Program Experience
Over the 2024–25 period, we delivered a diverse and strategically designed suite of cultural programs across regional NSW, primarily centred in Dubbo and the Western Plains. These activities were tailored to address community needs, foster creative development, and build long-term cultural capacity.
02
Rabbit Control 1080
Exhibition '1080 Rabbit Control', explores the environmental impact of the European Rabbit as an introduced species into the Australian landscape. By the 1950s, rabbits had reached plaque proportions across Australia, and attempts to control the rabbit problem, included experiments conducted by the Dubbo Pastures Protection Board with the poison 1080.
04
Dubbo Art Fair
The Dubbo Art Fair, held at the Western Plains Cultural Centre in September, is a dynamic celebration of regional creativity. Featuring over 40 emerging and established visual artists, the fair showcases a wide array of works including painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and drawing. The event fosters direct engagement between artists and the public, with opportunities to purchase original artworks. The fair highlights Dubbo’s vibrant arts scene and supports cultural exchange, community connection, and creative growth across the region.
01
SCOREBOARD
The Western Plains Cultural Centre’s Scoreboard program is a community arts initiative that connects local artists with groups seeking creative expression and social connection. In its latest project, Indigenous artist Hayden Wood collaborated with young men from the Boys to the Bush mentorship program to create a public artwork now displayed at the WPCC entrance. The program fosters cultural engagement, emotional wellbeing, and community pride through collaborative art.
03
UnBoxed Sessions
UNBOXED Creative Sessions offer a mix of workshops, rehearsals, play readings, open mic nights, film screenings, music performances, and more. Each session is unique, driven by the ideas and passion of our local creative community.
UNBOXED Creative Sessions bring Dubbo’s creative community together every Thursday evening at the Black Box Theatre, located at the Western Plains Cultural Centre. Supported by Dubbo Regional Council and Studio 138, this initiative provides a platform for local artists, performers, and creatives to develop, collaborate, and showcase their work.
On the last Thursday of every month, UNBOXED features a public live performance—whether it’s theatre, music, spoken word, or another creative showcase. Presented in partnership with Studio 138
.jpg)
05
Autumn /Spring Live
Autumn /Spring LIVE is a free, youth-focused live music event hosted by the Western Plains Cultural Centrein partnerhsip with the Dubbo Conservatorium and St Johns High School, designed to foster creative expression, social inclusion, and community engagement among young people aged 16–25. Held in a safe, substance-free environment, the event features performances by emerging local bands, free food and non-alcoholic refreshments, and opportunities for youth to connect through music and culture. Supported by local organisations, LIVE addresses youth wellbeing and access to the arts in regional NSW. The program aligns with broader cultural and social development goals by empowering young people through creative participation and public performance.
06
Carcass
Carcass was successfully presented as a regionally specific exhibition that enabled the WPCC to undertake focused curatorial work showcasing ideas and artworks particularly meaningful to the Dubbo community. The exhibition explored how humans encounter animal death through a rigorous framework examining the physicality, representation, and use of animal materials within a regional context.
The exhibition recorded high visitation, demonstrating the relevance and resonance of the curatorial approach with local audiences. Two curator‑led public programs were delivered and were highly attended, supporting strong public engagement. An accompanying exhibition catalogue was developed and sold out during the exhibition period. The project also facilitated the development of strong professional relationships through the loan of works from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, and a number of private collectors, strengthening WPCC’s curatorial profile and sector connections.
07
From the Vault: Front Page
Front Page was part of the ongoing From the Vault exhibition series, featuring collections from the WPCC Local Studies Archives. The exhibition utilized the extensive collection of bound newspapers in the Local Studies Collection to explore significant front pages from the 1890s to the present era.
the exhibition aimed to highlight the enduring importance of newspapers as sources of community, focus, voice, and debate. Through local newspapers such as the Dubbo Dispatch and the Dubbo Liberal, the exhibition used Dubbo as a microcosm to examine how significant national and international issues were communicated and understood at a local level.
Front Page generated new knowledge, ideas, and insights by showcasing collections that had not previously been publicly available.
08
Rawdon Middleton: In the Face of Overwhelming Odds
Carcass was successfully presented as a regionally specific exhibition that enabled the WPCC to undertake focused curatorial work showcasing ideas and artworks particularly meaningful to the Dubbo community. The exhibition explored how humans encounter animal death through a rigorous framework examining the physicality, representation, and use of animal materials within a regional context.
The exhibition recorded high visitation, demonstrating the relevance and resonance of the curatorial approach with local audiences. Two curator‑led public programs were delivered and were highly attended, supporting strong public engagement. An accompanying exhibition catalogue was developed and sold out during the exhibition period. The project also facilitated the development of strong professional relationships through the loan of works from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, and a number of private collectors, strengthening WPCC’s curatorial profile and sector connections.
