Country Arts SA is
statutory corporation
A statutory corporation is a corporation, government entity created as a statutory body by statute. Their precise nature varies by jurisdiction, but they are corporations owned by a government or controlled by national or sub-national government ...
created by the
South Australian government under the provisions of the ''South Australian Country Arts Trust Act (1992)'', for the purpose of delivering arts to regional
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
. Responsibility for the organisation previously rested with
Arts South Australia, but since late 2018 has come under the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
History
The organisation was created as a statutory body by the ''South Australian Country Arts Trust Act (1992)'' and grew into being during
Diana Laidlaw's term as Minister for the Arts.
In 2010, Country Arts SA established an Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Engagement program, and in 2018 it published its second "Stretch" Reconciliation Action Plan, ''Reconciliation Plan 2018–2020'', vowing to "embed principles of self-determination to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a voice and play a crucial part in making decisions on all aspects of Country Arts SA".
In 2018, under
CEO Steve Saffell, it celebrated its 25th anniversary, announcing a programme which would include a number of shows to be presented in
Port Lincoln
Port Lincoln is a city on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in the Australian states and territories of Australia, state of South Australia. Known as Galinyala by the traditional owners, the Barngarla people, it is situated on the shore of Boston Bay, ...
.
Description
The main aim of the organisation is to ensure that regional and remote communities in South Australia have access to the visual and performing arts as well as cultural development opportunities, so it both presents many types of artistic expression, through performance and exhibitions, as well as supporting local artists and performers.
, the organisation had a staff of 167 people, most of whom live and work in regional South Australia and of whom seven were
Aboriginal Australian
Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands.
Humans first migrated to Australia 50,000 to 65,000 year ...
s.
Locations
, Country Arts SA's headquarters is in Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide city centre, Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is t ...
, with regional centres at Noarlunga Centre (the Hopgood Theatre), Whyalla (Middleback Arts Centre), Port Pirie
Port Pirie is a small city on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia, north of the state capital, Adelaide. Port Pirie is the largest city and the main retail centre of the Mid North region of South Australia. The city has an ex ...
(Northern Festival Centre), Renmark (Chaffey Theatre) and Berri (River Lands Gallery).
See also
* Culture of Australia
Australian culture is of primarily Western culture, Western origins, and is derived from its Culture of the United Kingdom, British, Indigenous Australians, Indigenous and migrant components.
Indigenous peoples arrived as early as 60,000 years ...
References
{{reflist
Arts in South Australia