Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently I had the honour of standing in for the federal Minister for the Arts to officially open the Sarina Art Extravaganza. The three-day extravaganza marks one of Sarina's biggest cultural events, and is highly valued by both artists and the local community. Importantly, the even offers a significant boost to the local economy by attracting hundreds of visitors to the town, who in turn spend money in local shops and on food and accommodation. It was also very heartening to see the level of support received from local businesses themselves, some giving as much as $1,500 towards awards and prizes. The extravaganza has been running for 26 years. It highlights that the arts are not just something for city people to enjoy, but an important part of culture in regional Australia.

To help regional areas, the Australian government has introduced regional artists' development fellowships to support the professional development of artists in regional communities. In addition, the government continues to work closely with key regional arts organisations to invest over $3 million every year through the Regional Arts Fund. I congratulate the organising committee of the Sarina Art Extravaganza and I wish them all the best for the 27th event next year.