Local Government Creative Connection provides advocacy, networks, support, development and connection for arts and culture staff from regional Council across Victoria. Being a part of Creative Connection provides vital support to Council staff to deliver on their cultural strategies while connecting with a network of Council staff peers, creative organisations and practitioners.

Each year RAV hosts quarterly online LGA Arts and Culture catch ups where staff from Councils in regional Victoria can connect with their peers and learn from industry experts. Facilitated by RAV’s Director of Partnerships and Programming, Susie Lyons, these meetings connect local government staff to the latest resources, research and support to deliver on regional creative strategies.

All meetings are from 12pm to 1.30pm online – bring your lunch! Agenda and Zoom links will be sent to current LGCC members prior to each session.

Previous Meetings: Thursday 12 February 2026

• Mary Sullivan, Arts Development Officer, South Gippsland Shire Council – who delivered a fantastic presentation on the Art Cubes – three shipping containers modified to be mobile creative spaces which move around South Gippsland four times a year and programmed with communities they are presented in. It is a small budget, dispersal model, now 3.5 years in which is having impact in small communities and is now embedded in Council programming. 
• Ros Abercrombie, Executive Director, Regional Arts Australia (RAA) – gave an overview of RAA and all their touch points of national networks, advocacy, programs, funding (including the Regional Arts Fund) and strategy which aligns with the with the National Cultural Policy REVIVE 
• Creative Victoria’s Zac Gillam, Senior Policy Officer; Zack Buchanan, Acting Director, Policy and Industry Development and Max Coffman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer – gave an update on the state programs relevant to regional LGAs and how Creative Victoria is embedded in the whole of DJSIR to ensure Creative Industries are part of the larger economic development strategies, investments, funding programs so that Creative industries don’t miss out on growth, sustainability, innovation, workforce strategies.  
• We have recordings of both Mary’s and Creative Victoria’s presentations, so please get in touch if you would like a link to those: [email protected] 

Thursday 13 November 2025

• Visit Victoria’s Luke Murphy, Head of Major Events and David McCarthy, Group Manager – who spoke about the remit of Visit Victoria and opportunities for regional Victorian councils and towns, including Regional Events Fund 
• Tom Mosby, CEO of Koorie Heritage Trust (Kulkalgal, Kemer Kemer Meriam (Torres Strait)) spoke about what the KHT means for regional First Nations creatives and their communities and encouraged LGAs to incorporate First Nations creative responses in planning and design decisions to ensure First Nations culture is visible in the landscape and built environment as well. 
• Bec Carey Grieve, Coordinator Arts and Economic Development, Moorabool Shire Council, gave a presentation on Moorabool’s Hide and Seek Festival – designed as a platform for activating spaces and support for community and creatives to program which also encourages community networking across the region 

Thursday 7 August 2025 

• Jo Porter, CEO Regional Arts Victoria who introduced RAV – our programs, partnerships, advocacy and funding 
• Leisa Bacon, Executive Director, Development and Partnerships, Creative Australia – who spoke about CA’s support and ambitions for regional creatives and opportunities for projects and provided the national context for LGAs to connect and align with strategically 

So that RAV can know what we can collaborate with LGAs on, we also ran break out groups to identify the top challenges for regional LGAs, which summed up are: 

• Access – reliance on volunteers (burn out), aging infrastructure, skills development (courses), spaces to practice and share 
• Perception of the Arts as ‘nice to have’ – communication of value and skill required, health and well being impact, economic driver,  
• Partnerships – important to pool resources, attract funding and work across council boundaries 
• Predictability of funding models – coordination of funding streams, good governance models for community run assets 
• All participants agreed that the networking opportunity and sharing of stories and information is very important for isolated council staff 

The Local Government Creative Connection and Partnership Councils are: Ararat Rural City Council, Buloke Shire, Campaspe Shire Council, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, East Gippsland Shire Council, Gannawarra Shire Council, Loddon Shire Council, LaTrobe City Council, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Mildura Rural City Council, Moira Shire Council, Moorabool Shire Council, Mount Alexander Shire Council, Murrindindi Shire Council, South Gippsland Shire Council, and Towong Shire Council. Our partners are: Corangamite, Glenelg Shire, Golden Plains Shire, Moyne Shire, Surf Coast, Swan Hill, Southern Grampians and Warrnambool City Council.