The Studio

The Studio is one of our key platforms, focused on the creative practices of artists living and working in Regional NSW — of all ages, stages and artforms. There is crossover between The Studio and our other platforms, Touring and the Creative Consultancy. Together, these platforms ensure we’re working to address the needs of creative regional youth, First Nations artists, and more broadly, supporting the development and support of arts and culture in the Central West Orana region.

Have you met our Studio Co!Lab members?

What is Studio Co!Lab?

Launched in 2021, Studio Co!Lab is a network created by regionally-based artists for regionally-based artists - from across Regional NSW.

Time and time again, when we talk to our Studio Co!Lab members on and off the record, they say that being part of a network of artists, spending time with other creatives in residencies and conversation, connecting, exchanging information and learning from each other, cuts through the isolation. Then there are the grants, residencies, professional development and more. See what our members do on Beyond the Studio, and hear more from of our members talking about their practice in the What they said… blog. Find out more about a Studio Co!Lab membership.

The Studio offerings

This information is for the benefit of all creative communities. Some opportunities are available only to Studio Co!Lab members.

Residencies

Ironbark Arts Residency

The Ironbark Arts Residency is a partnership with the Stuart Town Advancement Association and Dubbo Regional Council. October 2025. More details to come.

MORE ABOUT OUR RESIDENCIES

 

Grants

First Steps

This Studio Co!Lab members’ microgrant provides an opportunity to get another income line in a bigger project budget. The timing of this grant is aligned with Create NSW Arts and Cultural Funding Program rounds. Members can access more information on the Opportunities page of the Members’ Lounge.

Country Arts Support Program (CASP)

The Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is a small grants program in NSW, administered by Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs), to support community arts and cultural development in regional areas. Orana Arts’ round of CASP will open in June 2025. More to come.

Other grants

 

Professional Development

Creative Ideas Incubator Workshops

The Creative Ideas Incubator Workshops are annual workshops in the Orana Arts partner Local Government areas of Dubbo Region and Warrumbungle Shire. These workshops take the seed of an idea through a project planning process, drafting budgets, and starting to get it grant-ready. MORE TO COME.

LEGS: Studio Co!Lab Project Incubator Program

Does your project have legs? For Studio Co!Lab members, this takes the Creative Ideas Incubator Workshops to the next level. Working one-on-one with Orana Arts team members, project outlines and budgets are given constructive feedback to get them grant-ready. Two rounds are run annually, in sync with Create NSW ACFP grant rounds. Details are on the Opportunities page of the Members’ Lounge.

Studio Talks

Orana Arts quarterly Studio Talks program. These free, public talks are intended to inform, share and connect artists and audiences with issues of interest and impact on Regional Arts and the arts more generally. See past talks.

 

Promotions

Bulletins and newsletters

Orana Arts publishes a monthly Studio Co!Lab members’ bulletin, From the Studio sent to all financial Studio Co!Lab members, and a general newsletter available for all to subscribe to. SUBSCRIBE

Social media

Orana Arts aims to be where our audience is, as well as find new audiences for our artists. We’re currently on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Substack. We promote our programs, projects, members and events on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. We set up WhatsApp group for special projects as needed. Our blog is also published on Substack.

Profiles, event and news listings, blogs and more

Our website is the hub of everything we do. This is where we profile our Studio Co!Lab members, share their events and news, and put them at the centre of conversations about regional arts practice. Our Community page makes key information about grants and the arts ecosystem available to artists and cultural organisations more broadly. Check what’s happening within our News pages.

  • Phoebe Maroulis, Dubbo

    Breaking down those geographical barriers has been so helpful. I live or spend my time in three arts regions and that’s what I think I like so much about Studio Co!Lab is…it’s kind of giving permission to be an artist rather than a resident.

  • Catherine Moffat, Lake Munmorah

    I cannot recommend these programs highly enough. The provided significant and outstanding professional opportunities, which are not normally available to regional writers.

  • Vicki Luke, Albury

    The idea of Orana Arts encouraging everybody from Regional NSW to join and to be able to basically have a common platform (Studio Co!Lab) is really fantastic…and the people in Orana Arts being generous enough to have that vision is something really special.

  • Danja Derkenne, Little Forest

    Studio Co!Lab and RARe is about the significance of community, and the significance of interactions, networking and meeting people…and just sharing. I know, just form the Ironbark Arts Residency in 2023, how positive that was and how much that’s been feeding into my work ever since.