DUBBO has been awarded hosting rights for a major arts conference and festival that is expected to attract hundreds of delegates and inject hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy.
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Dubbo mayor Councillor Mathew Dickerson was part of a delegation that travelled to the 2014 Regional Arts Australia Summit in Kalgoorlie in WA for yesterday’s announcement, where he invited those in attendance to visit Dubbo for the event.
He said the announcement was a fantastic endorsement of the city’s ability to attract and host high-calibre events and confirmed Dubbo’s growing reputation as a cultural hub for regional Australia.
“Dubbo City Council submitted an event bid and has worked closely with Regional Arts NSW and Orana Arts to secure Dubbo as the 2016 destination for the Regional Arts Australia Conference and Arts Festival (Artlands),” Cr Dickerson said.
The 2016 conference in Dubbo was expected to draw 800 delegates to Dubbo to experience the city’s diverse array of traditional and contemporary cultural facilities.
“Assuming a three-night stay for delegates the estimated injection to the Dubbo economy would be more than $300,000,” Cr Dickerson said.
Artlands would provide an opportunity to showcase Dubbo’s cultural landmarks and arts organisations, he said.
In the past decade, Council had invested more than $28 million to develop major arts facilities within Dubbo, Cr Dickerson said, including the construction and development of the Western Plains Cultural Centre and the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre.
“Dubbo has the largest gallery space west of the Blue Mountains, with 706 square metres of exhibition space incorporating four galleries, the city also boasts a 500-seat tiered theatre and 700 seat convention centre,” he said.
“With the upgrade of the Old Dubbo Gaol this financial year including a new event and function space, installation of new exhibitions and restoration of the watch tower, the city’s cultural facilities will form the perfect venue to host Artlands in 2016.”