REGIONAL community arts organisations Outback Arts and Orana Arts have expressed their gratitude for being part of a statewide increase to their core funding which they say will support their community initiatives and projects.

Recently, the state government announced an injection of $3.4 million in funding to be shared across the Regional Arts Network.

The Regional Arts Network has been developed over the past 30 years with financial support from the NSW government and local Councils, to assist Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs), like Outback Arts, to inform and promote arts and cultural activity within local communities including presenting opportunities for creative professionals in the regions.

The new funding means each of the fourteen Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADO) will have their core operational funding increased from $168,000 in the 2020/21 financial year to $200,000 in 2021/22.

During the government's announcement, Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said the increased investment would help to stimulate employment and increase access to arts and culture for audiences in regional NSW.

“The RADOs play a critical role in developing arts and cultural talent in NSW communities, through locally driven arts events and festivals, partnerships with local government, businesses and organisations and individual support for creatives," Minister Harwin said.

The funding has been welcomed by statewide support agency for regional arts and cultural development Regional Arts NSW.

Regional Arts NSW Chair Julie Briggs said the organisation had been campaigning for increased funding for RADOs over many years.

"As the peak body for the arts and cultural sector in regional NSW, we have since 2014 consistently lobbied for RADO core funding to rise to $200,000 per annum,” Ms Briggs said.

“The additional funding from the state, along with the strong financial and resourcing support that local government provides to the RADOs, will ensure that the Network is well placed for the arts-led tourism recovery that we are all aiming for once the state opens fully.”

There are a total of three RADOs across the Western Plains: Outback Arts, which covers the Coonamble, Walgett, Bogan, Bre, Bourke, Warren, Nyngan and Cobar shires; Orana Arts, which covers the Narromine, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran and Dubbo shires; and Arts Out West, which covers the Lachlan shire.

According to Outback Arts Executive Director Jamie-Lea Trindall, until the increase to $168,000 in 2020/21, Outback Arts and other RADOs had received $140,000 per annum over 10 years.

Running a regional business, including the cost of rates, power, water and office stationary - plus employing local staff - can be costly and Mrs Trindall said the increase would help them maximise opportunities for the regional arts and artists.

"We are excited to have our core organisational funding increased which will strengthen the delivery of exciting arts and cultural experiences in our region," Mrs Trindall said.

“We know that regional communities do well when they run their own show, and I am delighted the NSW Government is delivering an additional $32,000 per annum in core funding to each member of the Regional Arts Network.”

Orana Arts Executive Director Alicia Leggett said she was thrilled to hear about the new funding announcement which would ultimately benefit the communities they cover through their rural art projects.

"Now we have more core funding, that goes into budget but allows me to increase our resources elsewhere to deliver something we think can be integral to regional towns" Ms Leggett said.

"The additional funds allow us to work a program we've had on the books for quite some time with locally volunteer run museums called VAMP (Volunteers. Arts. Museums. Program).

"This is a methodology we have developed which can be implemented in local volunteer-run museums to show them how to engage their audiences."

Ms Leggett said Orana Arts was now seeking to engage with local governments in their area to see if any would be interested in coming on board.

"At the moment, it's a bit of a wait and see while we put it out there - we're going to be visiting areas like Gilgandra and Narromine that have these independent volunteer run museums which are not assets to local government but are integral to the local community," she said.