Parkes Shire Council is pleased to announce the community groups successful in securing a Parkes Shire Council Cultural Grant. The recipients, awarded a total of $10,000, are the Parkes Community Arts and the Peak Hill Pastoral Agricultural and Horticultural Association. The awards were announced at a ceremony on 1 July 2025, at the Parkes Shire Council Chambers.
Parkes Shire Council congratulates the recipients on their achievements and acknowledges the diversity of projects and the positive impact these grants will have on the community. The Council is proud to support local organisations delivering unique cultural activities that benefit the Shire and enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike.
The Annual Cultural Grants Program is designed to nurture local skills, talents and abilities across the Parkes Shire. Over the past seven years, the program has provided almost $95,000 to more than 30 local community groups and organisations, supporting a wide range of musical, cultural and artistic endeavours.
This year, the following groups will benefit from a cultural grant:
Community Group |
Grant Amount |
Details |
Parkes Community Arts |
$6,000 |
Last year Parkes Community Arts installed 11 large scale images in Parkes, Peak Hill, Bogan Gate, Trundle and Tullamore titled Who Is Parkes, creating a photographic trail for residents and visitors to the shire that showcased everyday people who make up our community. With this grant Parkes Community Arts will extend this very popular and successful initiative, adding additional images to the photographic trail and redesigning the trail brochure. The project takes art out into the streets and provides a unifying experience for the community of which residents could feel proud of who we are. It also gives visitors coming to the shire an added experience and a reason to come off the bypass and visit the small villages and township of Parkes. |
Peak Hill Pastoral Agricultural and Horticultural Association |
$4,000 |
This grant will support the Crafting Connections Creative Workshops. As part of the 2025 Peak Hill Show, the Pastoral Agricultural and Horticultural Association will deliver a series of hands-on creative workshops in flower arranging, macrame, cheese making and Viking knit jewellery. The workshops will be delivered by experienced practitioners and open to all ages, with a particular focus on community connection, skill development, and cultural engagement. Participants will be encouraged to display their creations at the Peak Hill Show, which is a great platform for showcasing local talent, creativity and connection. We'll all look forward to seeing what is created and displayed as a result of this grant at the show. |
Deb Jones, Chair of Parkes Community Arts, said that "this grant will allow us to build on the success of the Who Is Parkes project and get some more exciting images up and around the Parkes shire of beautiful, everyday people. We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to the large-scale images and the project, and look forward to installing the new images".
Stephanie Williams, Secretary of the Peak Hill Show Committee, said that "with this year being the 120th Peak Hill Show, the cultural grant will get more community involvement in our local show. In the past when we have run creative workshops such as this, people have felt a greater connection with the Peak Hill show, so were hoping this year will be the best yet."
The annual Cultural Grants Program aims to increase cultural activity in the community, encourage innovative creative events and workshops, help artists, crafters and musicians develop their skills, and provide funds to maintain or develop facilities. Organisations may apply for a grant of at least $2,000, with a total funding pool of $10,000 annually.
