Transformative: Edward River Council Mayor Peta Betts, South West Music head of music Louise King, NSW Arts Minister Ben Franklin and South West Music chief executive officer Leone Knight at the funding announcement for SWM.
Deniliquin will soon be home to two completely rejuvenated spaces that will make music tuition and First Nations art and culture more widely accessible to Deniliquin and district.
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In the space of just two hours on Saturday, NSW Aboriginal Affairs, Arts, Regional Youth and Tourism Minister Ben Franklin committed more than $5 million to infrastructure projects being pursued by South West Music Regional Conservatorium and Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre.
Both were granted under the Creative Capital program, and SWM will receive the lion’s share.
It has been awarded $4.35 million to purchase and completely transform its Cressy St space to create a more modern education and performance facility.
A total of $715,000 was allocated to Yarkuwa, to allow it to purchase and redesign its cultural centre.
Mr Franklin induced cheers and whoops of excitement from the SWM crowd on Saturday afternoon when announcing the massive chunk of funding.
He said the investment was only going to make the work and reach of SWM “even better”, and that it would be “a game changer”.
And paired with the soon-to-be-completed Deniliquin Town Hall — which he toured before the SWM announcement — and the Yarkuwa redevelopment, Mr Franklin said the future of arts and culture in Deniliquin was going to be bright.
And he hinted that would feed in to his other portfolio of tourism.
“This (Deniliquin) will be an iconic regional destination for arts and performance — a creative precinct,” he said.
“South West Music services 18 rural and remote schools and this project will enable greater capacity to teach music to more students of all ages and abilities throughout the region.
“It will also assist in servicing the growing demand from disability and mental health clients, which shows the importance of South West Music as a significant community cultural organisation in the Western Riverina and Murray region.”
SWM chief executive officer Leone Knight said the funding would equip SWM to celebrate and promote the true value of music to the community.
“This investment has brought our vision for South West Music to life, creating a permanent home and providing a world-class cultural facility that supports music education, performance, the arts and our local economy,” Ms Knight said.
SWM chair Cheryl Fuller said it also gave the organisation more security, in giving it a permanent home.
She said the conservatorium had occupied seven buildings over its lifetime.
“We will finally be a school with a home after 35 years,” she said.
“The development will underwrite our long-term sustainability as we grow our capacity to enrich lives through music across the region.”
The funding will allow SWM to add an upstairs extension to the former Commonwealth Bank building.
The overhaul of the conservatorium will incorporate seven teaching studios, a band room, a recording studio, an audiovisual production studio, an artists’ co-working space, and accommodation for visiting teachers, artists and touring performers.
There will also be state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and acoustic technologies, a flexible foyer/gallery, a 150- to 200-seat auditorium, and an upstairs outdoor performance deck.
The facility will be fully wheelchair accessible, include all-gender toilets, and be powered by solar panels.
The heritage facade of the building will be preserved.
Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre chair Jeanette Crew said the funding for Yarkuwa was the culmination of almost 20 years of work for the organisation.
“This funding marks the next step in creating a permanent location for the Yarkuwa Centre, including the many important historical and cultural collections,” Mrs Crew said.
“It will provide a permanent centre for the next generation to grow and develop, and I thank the NSW Government for their support in our vision.”
Mr Franklin said an important part of the Yarkuwa project would be a permanent location to safeguard significant cultural and archival collections.
“This funding will create a permanent location for future generations to build on and explore while also creating a culturally safe space where Aboriginal people can be empowered to connect, share and access new skills,” Mr Franklin said.
“The extension will allow Yarkuwa to continue its important work in creating opportunities for the younger generations, improving the communities’ understanding and recognition of local Aboriginal art and culture.
“This is an important cultural infrastructure project for Deniliquin that will shape its future as a destination for Aboriginal art and culture, and enhance experiences for visitors.”
Infrastructure project: NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton, Edward River Council Mayor Peta Betts, Yarkuwa chair Jeanette Crew, NSW Arts Minister Ben Franklin and Yarkuwa general manager David Crew at the Yarkuwa funding announcement.
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