith Regional Theatre and the Roxy Theatre in Leeton. The area is comprehensively serviced by libraries.

Upcoming/anticipated developments Major redevelopment of the Country Women’s Association building in Leeton will see a multi-purpose centre constructed which will house numerous community groups and include office and gallery space for Western Riverina Arts. Narrandera Council has also indicated an interest in purchasing and redeveloping the old Masonic Lodge to re-purpose as an arts precinct.

Key issues and trends The key issue for the arts in Western Riverina is that there is a low base for artistic activity, performance, and professional development opportunities. However there is an increasing level of support for the arts in the general community, with the artistic community becoming more active and connected. The general community is supportive of artistic events but attendance and participation needs to increase. There is a good level of cultural infrastructure in the region. There are also some building projects in the works and facilities that are under-used. There is room for more activity. The local Wiradjuri people have a strong artistic presence in the region, and there is also a large multicultural diversity in the population, and high-profile arts projects in the region (particularly public art) could provide greater recognition of these facts. More education and training opportunities are needed for early-career and emerging artists in all genres. This, combined with increased performance/exhibition opportunities in the area, will improve career option for artists in the Western Riverina.


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SWOT Analysis Strengths Connected community of artists. General community who are supportive of the arts. Much of the population travel throughout the three LGAs regularly. Good infrastructure base in each LGA. Strong Indigenous cultural presence in the region.

Weaknesses Small number of public artistic events. Relatively small number of practicing artists in the region. Limited professional development opportunities. Perception that artists need to live in urban centres to survive.

Opportunities High proportion of artists are keen to develop their own projects. Some existing cultural infrastructure is under-used. Expansion and formalisation of a database of artists.

Threats Lack of employment opportunities for artists. Population decline in some centres. Social isolation. Environmental issues affecting liveability e.g. recurring floods.


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