That’s a wrap!

NSW Minister for the Arts, Don Harwin

The NSW Government, through Create NSW, has had another busy year of driving the arts, screen and culture agenda across the State.

Reviewing the achievements of 2019, Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Don Harwin MLC said:

“NSW is leading arts, screen and culture, and this year’s achievements through Create NSW are worth celebrating.

It’s been a momentous year and I’m delighted that not only have we delivered $56m in support for NSW artists and organisations, but we have also implemented a major improvement for our arts funding program to make it easier and simpler than ever before. I want to particularly thank the experts who came forward to serve on our Artform Boards to provide leadership in their sectors.

“In Screen, we have secured the future of thousands of jobs by confirming major Marvel blockbusters to film in the State. We have supported a thriving local domestic industry and attracted one of the largest visual and digital effects companies in the world, Industrial Light & Magic, to NSW.

“And we wouldn’t be anywhere without the cultural infrastructure to house our artists and organisations. This year we’ve seen the first of our $100m Regional Cultural Fund projects come to life, led and announced the winner of the international competition to design the new Powerhouse, secured a long-term lease for the National Art School and begun major development projects for the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of NSW, and the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall – not to mention begun the search for a new operator for the Theatre Royal – something that will greatly enrich the State even further once reopened in 2021.

No pressure 2020!”

Here’s a selection of just some of our highlights:

• Through its Arts Funding Program, in 2018-2019, providing $56.2 million in support to more than 137 artists and 308 organisations, partnership or groups.
  • $9.7 million of this has supported programs in regional NSW, and
  • $6.4 million supported programs in Western Sydney.
• Introducing a dedicated funding stream for Aboriginal artists and organisations.
• Initiating 10 new Artform Advisory Boards to represent the very best of the NSW arts and culture sector.
• Collaborating with the Department of Planning and the Office of Responsible Gambling to deliver Activate Sydney @ Night and the Music Now funding program. Both programs support arts and cultural activation stimulating the night-time economy across the NSW.
• With Transport for NSW delivering the Newcastle Light Rail Public Artwork “Borrowed Landscape”by Jamie North, which was unveiled in March.
• Supporting 11 paid Internships in the arts and screen sectors through the Createability Program.
• The Creative Kids Program delivers a $216 million 4-year Cost of Living program supporting school-aged children to undertake arts, screen, cultural and creative activities.
• Supporting projects including 41 factual projects, 27 TV series, 17 feature films including animated features, 3 short films and 2 multi-platform projects.
• Made In NSW fund brought in $600 million to the local economy, creating over 10,000 jobs and included attracting two major Marvel feature films to the State, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Thor: Love and Thunder.
• Investing in many of your favourite TV drama series including Doctor Doctor, Lambs of God, SeaChange, Total Control, Mystery Road andThe Commons.
• NSW-supported feature films, including Peter Rabbit 2, Palm Beach, Hearts and Bones, Judy and Punch have done well at the box office and we are looking forward to new NSW films like Penguin Bloom releasing in the near future.
• Introducing a 10% rebate on post, digital and visual effects (PDV)to help grow the PDV sector.
• 2019 marked the third year of the Screenability Film Festival – a part of the Sydney Film Festival, that presented films by filmmakers with disability, including the world premiere of three NSW short films supported through the Screenability Filmmaking Fund.
• Planning and delivering numerous infrastructure projects for the State, with construction is well underway on three significant projects, including:
  • the refurbishment of the Australian Museum
  • the redevelopment of Wharf 4/5 and Pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay; and
  • Sydney Modern – the $344 million expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW

• 30 regional cultural infrastructure projects were completed – supported by the Regional Cultural Fund.
• Concluding the design competition for the Powerhouse Museum Parramatta and the winning design has been announced.
• Announcing a long-term lease for the National Art School.
• Securing the future of the Theatre Royal, working with Dexus and the search for a new operator for the Theatre has begun.

Delivering cultural infrastructure plays a huge role in creating great places to bring people together, and we’ll be right back into building the creative backbone of NSW, supporting the artists and organisations who bring these buildings, our cities, suburbs and regions to life and helping to develop and make more innovative screen content in 2020.

Published: 30 December 2019