Shellharbour and Kiama councils’ budgets propose cuts to South Coast Arts. Photo: Andrew Sutton.
A South Coast arts body is calling on the arts community to use its voice to stop Kiama and Shellharbour councils’ proposed cuts to funding that would put its future on the line.
South Coast Regional Arts Development Organisation (South Coast Arts) is urging its community to speak up as both councils put their draft budgets on public exhibition, highlighting how the loss of funding would cause a ripple beyond the arts sector.
Director Louise Croker said “both Kiama and Shellharbour councils have proposed cuts to arts and cultural services in their 2026/27 budgets” and while the decisions weren’t final yet, “public submissions are open, and they matter”.
“South Coast Arts exists because councils, communities, and creatives invest in each other,” Ms Croker said.
“When that investment is pulled back, real people and real projects are affected.
“We want to be transparent with you about what’s happening … and ask for your help.”
During its recent council meeting, Shellharbour proposed cutting the nearly $50,000 per year for five years to the arts body in a bid to “trim the fat”.
“This is the only arts-specific cut in their budget, and it hits hard,” she said.
“On its own, the cut represents 15 per cent of our overall budget. But the impact doesn’t stop there.
“Because our council funding is used to leverage matched grants from Create NSW, losing Shellharbour’s contribution also means losing an additional $92,600 in state government funding that would otherwise come to this region.”
Ms Croker said that was money that funded projects, supported artists, and built a creative economy.
While councillor Kellie Marsh said during the meeting she “can’t see any tangibles” from the partnership, Ms Croker said some of what it had delivered in 2025 included LOL Comedy Workshops for young people at Blackbutt Youth Centre; multicultural music residency Hit Factory at Albion Park; and Creative Gathering at the Shellharbour Airport, including the inaugural exhibition by Anna Glynn.
“The ongoing ripple effects of those three projects alone include new original multicultural music being created and shared, an increase in live music performance and festival attendance, further comedy performances being funded in Shellharbour, and the activation of an important community space,” she said.
She said South Coast Arts said Kiama Council’s proposed cuts went further.
“While the reduction to South Coast Arts’ funding is relatively modest in dollar terms, the broader package of proposed cuts to community and cultural services, including cultural development staff and delivery funding, is damning,” she said.
“These aren’t line items on a spreadsheet.
“They’re the roles and resources that connect people to their community.
“Losing them has lasting consequences for the region’s social fabric, wellbeing, and creative life.”
In Kiama in 2025, South Coast Arts delivered partnership support for the Creative Business Summit, a written submission to council in support of Fillmore’s development application, engagement with the Kiama Aboriginal Reference Group and support for council’s Aboriginal project officer, funding and sessions for the Creativity for Everyone project, and ongoing support and partnership with council’s cultural development officer.
It also engaged with more than 600 creatives across the region and provided 36 one-on-one sessions with creative practitioners.
“South Coast Arts belongs to this community,” she said.
“So does the decision about whether to fund it.”
South Coast Arts is asking the arts community and those who benefit from their services to provide submissions to the public exhibitions of the Shellharbour budget before 26 May and Kiama budget before 24 May.
