Highfields Cultural Centre
the Queensland Anzac Centenary Stage Government Community Grants Program to conserve and maintain these memorials . The Westbrook Hall committee received a Queensland Government grant under the same scheme for $ 19,900 for preservation work on the memorial and Council received $ 50,000 from the Queensland Anzac Centenary Grants Program ( round three ) for restoring memorials as recommended in Council ’ s War Memorial Restoration report .
Sustainable cultural and library facilities for the community
Council ’ s function centres across the region offer extensive opportunity and the capacity to host bespoke events for our community . Our cultural centres offer a range of presentation and audio-visual equipment and in most cases in-house catering and bar services . With the attraction of both local and national clients , this year saw a total of 665 events hosted in our venues ; a growth of 15 per cent on the 2014-15 financial year .
This year also saw Council examine the processing of library assets and completion of a Library Coordination Centre at 618 Ruthven Street to service all 13 of our region ’ s libraries . With digital options now available , there has been significant uptake of electronic services from the community .
Art galleries across the region continue to deliver immersive art and cultural opportunities with visitors flocking to these Council-maintained facilities . This year , with the introduction of twilight tour events at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery , there has been increased visitor participation in public programs and with the support of locals and visitors , our art galleries have consistently remained a key cultural feature of the Toowoomba Region events calendar .
Family Literacy Program
This financial year saw the Pittsworth community leading the way in Queensland ’ s literacy for under-5s by forming a community partnership and embracing a Queensland Government funded literacy project . The First 5 Forever program is a family literacy program aimed at supporting stronger language and literacy environments for young children and their families . The project directly supports parents and primary caregivers to be confident in their role as the child ’ s first and most important teacher and provides parents with increased access to resources through public libraries . With the introduction of a community reference group , a draft strategic plan has been created with a range of partnerships in progress . This successful literacy program has been delivered to Kingsthorpe , Pittsworth and Toowoomba .
A major achievement of the First 5 Forever project has seen a successful collaboration with the Toowoomba Concert Orchestra bringing Narelle Oliver ’ s “ Fox and Fine Feathers ” book to life . The Toowoomba Concert Orchestra provided musical accompaniment which enhanced key elements of the story . The two performances attracted almost 400 attendees .
Queensland ’ s largest outdoor art gallery
This year saw over 30 national and international artists take to the streets to transform Toowoomba ’ s walls into one of Australia ’ s largest outdoor art galleries . The nine-day Art and Music Festival brought people from all over Australia to eat , drink and stay in our region with site-specific murals promoted throughout the heart of the city . Encompassing an Indigenous art piece on the Toowoomba Art Gallery , this year ’ s First Coat festival cemented Toowoomba as a region of rich history and outstanding talent . The outdoor gallery encourages our community to take ownership of its public art and activate passive public spaces into assets that provide interest and engagement opportunities for the entire community . Once visitors find one of our murals , it isn ’ t long before they are exploring the rest of our beautiful region .
Supporting the next generation of performers
The Toowoomba Region is a hotspot of talented artists , actors , actresses and theatre performers . From behind the curtain to on the stage , our local talent is never far from the spotlight . This year Council provided $ 23,000 in financial support of the Empire Theatre ’ s Community Access Scheme . This Scheme supports access for community and production groups to be involved in staging or attending productions at the Empire Theatre .
Regional Arts Development Fund
This year , Council in conjunction with the State Government , again supported creative development with the Regional Arts Development Fund ( RADF ) aimed at nurturing our emerging artists and supporting
TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL Annual Report 2015 - 2016 Our goals CHAPTER 4 75