Do you have an idea for how to celebrate your town’s art and heritage? Now you can let Snowy Monaro Regional Council know. Image: Google Earth.
A public art gallery, a community directory of cultural programs and a renewed focus on heritage conservation could be on the cards for the Snowy Monaro.
The proposals are raised as part of the Snowy Monaro Arts, Culture & Heritage Strategy 2026-2029.
It identifies five themes (cultural facilities and heritage items, participation and access, leadership and connection, leadership and development and creative enterprise) where the council could work to promote and support the region’s art and heritage.
Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC) recently released the policy for public feedback.
“The most successful council policies and strategies are the ones that best capture what local people really want and what they really care about,” said Mayor Chris Hanna.
“Art, culture and heritage are central to our identity as individuals and as a region. This consultation is your chance to have a real voice in shaping the future of this important part of life in the Snowy Monaro.”
According to the draft strategy, visitor spending brought in $418 million in 2021 to the region and supported 3005 jobs.
This surpasses agriculture and all other business sectors … highlighting the significant opportunity attached to driving strategic investment of cultural tourism opportunities,” the document states.
The policy proposes continuing 22 actions, while 43 new ones are put forward.
(That includes 28 new items that lack resources, and 15 “wishlist” ones that would need extra funding so they could be delivered.)
These include engaging with First Nations stakeholders around tourism opportunities, considering “cultural signage” projects, partnerships with Museums and Galleries NSW and expanding a heritage conservation area over parts of Bombala and Delegate.
Some of the proposals would need further planning (such as a feasibility study for a public gallery) or involve ongoing costs (such as upkeep of the former Bombala Infants School site if the council keeps it).
In a recent meeting, a councillor asked how the council’s limited funds would be allocated and prioritised across those projects.
The meeting heard that some of the items raised in the draft policy would need grant funding to be carried out, with some funding programs to suit specific items.
“The reality is that for most of those things you’d be looking at when opportunities arise and [grants] for things would be a primary driver of that,” a staff member said.
“Outside of that, we would look at our more general prioritisation, to look at where the greater benefits are to the community for the projects that are there.”
A summary sheet for the draft strategy uploaded to the council’s website indicates the document will be finalised by December 2025, with implementation to start next year.
People can also have their say on the draft SMRC Public Art Policy, which was released for community consultation in early 2022.
According to a recent council meeting agenda, the policy wasn’t adopted afterwards and the current version is “substantially the same”.
“I invite everybody to have their say before feedback closes on Monday 20 October – whether you’re an artist, a member of a cultural group, a history buff or just a local who cares about this important sector,” said Mayor Hanna.
Public feedback on both draft policies will close on 20 October. People can read the draft policies and have their say through SMRC’s website.
