Mayoral Column: Support of arts and culture in Singleton

Published on 11 July 2025

The importance of the Singleton Art Prize, hosted and organised by the Rotary Club of Singleton on Hunter, goes beyond its status as one of the largest and most prestigious regional art prizes in NSW.

With mere weeks until the event opens for the 42nd year at Singleton Civic Centre on 25 July, Council is proud to continue its ongoing support as a platform for prominent and up-and-coming Australian artists to display their work—and for hundreds of visitors to engage and connect with creative expression.

More than that, the winning entries have helped to grow the Singleton Civic Art Collection over the past four decades to now boast more than 97 works through the acquisition of winning entries.

Staff at the Singleton Arts and Cultural Centre (SACC) are progressing on a painstaking project to formally catalogue the Civic Collection in addition to making the pieces available for everyone in the community to enjoy all year long.

You can view some of the works from the collection—and previous Singleton Art Prize winners—at Council buildings including Singleton Public Library and Singleton Visitor Information Centre, and of course in the corridor exhibition space at the SACC.

Support for arts and culture emerged as a key priority for our community, as noted in the Create Singleton 2035 Community Strategic Plan. Council also recognises the important contribution art and culture makes to the vibrancy of our community, encouraging greater connectivity and engagement between people and place.

That’s why Council’s combined Delivery Program and Operational Plan that took effect on 1 July includes actions to provide targeted programs at the SACC for all ages to educate, inspire and entertain; deliver arts and culture activities that promote inclusion and celebrate diversity; and to develop and deliver a Public Arts Strategy for Singleton to bring more art beyond the walls of exhibition spaces and into our community.

And it’s why Council continues its long-standing support of the Singleton Art Prize, which will run from 26-29 July following the opening night on 25 July. I look forward to seeing what the next addition to the Singleton Civic Art Collection will be.

Cr Sue Moore
Mayor of Singleton