Outback Arts are very pleased to welcome Lorraine (Rainy) King into the position of Aboriginal Arts Officer. Lorraine will be based at Outback’s regional office in Coonamble but will service and support Aboriginal Artists across the Shires of Bourke, Brewarrina, Bogan, Cobar, Coonamble, Warren and Walgett.

The Outback Arts region gains another valuable cultural asset today as the Standing Stories Sculpture Walk in Bourke is opened to the public through the release of the brochure for the self-guided tour.

Communities in the Outback Arts region are set to benefit as a result of a funding boost by Create NSW into the Regional Arts Network. This increase in core organisational funding will support employment opportunities and exciting new community initiatives.

A couple of weeks ago Outback Arts were absolutely thrilled to collect a truckload of gallery supplies donated by the Art Gallery of NSW. This partnership has been in the works for quite some time and this certainly isn't the end.

This newly opened exhibition at the Australian Museum in Sydney has attracted enormous attention and widespread media publicity. In its midst are a number of Aboriginal Artists and Knowledge Holders from and connected to the Outback Arts region, who are promoting Aboriginal culture and truth-telling on a national scale.

We are delighted to announce that Outback Arts – along with the 14 Regional Arts Development Organisations - have each received a one-off $130,000 from Create NSW through their special Restart program. This is stimulus funding out of NSW Treasury in response to COVID-19 to boost arts activities and employment across regional NSW.

An exciting number of creative and cultural projects will be popping up all over the Outback Arts region with the announcement of the successful recipients for the Country Arts Support Program (CASP) to be delivered throughout 2021.

Outback Arts are very pleased to report that artist Victor Bartley has been successful in securing a portion of this funding ($18,500) for Bourke’s Percy Hobson Mural project. This water tower mural will honour Percy Hobson, an Indigenous athlete and native of Bourke, who was the first Aboriginal Australian to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth British Empire Games (for the high jump) in 1962.

Jimmy’s daughter Ms Frances Peters-Little said she was thrilled by the decision in paying tribute to her dad and recognising his contribution to Reconciliation, Indigenous Health & Education programs. Jimmy was also voted a ‘National Living Treasure’ in 2004 and awarded the APRA prestigious Ted Albert Award for this ‘Outstanding Services to the Australian Music Industry’ in 2010.