Horizons

Young person painting. Photo: Getty Images Aleksander Nakik

In 2024, Horizons was offered as a creative industry mentoring and development program for NSW regional youth.

Horizons was a state-wide regional project that provided direct intensive support to young people (aged 16-27) wanting to pursue a career in the creative industries. Horizons celebrated and supported the creative strengths of 75 young people from the 15 Regions of the NSW Regional Arts Network over 18 months.

Participating regional youth were paired with successful practitioners from their chosen field, connecting them into a network of peers and demonstrating career opportunities within a regional context. This project provided new, and enhanced existing pathways for young regional people to explore further work and study opportunities in the creative industries.

The results of this extended mentoring program were shared to the community through a creative industry showcase, developed and led by the project participants.

Participants:

  • Strategically paired with a mentor who is a practicing artist or creative industries person working in Regional NSW.

  • Worked with their mentor to co-design their program according to their needs and goals throughout  2024. 

  • Received a stipend of $750 just for participating in this project. Approved travel expenses and associated material costs were covered.

  • Worked on a collective showcase that addresses pressing issues for regional young people through collaborating with the 75 other participants. 

  • While there isn't a universally accepted list of sectors included in the creative industries, they typically encompass the following:

    Visual Arts - This includes activities such as painting, sculpture, photography, and graphic design.

    Performing Arts -This involves live performances such as theatre, dance, music, and opera.

    Film and Television - This sector covers the production, distribution, and exhibition of films, television shows, and documentaries.

    Publishing – This includes the production of books, magazines, newspapers, and digital publications.

    Advertising and Marketing - This sector focuses on creating and promoting products and services through various media channels, including digital advertising, branding, and public relations.

    Design - Encompassing a wide range of fields like fashion design, interior design, industrial design, and architectural design.

    Music and Sound Recording - Covering the creation and distribution of music, including songwriting, recording, music production, sound engineering, radio broadcasting, podcasting and livestreaming.

    Video Games and Interactive Media - This includes the development of video games, virtual reality experiences, and interactive digital content.

    Crafts and Artisanal Production - Involving the creation of handmade and artisanal products, such as ceramics, textiles, and jewellery.

    Cultural Heritage - Focusing on the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, including museums, galleries, libraries, and cultural events.

    Software and Creative Technology - Covering software development for creative purposes, animation, special effects, theatre production (sound and lighting), projection and digital art tools.

    Architecture and Urban Planning - Encompassing architectural design, urban planning, and landscape architecture.

Horizons – Creative Industries Career Launchpad is funded by through the Regional Youth Incentive Program of the Office of Regional Youth and the NSW Regional Arts Network.

The Regional Arts Network (RAN) consists of 15 Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADO’s) supporting and advocating for arts development and engagement across Regional NSW. Find out more about the network.