West Darling Arts

07/09/2026

A huge congratulations to 11 talented artists from across the West Darling Arts region who have been named finalists in this year’s Outback Arts 'Outback Country Art Prize'!

⭐ Broken Hill: Feona Bates, Jason McCarthur, Sophie Massey, Damian Sawyers, Kathy Graham, Lyndy Marshall, Ella Horsfall, Anna Liston
⭐ Menindee: Barbara Quayle
⭐ Wentworth Shire: Rita Attwood, Jasmine Attwood

The works will be on show in Coonamble from the 28 September - 24 December 2026.

The Outback Country Art Prize, formerly known as the Outback Archies, is celebrating its 15th year, providing rural and remote artists with opportunities to exhibit their work, connect with the arts community and develop their professional practice.

We’re so proud to see such strong representation from the West Darling region! ️

West Darling Arts is pleased to provide modest support that helps our local artists participate in the Prize, delivering the works to be installed, helping reduce some of the logistical challenges of exhibiting further afield.

It’s a privilege to play a small part in helping our artists share their work beyond our region.

Congratulations to all our finalists!

IMAGES: Feona bates by Aimee volkofsky 2. Damian Sawyers by Tanja Bruckner

07/09/2026

Calling all venue owners, community organisers and gigging musicians! Are you doing super right? The rules around Payday Super have changed!

Find out how these changes affect you at MusicNSW's workshop 'New Wave: Know Your Super'.

🖊 New Wave: Know Your Super
📅 Tue, 8 September, 6-7:30pm
📍 Online, Register with Music NSW
https://events.humanitix.com/new-wave-know-your-super

Focusing on the information you actually need to know as an artist, sole trader, music worker, or music business owner.

They’ll walk through the practical steps involved in getting set up, staying on top of your obligations and making sure super is being paid correctly and on time.

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding on what Payday Super means and how to build superannuation into your working life without the overwhelm.

06/09/2026

📸 Creatives in the Far West!

Did you know West Darling Arts offers professional digital film, photography, audio, and projection equipment for hire?

Available to locals, students, visiting filmmakers, artists, and commercial crews, this growing collection is here to support everything from your next major production to experimenting with new ideas.

Backed by local knowledge and a passion for storytelling, we’re ready to help you bring your vision to life.

Through Screen Broken Hill, with funding from the NSW Government's Creative Capital initiative, this library builds a sustainable community resource - encouraging collaboration, increasing access, and celebrating the region’s iconic film heritage.

📩 For equipment hire and enquiries (Mon–Wed):
[email protected]
[email protected]
See more: https://www.westdarlingarts.com.au/screen-broken-hill-media-hub

05/09/2026

Huge opportunity at Broken Hill City Art Gallery!

OPEN CUT COMMISSION 2027 | APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Broken Hill City Art Gallery invites artists, creatives and researchers from across Australia to apply for the Open Cut Commission 2027.

The successful applicant will receive $6,000 to develop an artistic or research project that responds to the Australian outback, regional communities, Broken Hill and/or its surrounding environment.

Projects may encompass visual art, ceramics, photography, writing, performance, sound, moving image, research, experimentation or interdisciplinary practice.

Community engagement is an important part of the commission, with applicants invited to propose a meaningful public program or engagement opportunity for the Broken Hill community.

The resulting work will be presented at Broken Hill City Art Gallery between August and October 2027.

Applications close Friday, 16 October 2026.

Learn more and apply online: https://www.bhartgallery.com.au/Whats-On/Open-Cut-Commission

30/08/2026

📸 Creatives in the Far West!

Did you know West Darling Arts offers professional digital film, photography, audio, and projection equipment for hire?

Available to locals, students, visiting filmmakers, artists, and commercial crews, this growing collection is here to support everything from your next major production to experimenting with new ideas.

Backed by local knowledge and a passion for storytelling, we’re ready to help you bring your vision to life.

Through Screen Broken Hill, with funding from the NSW Government's Creative Capital initiative, this library builds a sustainable community resource - encouraging collaboration, increasing access, and celebrating the region’s iconic film heritage.

📩 For equipment hire and enquiries (Mon–Wed):
[email protected]
[email protected]

See more: https://www.westdarlingarts.com.au/screen-broken-hill-media-hub

23/08/2026

🎙️ Creatives in the Far West!

Did you know West Darling Arts offers professional digital film, photography, audio, and projection equipment for hire?

Available to locals, students, visiting filmmakers, artists, and commercial crews, this growing collection is here to support everything from your next major production to experimenting with new ideas.

Backed by local knowledge and a passion for storytelling, we’re ready to help you bring your vision to life.

Through Screen Broken Hill, with funding from the NSW Government's Creative Capital initiative, this library builds a sustainable community resource - encouraging collaboration, increasing access, and celebrating the region’s iconic film heritage.

📩 For equipment hire and enquiries (Mon–Wed):
[email protected]
[email protected]
https://www.westdarlingarts.com.au/screen-broken-hill-media-hub

17/08/2026

ATT: Important update Re. Artists living in the Central Darling Shire

Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs) operate through a partnership between local government, the NSW Government through Create NSW, Regional Arts NSW, and the broader regional arts network. These local government partnerships help fund and enable us to provide arts development services across our large region.

Central Darling Shire Council has decided not to renew its MOU with West Darling Arts. As a result, from this financial year we are no longer funded to provide direct RADO services within the Central Darling Shire local government area.

This affects artists, organisations and communities in Wilcannia, Menindee, Ivanhoe, White Cliffs, Tilpa, and the wider Central Darling Shire.

We will unfortunately no longer be able to provide direct services in these communities, including funding opportunities such as CASP, auspicing, workshops and other RADO support.

We know this will be disappointing news, particularly for people who have worked with West Darling Arts over many years. This change is not a reflection of the value of your work, your community or your contribution to arts and culture in the Far West. It is a consequence of the funding and partnership structure through which RADOs operate.

Where we can, we will continue to help Central Darling artists and organisations identify other opportunities, resources and avenues of support, and we will continue advocating for accessible arts development across Western NSW.

Our services will continue within our current funded service area, including Broken Hill, Wentworth Shire and the unincorporated Western Region.

We extend our sincere thanks to the artists, performers, cultural workers, organisations and community members across Central Darling who have welcomed us, worked with us, attended workshops and created extraordinary work over the years.

We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and our respect for and belief in Central Darling’s artists and communities remains unchanged.

We hope circumstances allow new opportunities and partnerships to develop in future.

READ MORE Here: https://www.westdarlingarts.com.au/2026/08/An-Important-Update-About-West-Darling-Arts-Service-Area

17/08/2026

WORKSHOP - AI & the Arts - With Sophie Penkethman-Young - Regional Arts NSW

At the moment it feels like ‘Artificial Intelligence’ (better known as AI) is taking over the world. Or is at least dominating the conversation worldwide. But still, it remains perplexing.

Is it going to replace you at your job? Is it going to fill the internet with soulless slop? Can we trust what it tells us? Is it secretly plotting to kills us all? Or is it actually a useful tool to help us be more productive and do the things that we don’t want to do?

For artists especially understanding AI is increasingly important because of what it could mean for the creative industry.

We want to help answer all your AI questions! Join us at our next online workshop with self-proclaimed ‘Art Ho and Tech Bro’ and guest presenter Sophie Penkethman-Young.

Sophie brings a wealth of experience in both the digital and creative worlds and will take you through all the basic info you need to know about AI. Over two hours she will help you understand:

- What is AI? Where did it come from and what do we need to know about its history?
- What you need to know about AI image generation
- What implications does it have for ICIP (Intellectual and Cultural Property)?
- When is it appropriate/not appropriate to use it?
- What do we do about everyday tools we use as artists that now have AI features?
- We hope to you can join us!

📆 Friday 18 September
⏰ 10am – 12pm (9:30 - 1:30 AM ACST)
📍 Online
🎫 FREE for RANSW Community Members, $30 for non-members

BOOK HERE: https://events.humanitix.com/online-workshop-ai-and-the-arts

16/08/2026

📽️ Creatives in the Far West!

Did you know West Darling Arts offers professional digital film, photography, audio, and projection equipment for hire?

Available to locals, students, visiting filmmakers, artists, and commercial crews, this growing collection is here to support everything from your next major production to experimenting with new ideas.

Backed by local knowledge and a passion for storytelling, we’re ready to help you bring your vision to life.

Through Screen Broken Hill, with funding from the NSW Government's Creative Capital initiative, this library builds a sustainable community resource - encouraging collaboration, increasing access, and celebrating the region’s iconic film heritage.

📩 For equipment hire and enquiries (Mon–Wed):
[email protected]
[email protected]
https://www.westdarlingarts.com.au/screen-broken-hill-media-hub