Alexia, Author at NORPA

Ministerial media release

$12.4 million for North Coast active communities

Published: 29 September 2026
Released by: Minister for the North Coast, Minister for Regional NSW

The Minns Labor Government is investing $12.4 million into 38 locally driven projects on the North Coast to enhance community facilities and services and to help regional towns stay active, connected and thrive.

The projects are spread across 13 local government areas including Richmond Valley, Lismore, Bellingen, Coffs Harbour and Tweed Heads.

They range from new sporting and cultural facilities to council infrastructure and environmental projects and are part of the Minns Government’s $50 million Active Regional Communities Package, which is delivering 156 different projects designed to support local communities and regional towns across NSW.

The successful North Coast projects include:

• $997,917 for NORPA to deliver Stage Zero works for The Joinery in Lismore, transforming an under-utilised factory into a flood-resilient creative hub for workshops, training, youth programs, residencies and community arts participation.
• $1,000,000 for Tweed Seagulls RLFC to upgrade Piggabeen Sports Complex with a new covered grandstand and seating, improving spectator comfort, safety and accessibility while supporting regional rugby league events, school teams and growing female, Indigenous and inclusive participation.
• $1,000,000 for Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation to deliver the community-led Mudyala BRIDGE Program in the Clarence Valley, supporting at-risk children and young people through cultural camps, after-school and holiday activities, youth worker support and improved access through a new community bus.
• $1,000,000 for Koala Conservation Australia to establish the KCA Community Conservation Hub in Port Macquarie-Hastings, supporting education, volunteering, family, aged care and disability participation programs across its koala conservation sites, with accessible transport and facility upgrades to improve community access.

The State-wide funding is supporting projects ranging from major regional events and lasting community infrastructure to local activities, cultural programs, employment support, neighbourhood initiatives and practical services that strengthen social connection and wellbeing.

A connected community retains its workers and families, plus attracts essential workers such as teachers, police, nurses and vets that are critical to maintaining the vitality of regional towns.

The $50 million Active Regional Communities Package demonstrates the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to improving wellbeing in regional NSW by backing the practical, community-led projects that make towns more liveable, connected and attractive places to call home.

The Active Regional Communities Package is part of over $223 million being delivered from the NSW Government’s $400 million Regional Development Trust Fund to provide strategic and sustainable investment where it is needed to grow regional and rural industries, businesses and communities.

For more information, go to: nsw.gov.au/regionaldevelopmenttrust

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“People in the North Coast know what their communities need, and these projects show the ideas, energy and local leadership that exists right across the region.

“This funding is about backing the local organisations, volunteers and community groups already working hard to bring people together and make the North Coast the great place it is to live.

“Whether it’s a sporting facility, a local event, a cultural program or practical support for people as they live their day to day lives, these projects will create more opportunities to get involved and stay connected.

“Strong local communities make the North Coast a great place to live, work and raise a family, and the Minns Labor Government is proud to invest in the projects that help local towns thrive.”

Minister for the North Coast and Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin MP said:

“These projects are about supporting the places, people and organisations that make the North Coast such a strong and connected region, from local sporting clubs and creative hubs to cultural, environmental and wellbeing initiatives.

“Whether it is improving facilities, backing our volunteers, increasing participation or creating more welcoming community spaces, this funding will help North Coast communities deliver projects that locals have identified as important.”

10 September 2026 // MEDIA RELEASE

NORPA announces Libby Lincoln’s departure

NORPA has announced that Executive Director Libby Lincoln will step away after four years of leadership, as the company enters its next chapter.

The announcement comes in the same week that NORPA moves its offices into The Joinery, its new home in the heart of Lismore, marking a significant milestone in the organisation’s recovery and future following the 2022 floods.

Lincoln arrived at NORPA in the aftermath of the floods, when the organisation had lost its home, workplace and much of the infrastructure it had relied on.

2026 also marks 40 years of Lincoln’s professional life in the arts, across theatre, dance, festivals and cultural leadership. She says she is reflecting on the richness her career has given to her life, with NORPA representing a particularly special chapter.
“Following the floods, I felt compelled to work locally, and have loved working with one of the best companies in the country at NORPA,” Lincoln said.

“My focus was to support its adaptation and reimagining and to secure its future.

“There is something rather lovely about making this announcement in the same week that NORPA moves into its new home. I took up the position after the floods, when NORPA had lost its home, and now the organisation is moving into a new one.

“I’m confident NORPA is now in a very positive position with exciting opportunities ahead, and it’s timely to hand over to new leadership to continue to grow and strengthen the company.”

Over the past four years, Lincoln has co-led NORPA, with Artistic Director Julian Louis through an extraordinary period of recovery and renewal, including securing millions of dollars of investment, including significant multi-year funding from both the NSW and Australian Governments, philanthropic support from the Ian Potter Foundation, major capital works grants and the purchase and redevelopment of The Joinery through government and philanthropic support.

She has also overseen the development of NORPA’s 2025–28 Strategic Plan, engaged new sponsors, partners and donors, and strengthened NORPA’s relationships across the Northern Rivers and the wider arts sector, as well as worked with the whole team to continue to deliver an ambitious program of new work, presentations and creative development, including Flow, Bundjalung Indigenise, My Cousin Frank, Wildskin, Prima Facie, Makers Hub, Dinner Party at the End of the World Creative Development Project, as well as the recent sold out season of Love for One Night.

A significant part of Lincoln’s tenure has been NORPA’s vision to remain in Lismore, and to build a more adaptive and resilient future.

NORPA Chair Damian Kassabgi said Lincoln had made an extraordinary contribution to the organisation and to the cultural life of the Northern Rivers.

“Libby came to NORPA at one of the most difficult moments in the organisation’s history and has led with enormous commitment, clarity and ambition,” Kassabgi said.

“Over four years she has helped secure NORPA’s future in very tangible ways — from significant multi-year government funding and major philanthropic support, to the purchase of The Joinery and the development of a clear strategic direction for NORPA.

“Just as importantly, she has kept the artistic work at the organisation’s heart. NORPA has continued to make ambitious work, support artists and audiences, and build strong relationships with sponsors, partners and donors.

“The Board is very grateful for everything Libby has given to NORPA. After 40 years of professional life in the arts, we understand and respect her decision to step away and focus on other parts of her life.

“This is a natural point in NORPA’s evolution for leadership transition.

“Libby leaves NORPA in a very strong position, with The Joinery providing an extraordinary opportunity for NORPA and for the Northern Rivers. We are very fortunate to have had her expertise over the recent years and pleased that she will remain fully committed through the transition, supporting an effective handover.”

Lincoln will remain in her role until the transition to new leadership is determined and ensure continuity.

“I am proud of what the NORPA team has achieved over these past four years — the work we have made, the artists we have supported, the relationships we have built and the resilience the organisation has shown through a very difficult period.” Lincoln said.

“I continue to be particularly proud of the NORPA audience, who have shown up and supported us at every opportunity. What an incredible audience they are!

“I wish to thank the NORPA Board, co-CEO Julian Louis and the entire team; as well as the artists, partners, funders for the trust, support and generosity they have shown me.

“It has been an absolute privilege to co-lead NORPA. I leave with enormous affection for the company and I have great confidence in its future. I look forward to reaping the enormous benefits of having such a remarkable arts company in my neighbourhood.”

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Leigh McGrane | [email protected]

MEDIA RELEASE // 11 September 2026

Federal grant boosts The Joinery as a key part of Lismore’s cultural future

NORPA has secured $944,724 in Australian Government funding to progress The Joinery in Lismore, taking the ambitious project a significant step closer to becoming a flood-resilient cultural, creative and community hub for Lismore and the wider Northern Rivers. The funding has been awarded through the Australian Government’s Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program, funded through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.

The grant will support major feasibility, business, design and infrastructure planning and development work required to transform the historic Hampton & Larsson joinery factory in Lismore’s CBD into a flood-resilient performing arts, training and community hub, while considering The Joinery’s important role within the broader Lismore cultural precinct.

For NORPA, the funding provides the strategic foundations to ensure The Joinery is investment-ready, building the case for future government investment, philanthropy and partnerships.

Janelle Saffin MP, State Member for Lismore and NSW Minister for Recovery, said she strongly advocated for the Albanese Labor Government to make this terrific investment in Lismore’s future.

“The Joinery is much more than a new home for NORPA; this ambitious adaptive project will lead to the establishment of a cultural precinct in the Central Business District with other leading regional arts facilities and organisations,” Ms Saffin said.

“Restoring a former industrial building into a fit-for-purpose flood-resilient cultural hub for the Northern Rivers is setting a benchmark for how the arts in regional areas can assist preparation and recovery from climate disasters.

“The Joinery has the potential to become an important part of the cultural and economic renewal of our city. I continue to champion NORPA at the State level.”

Kevin Hogan MP, Federal Member for Page, said the grant demonstrated the Australian Government’s commitment to Lismore’s regeneration and growth.

“Lismore has been through a lot over the past few years. Projects like this are about getting people back into town, supporting our local businesses and continuing to rebuild a CBD that people want to spend time in.”

NORPA Chair Damian Kassabgi said the funding was particularly significant because it takes The Joinery beyond being a building project and positions it as part of a much bigger vision for Lismore and the Northern Rivers.

“This funding allows us to do the important strategic work that will look at the enormous potential of The Joinery’s location and the precinct around it,” Mr Kassabgi said.

“We continue to build a compelling case for future investment and partnerships not just for The Joinery, but for what this precinct can contribute to the future of Lismore.”

Building the case for the next stage

The Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program funding will deliver a comprehensive suite of research, planning and development work to underpin future development and investment in The Joinery. This includes economic and community research, a business case and cost-benefit analysis, precinct master-planning and governance, creative and design development, First Nations consultation, detailed design and a Development Application, specialist consultancy and project development support.

The resulting research and documentation will provide NORPA with the evidence, strategic framework and approvals required to advocate for future government investment, philanthropic support and partnerships.

The Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program is designed to help projects move towards being investment-ready or “shovel-ready”, with a second stream of the program providing a potential pathway for future major construction funding.

NORPA Executive Director Libby Lincoln said the funding was a strong endorsement of the potential of The Joinery and the opportunity it represents for the arts and Lismore.

“Beyond the building, we are already seeing what The Joinery can be for the life of the city – attracting people to Lismore, creating opportunities for artists and the community, supporting local businesses and contributing to a more vibrant, connected and resilient future.” Ms Lincoln said.

A project for Lismore

The Joinery is being developed by NORPA as a flood-resilient creative hub, training centre and incubator for artists and ideas, with flexible spaces designed to support performing arts, creative development, community participation and new partnerships.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Leigh McGrane | [email protected]

MEDIA RELEASE // 13 August 2026

NORPA welcomes audiences to The Joinery with first public performance, POV.

NORPA presents re:group performance collective’s acclaimed production, POV, for a strictly limited four-performance season.

Opening the doors of The Joinery to the public for the very first time from 1–3 October, NORPA is proud to present POV, the acclaimed production from re:group performance collective that has captivated audiences across Australia with its inventive, funny and deeply human storytelling.

★★★★ “A hilarious and profound family portrait.” — TimeOut Sydney
★★★★1/2 “Innovative, provocative and often quietly devastating. Bravo.” — ArtsHub
“Tremendous fun, exhilarating, and emotionally powerful.” — The Guardian

POV invites audiences to enter the mind of Bub, an 11-year-old girl obsessed with documentary filmmaking. In the aftermath of her family’s breakdown, she turns to dramatised re-enactments in an attempt to piece together what really happened.

At each performance, two new unrehearsed, locally cast adult-actors step onto the stage. Guided by Bub, they discover the story in real time alongside the audience, creating a unique theatrical experience that is different every single night.

Bub wants to get to the bottom of her mum’s erratic behaviour. Can these two adults answer the tough questions of a child?

Playful, surprising and emotionally resonant, POV explores family, mental health, memory, and the questions children ask when adults don’t have all the answers.

NORPA Artistic Director Julian Louis said ;

“Opening The Joinery to audiences is a milestone we’ve been working towards for a long time. After years of imagining what this place could become, it’s incredibly exciting to finally invite people through the doors and share it with the community.

“POV feels like the perfect production to mark that moment. It asks audiences to lean in, stay curious and experience something together that can only happen live. Every performance is different because it relies on real people making real discoveries in the moment, and there’s something wonderfully fitting about beginning this new chapter for NORPA with a work that’s all about connection, imagination and shared experience.”

POV
The Joinery, Lismore
1–3 October 2026
Book tickets

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Leigh McGrane | [email protected]

MEDIA RELEASE // 2 July 2026

NORPA invites Northern Rivers artists to create bold new work for their inaugural Live Edge 2026

Expressions of Interest are now open for artists to transform The Joinery through performance, installation and site-responsive art.

NORPA is inviting Northern Rivers artists, makers and creative practitioners to submit Expressions of Interest for Live Edge, a new annual multi-artform event at The Joinery in Lismore. Artists working across performance, visual arts, installation, music, sound, projection and interdisciplinary practice are encouraged to apply.

Selected artists will stage original works inspired by The Joinery’s distinctive industrial spaces, with audiences experiencing the program across two ticketed nights in November.

“Live Edge is a new initiative that will celebrate our region’s strong and diverse creative ecology,” said NORPA Artistic Director Julian Louis. “It creates a supportive platform for local artists to take risks, develop new forms, and connect their ideas with audiences in a live context. Lismore has always been a place where creative practice thrives at the edges, and this initiative celebrates that spirit — bringing emerging and established artists together to imagine new and exciting contemporary performance.”

Once a working joinery factory, The Joinery has long been a place where beautiful things are made. It’s currently being transformed into a 3,000m2 creative home for NORPA, designed as a space where artists can experiment, collaborate and create. Live Edge upholds that philosophy by inviting artists to use the building itself as a creative springboard for new work.

NORPA will provide cash, venue, marketing, producer and technical support for selected projects, attracting both emerging and established artists and a range of ideas including micro-commissions through to larger-scale performance, installation and interdisciplinary works.

Artists are encouraged to get in touch for a site tour and can discuss their ideas with the NORPA team before making their pitch.

Live Edge artist funding is supported by The Ian Potter Foundation and presentation partners Courtney Miller and Damian Kassagbi, and is focused on strengthening creative capacity and expanding artistic activity across the Northern Rivers.

For more details, and to submit an application, visit norpa.org.au/live-edge-eoi

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Leigh McGrane | [email protected]