Three artists selected for regional NSW residencies

The first year of Creative Residencies Out West (CROW), will see three regionally based artists travel to another part of regional NSW to spend quality time on their work.

CROW is a collaboration between regional arts development organisations (RADOs) Arts OutWest, Outback Arts and West Darling Arts.

• From the Arts OutWest region (the NSW Central West), Wiradjuri creative Yanhadarrambal Jade Flynn will undertake a creative residency at Mt Grenfell near Cobar on Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan Country, in the Outback Arts area.
  
  
• From Outback Arts, writer Jen Molyneux of Lightening Ridge will do a residency at Rosebank Gallery and Guesthouse in Millthorpe (in the Arts OutWest region). She plans to work on the second draft of her novella.
  
  
• From West Darling Arts, writer and illustrator Anika Molesworth from Broken Hill will do her residency at The Corridor Project near Cowra (in the Arts OutWest region). She plans to work on a new children’s illustrated book and a body of spoken word poetry.

The three artists will spend at least two weeks in a neighbouring region to develop new creative work and deliver a activity with their host community.

Artists receive $4000 each to travel to a new part of the state for an immersive residency.

“An artistic residency is an artist staying and creating work in an inspiring place, away from their usual daily life and environment,“ said Arts OutWest executive director Kylie Shead.

The opportunity was open to artists at all stages of their career, in all artforms including visual arts, music, theatre, dance and performance, writing, film, new media.

Artists designed their own residency experience, choosing a location and community outside of their own region.

Artists can use their residency to make new work, refine existing work, or experiment. They will be required to run a small workshop or public activity in their chosen community.

“Visiting artists bring new art, life and ideas to places,” Ms Shead said. “Connections back into local communities can inform art making in exciting ways.”

In this first year the Arts OutWest residency, funded through the Australian Government’s IVAIS (Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support), was specifically for an Aboriginal artist. The Outback Arts and West Darling Arts residencies are funded through Create NSW.