Our staff based in Victorian communities support the development and advocacy of the regional arts sector. They work closely with artists, organisations and local government, facilitating connections and support to projects, policies and visibility of the arts in our communities.
Our Local Government Creative Connection program 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. Our LGCC network includes: 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 Local Government Partnerships have been established in South West Victoria, Swan Hill, Gippsland and the Surf Coast/Golden Plains region. Partnerships are long term investments by local government, supported by the Regional Arts Fund, to deliver on regional creative industries strategies across multiple years delivered by a dedicated Regional Manager. our LGA Partners include: Swan Hill Rural City Council, Cities of Warrnambool and Latrobe and the Shires of Baw Baw, Corangamite, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Moyne, South Gippsland, Southern Grampians, and Wellington.
Join the RAV Local Government Creative Connection
Local Government Creative Connection participants have access to the below benefits for one year and can access a bespoke program of delivery developed to assist in delivery of individual Council strategies.
Benefits
- Quarterly online LGA Arts and Culture catch ups
Get connected with your peers in arts, culture and the creative industries from regional LGAs across Victoria. Facilitated by RAV’s Director of Partnerships and Programming, these meetings will connect you to the latest resources, research and support to deliver on your Council’s creative strategies.
- Annual LG Creative Connections In-Person Event
An invitation to attend an annual gathering with the entire RAV LG Creative Connection group. Take your seat at the table to help determine key advocacy priorities for RAV for the following year.
SAVE THE DATE! To maximise opportunities for creative sector collaboration we are in conversations with Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AmaGA) Victoria to partner on an event in Melbourne on Wednesday 22 July 2026 - Access to the SmartySearch Grants Database
Our SmartySearch tool is an online grants search tool powered by the Funding Centre’s comprehensive grants database. SmartySearch makes finding grants easy for RAV LG Circle, with free access to an unlimited number of grant searches. - Resources Library
Access a broad range of tools to assist you with project planning, connecting to the creative sector, advocacy and more. These include how to write a media release, budget tips, understanding copyright, funding tips and many more. - Connect to your creative community
Connect with RAV’s 700 creative organisation an individual Members. RAV is a trusted and valued organisation to help to connect to your local creatives. - Your Council’s work featured in RAV EDMs and on our socials
Promote a good news story about the work your Council is doing to over 3,000 creative workers and sector leaders through our EDM and to more than 30,000 followers across our social media platforms. Our social media posts had over 450,000 views last year alone! We want to celebrate the creative work you do! - Advertise job opportunities on RAVs website and on our socials
Make your job opportunities visible to over 35,000 visitors to the RAV website each year and to more than 35,000 followers across our social media platforms. - Listing on RAV website – promote and celebrate your staff and projects
Make your Council staff visible to over 35,000 visitors to the RAV website each year. Learn more about how to. - Two Invitations to a regional RAV in Residence event per year
Bring a Council colleague or Councillor along to a RAV in Residence program where we provide one-on-one advice, professional development and networking to the creative sector. - On call support
Have access to our highly skilled, regionally-based team of creative industry experts to provide advice and problem solve alongside you.
Cost
| Small Regional LGA population under 10,000 | $1,000 |
| Medium Regional LGA population under 30,000 | $1,500 |
| Large Regional LGA population under 100,000 | $2,000 |
| Regional City / Metropolitan Associate LGA population over 100,000 | $2,500 |
Additional Services
- RAV In Residence
We can run a bespoke annual activity facilitated by RAV staff in your local government area for your community – or in collaboration with a neighboring LGA to access price efficiency! The event can be themed to a specific genre, theme, venue or interest area. Average costs: $3,500 for one day (add $500 to include an additional neighboring Council collaborator), $4,500 for two day (add $500 to include an additional neighboring Council collaborator) - Bespoke Capacity Building Projects
We can run a project to connect your local creative sector to other sectors such as tourism and economic development, or to build the capacity of local cultural organisations, community groups and artists to support the development of robust, self-determined and culturally dynamic outcomes. See examples of our work in communities - Shape Creative Industries Policy and work with government bodies
We can connect local government staff to State and Federal forums and people. Our team then will listen to the needs and wants of councils, take an evidence-based approach and advocate a position. - Delivery of Creative Recovery programs
Since 2009, Regional Arts Victoria has continued to be a trusted partner in delivering creative prevention and recovery programs that assist artists and communities to prepare and re-emerge following disaster. We ensure that artist-led responses have access to targeted resources and on-the-ground support. See examples of creative recovery projects here - Research, insights, campaigns, community surveying and policy development
Our staff can develop resources and reports specifically for the Local Government Creative Sector. Whether you would like an in-depth look into who your local creatives are or to design a campaign or policy that targets your creative community we can help - Deliver a devolved funding program, scholarship or award
RAV have dedicated staff who can manage all aspects of grant delivery and can create an arms length and transparent funding program including, panel selection, assessment processes, advertising and communications, aquittals and more - Training and PD programs for staff and creative communities
Each year RAV delivers professional development programs across the state to the creative sector. RAV can assist to design, develop and deliver bespoke programs to meet the needs of your Council and/or community.
Local Government Partnerships
Supported by multiple Council partners and the Regional Arts Fund to engage RAV staff members in the partnership region
A RAV partnership is two or more regionally connected LGAs which agree to work collaborative and strategically to support and develop the region’s creative sector through the administration and leadership of a dedicated RAV Regional Manager.
Benefits
Local Government Partners receive all the benefits of our Creative Connection participants, and a RAV Regional Manager located in their region to assist in delivery of longer-term strategic goals. The role of the Regional Manager is to:
- drive regional strategic collaboration (see links to our G21 Strategy and South West Creative Industries Strategy work below)
- support sector development and innovation
- connect creatives to opportunities and strengthen networks
- support creative participation in communities
- advocate for your region
- inform State and Federal polices and submissions
- identify funding opportunities
- share useful and relevant information, findings and data
- administer and support governance of partnership and creative advisory groups
- support Council officers in delivery of own Arts and Culture Strategies and policies
- See examples of many projects run by RAV Staff in regional Victoria below!
Our current Partnership Areas and Staff
Stacey Barnes,Regional Manager, South West
Monday – Friday
Mob: 0493 977 700
Email: [email protected]
Stacey is a dynamic collaborator with 14 years of global experience in the public and private sectors. Since her BA (Hons) in English with Creative Writing, she has honed her communication and stakeholder engagement skills across creative industries, events, tourism, and economic development. Stacey spent the last seven years at Southern Grampians Shire Council most recently leading strategic marketing for their two major arts venues – Hamilton Gallery and Hamilton Performing Arts Centre.
Regional Arts Victoria leads the delivery of a collaborative regional strategy designed to uplift the creative industries in the southwest of the state. The initial 2020-2024 South West Creative Industries Strategy laid the groundwork towards creating beneficial and sustainable creative industries in southwest Victoria. A second iteration refocuses attention on key priorities for 2025-2029, building on the foundations, learnings and successes of the first Strategy to guide sector support across the region. Read more
LGA Partners: City of Warrnambool, Corangamite, Glenelg, Moyne Shire Council.
Angela Frost, Manager, North West Regional Partnerships
Tuesday-Friday
Mob: 0476 353 856
Email: [email protected]
Angela is a multi-award winning artist and community collaborator. She has worked within the realms of community cultural development, theatre, cultural ceremony, festivals and arts centre management in collaboration with over 35 First Nations communities. Alongside change makers, artists, young people, and Elders, she has delivered projects throughout VIC, NSW, TAS, and the NT and created over 40 new theatre works. More recently she worked with an incredible cohort of Swan Hill’s First Nations Elders and young people to create The Marruk Project, a collective using the performing arts to reclaim, celebrate, and share Indigenous culture to create deep, lasting change for the whole community. The partnership the Ange manages has been active for over 23 years and has brought many projects and local initiatives to fruition. Most recently the First Nations multi-award-winning, community-engaged theatre collective, the Marruk Project, has been revitalised for the benefit of the community. Read more.
LGA Partner: Swan Hill Rural City Council
Stacie Bobele, Lead, Golden Plains and Surf Coast Partnership
Monday – Thursday
Mob: 0435 045 568
Email: [email protected]
Stacie is an experienced arts and communications manager, with almost 20 years’ experience in local government, higher education and the arts industry.
Stacie joined RAV in 2023 to lead the delivery of the regional creative strategy Making Change. The project concluded in 2025, having strengthened regional creative leadership and governance through formalised networks, catalysed over 40 new collaborations and projects and significantly enhanced sector connectivity, capacity and engagement.
The project resulted in new LGA partnerships with Golden Plains and Surf Coast. Both projects draw upon RAV’s specialist knowledge and connectivity to support both LGAs serve their creative communities. Read more.
LGA Partners: Surf Coast Shire and Golden Plains Shire
Lyndel Moore, Regional Manager, Gippsland
Monday – Friday
Mobile: 0458 074 858
Email: [email protected]
Lyndel’s career in creative and cultural pursuits has taken her around the world. While working for many years in brand communication and marketing industries, her focus has always been on nurturing creative people and creative pursuits. She returned to regional Victoria in 2014 after many years of travelling for work and pleasure, and is most comfortable collaborating with regional communities and their creative endeavours. Most recently, she has focused on the cultural recovery and tourism and economy aspects of the Gippsland region working with agencies focused on similar outcomes.
LGA Partners: Latrobe City Council, East Gippsland, South Gippsland and Wellington Shire Council.