NSW Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Don Harwin MLC has announced Tamworth will be the next host city for Artstate, Regional Arts NSW’s celebration of arts across the state. The event will take place from Thursday 31 October to Sunday 3 November 2019.
“Tamworth is an authentic Australian heartland beating with rhythm and talent. With its deep roots in music and live performance, it was only a matter of time before it was sighted as the perfect host for Artstate,” said Minister Harwin.
“As the conference enters its third year, I’m more eager than ever to see the light shine on the local Tamworth community as New South Wales once again offers up an exquisite line-up of regional, national and international speakers to share with us their knowledge and experiences.”
Tamworth is a major regional centre in the New England region. The city has a thriving arts scene and is home to the world’s second largest country music festival, the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
“Tamworth Regional Council is thrilled to be announced as the hosting region for the 2019 Artstate Conference,” said Tamworth Councillor Glenn Inglis. “We look forward to joining the conversation, showcasing Tamworth’s cultural heritage and enriching our future through the expression of arts and culture.”
“Regional Arts NSW is delighted to welcome Tamworth Regional Council as our local government partner and Arts North West as our co-presenter for Artstate 2019,” said Regional Arts NSW CEO Elizabeth Rogers.
Artstate is a four-year program presented by Regional Arts NSW which aims to shine a light on excellence in regional arts practice and to explore the exciting possibilities for arts and cultural development across the state. Artstate kicked off in 2017 in Lismore before moving to Bathurst in 2018.
Artstate features a conference program with keynote speakers from around Australia and overseas which runs alongside an extensive arts program highlighting artistic talent from around the region. To checkout the program at Artstate Bathurst, visit: www.artstate.com.au for details.
Image: Minister Don Harwin at Artstate Bathurst – photo by Katelyn-Jane Dunn