Southern Tablelands Arts

What Southern Tablelands Arts does

Southern Tablelands Arts (STA) is a private nonprofit arts and cultural development organization incorporated in New South Wales, Australia. It operates across seven contributing local government areas — Goulburn Mulwaree, Hilltops, Upper Lachlan Shire, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Wingecarribee Shire, Wollondilly Shire, and Yass Valley — providing professional services, funding access, exhibition opportunities, and community programs to artists, makers, First Nations communities, seniors, children, and the broader regional public. Its core 'products' are not technology platforms but program-based services: a free membership program, the Creative Directory (hundreds of artist profiles), the Stories from the Studio content series (200+ features), STA Commissions, the Power Up professional development program, Artist in Residence, Connect@Gunning Station arts hub, STA Box Galleries, STA Screen mobile cinema, Paint the Town street art tour (110+ murals), Mob in Focus First Nations programming, STA CA$P grants, the Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize, STA Kids, plus sub-products Dance4Wellbeing, Maisie's Choir, and the 100% Arty Market.

STA's business model is predominantly grant-funded, with diversified revenue streams including NSW Government Restart Program and CASP grants, contributions from seven local councils, free membership (freemium-style), merchandise sales via Redbubble, and modest program fees (e.g., Dance4Wellbeing at $15/class casual, Maisie's Choir at $50+GST per 8-week term). Distribution is community-led through mobile offices that travel to each contributing council on a regular schedule, the Connect@Gunning Station physical hub, partner venue networks, and Visitor Information Centres across the seven councils. The organization is led by Executive Director Rose Marin, governed by a board of directors, and has no disclosed headcount, revenue figures, parent company, or institutional investors.

Name

Southern Tablelands Arts

Legal name

Southern Tablelands Arts

Website

https://southerntablelandsarts.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Tablelands Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization serving seven NSW council areas, delivering programs, grants, exhibitions, and community services to artists, First Nations creatives, seniors, and families in regional NSW.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Arts and Cultural Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO), Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

Keywords

• Regional arts services
• Community arts programs
• Arts funding support
• Creative directory listings
• Cultural events programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Gunning

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Grants: STA receives government funding to support arts and cultural programs across the region, including NSW Government Restart Program funding for commissions.
2. Membership: Free membership for creatives in the seven council areas with benefits including directory listings, exhibition eligibility, and program access.
3. Merchandise Sales: STA merch sold through Redbubble platform with local artist designs; purchases support arts across the Southern Highlands and Tablelands.
4. Program Fees: Dance4Wellbeing classes at $15 casual; choir programs at $50+GST per term (8 weeks); workshops and activities with various fee structures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southern Tablelands Arts is a regional nonprofit arts organisation that supports, creates, educates and advocates for the arts and cultural sector across seven council areas in regional NSW. It delivers free membership and directory services to creatives, runs flagship programs such as Stories from the Studio, Paint the Town, STA Commissions, Power Up and the Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize, operates the Connect@Gunning Station arts hub and mobile offices, and delivers community programs including Dance 4 Wellbeing, Maisie's Choir, STA Kids and the 100% Arty Market.

Product overview

Southern Tablelands Arts (STA) is a regional arts organization operating as a single unified program rather than a platform architecture. The organization provides a multifaceted suite of arts services and programs across seven contributing councils in regional NSW, including membership programs, the Creative Directory, and flagship initiatives like Stories from the Studio. Venues include Connect@Gunning Station (arts hub), STA Box Galleries, and STA Screen (mobile cinema). Programs span artist support through the Artist in Residence program, STA Commissions, and CA$P funding; community engagement via Paint the Town (street art), STA Kids, and Mob in Focus (First Nations); professional development through Power Up and mobile office services; and community health via Dance 4 Wellbeing and Maisie's Choir. The organization also operates merchandise and events including the 100% Arty Market and Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Connect@GunningStation: Arts and Cultural Hub at Gunning Station, serving as the primary physical venue for STA programs and exhibitions.
• STA Screen
• Paint the Town
• STA Box Galleries
• Stories from the Studio
• STA CA$P
• Mob in Focus

Products and services

• STA Membership Program Free membership for creatives, makers, artists, organisations and cultural groups living within the seven contributing councils, providing access to funding support, professional development, directory listings, exhibition eligibility and program access.
• STA Creative Directory Online directory featuring hundreds of local artists, creatives and organisations with profiles and portfolio information for discovery and connection.
• Stories from the Studio Flagship weekly content program featuring creative profiles and stories, with 200+ stories documenting local artists and cultural organisations across the STA Region.
• STA Screen Mobile cinema service offering silver screen classics, cult hits and locally made films for hire or screening at venues across the STA Region.
• STA Mobile Offices Field service delivery program in which STA staff travel to each of the seven contributing council areas on a regular schedule to provide face-to-face support, advice and program access to local creatives.
• STA Box Galleries Micro exhibition program featuring rotating gallery spaces at partner venues across the STA Region, showcasing local artistic works.
• STA Artist in Residence (AiR) Program Residency program offering regular artist in residence opportunities and programs for artists from across Australia and internationally.
• Connect@Gunning Station Arts and Cultural Hub at Gunning Station providing gallery spaces, artist residencies, workshops and community arts programming as STA's primary physical venue.
• Paint the Town Street art program featuring 110+ murals across the region, including a self-guided street art tour for visitors.
• STA Commissions Ongoing professional commissions and licensing program supporting local artists through paid opportunities to create new works, including NSW Government Restart Program-funded commissions such as the Maisie's Choir Scarf by Jenny Johnson.
• Wollondilly Waste to Art Prize Annual premier waste-to-art exhibition and competition with $2,700 in prizes across three categories, promoting creative sustainability.
• Power Up Professional development program offering training, mentoring and tailored support for creatives through three online sessions with an STA team member.
• STA CA$P CA$P-funded creative projects program supporting nine local creative projects annually for 2026.
• STA Kids Online creative activities and workshops for children and families including making, dancing, singing and performing content available anytime.
• STA Give-A-Little-Get-A-Little Merch Shop Merchandise shop on Redbubble featuring designs by local artists, with proceeds supporting arts across the Southern Highlands and Tablelands.
• STA Elder in Residence Program Program placing a First Nations Elder in residence to provide cultural guidance and support, with Djon Mundine OAM serving as STA Elder in Residence 2026-27.
• Mob in Focus Platform for local Aboriginal creatives providing special exhibition opportunities during NAIDOC, with programs such as Holding Space for 2026.
• Dance 4 Wellbeing Movement and dance program for over 55s delivered in Yass and Young, promoting social connection, joy, creativity and mobility through seated and standing sessions, with subsidised places for people with Parkinson's.
• Maisie's Choir Community choir program in Yass Valley focused on improving health and reducing social isolation, open to singers of all levels, priced at $50+GST per term (8 weeks).
• 100% Arty Market Regular artisan market event showcasing independent local creatives with handmade goods, held in partnership with Bowral Art Gallery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ creatives featured through Stories from the Studio program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Creative SouthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural tourism platform at creativesouth.com.au featuring 500+ things to do and see across Creative South, including festivals, markets, galleries, and public art. Co-promotion of events and cultural programs.
• Bowral Art GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 100% Arty Market - a creative market showcasing independent local creatives. Joint event delivery with Bowral Art Gallery hosting the venue and STA providing programming.
• Highland FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal community radio station supporting the 100% Arty Market with live broadcasts and promotion of the 100% Home Grown Artist of the Month project.
• Djon Mundine OAMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTA Elder in Residence 2026-27. Djon Mundine OAM is a proud Bandjalung man living on Gundungurra Country who provides cultural guidance and leadership for STA's First Nations programming.
• Visitor Information Centres (7 council areas)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of local Visitor Information Centres across the STA Region (Goulburn Mulwaree, Hilltops, Upper Lachlan, QPRC, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly, Yass Valley) promoting STA What's On events.
• Dance for Parkinson's AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-director relationship with Jess Conneely; expanded regional programs through this arts health partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bundanon Trust: A NSW-based arts and cultural organisation operating artist residencies, exhibitions, and education programs in regional NSW. Comparable to STA in artist-residency programming and regional NSW arts infrastructure, though Bundanon operates at larger scale with a dedicated property asset.
• Screenworks: A regional screen-industry development organisation supporting filmmakers in regional NSW and beyond. Overlaps with STA's STA Screen mobile cinema program and shares a regional NSW creative-development mandate, though specialising in screen rather than multi-arts.

Direct peers

• Regional Arts NSW: The peak body for regional arts organisations across NSW. STA is a member and operates with a comparable mandate of supporting regional creatives, advocating for funding, and delivering programs across multiple council areas.
• Arts North West: A regional arts development organisation serving the New England/North West region of NSW. Operates with a comparable council-supported, multi-LGA service-delivery model focused on supporting regional artists and creative communities.
• Country Arts WA: Major regional arts development organisation serving regional Western Australia. Comparable scope and structure to STA: statewide regional arts council model, government funded, mobile service delivery, and creative development programs.
• Murray Arts: A regional arts organisation covering the Murray-Riverina area of NSW. Comparable to STA in council-funded regional arts development, program delivery for regional creatives, and partnership-based service model.
• Regional Arts Victoria: The peak regional arts body for Victoria, supporting regional artists and councils. Directly comparable in mission and stakeholder base to STA, though operating at a larger state-wide scale.
• Western Arts: A regional arts organisation supporting artists and communities in Western Sydney. Comparable regional arts development mandate, council partnerships, and program structure to STA, with similar reliance on public funding.
• Arts Upper Hunter: A regional NSW arts organisation supporting creatives across the Upper Hunter LGA cluster. Closely matches STA's council-funded, community-LED regional arts delivery model and audience.

Broad incumbents

• Create NSW: The NSW state government's arts and cultural policy and funding body. STA is a recipient of Create NSW-administered funding (e.g., Restart Program). Sets policy, allocates grants, and operates as a much larger institutional incumbent in the same sector.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TablelandsArts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJuEMvQ4iiihzfUx5KSX_gg
• Facebookfacebook.com/southerntablelandsarts
• Instagraminstagram.com/southerntablelandsarts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southerntablelandsarts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Tablelands Arts