Welcome to the first edition of enews for 2012.

I am absolutely delighted to be back in the Northern Rivers and working for Arts Northern Rivers as the new CEO.

I'm very familiar with the region, having moved here six years ago and also with Arts Northern Rivers where I originally worked as a consultant developing the Visual Arts Network business plan and then as communications officer. So stepping back into the organisation and reconnecting with our many stakeholders has been a bit like coming home.

2012 is already off to a busy start. Grant applications for the Country Arts Support Program (CASP) are about to close, funding applications for our Indigenous arts programs are breathing down our necks, the 2011 annual report is being finalised and we're about to roll out our new logo and branding. Hitting the ground running has always been my preferred entry into new jobs!

Our focus in the early part of 2012 will be developing the next three-year business plan for Arts Northern Rivers. As the new CEO this is a great opportunity to look back on our many successes and to build on what went right, learn from what didn't go right and identify some new policy directions in response to the changing arts and political landscape. Consultation and meetings with many of our stakeholders will inform the development of the business plan and indeed this process has already begun.

As mentioned our 2011 Annual report will soon be finalised and available to be downloaded from artsnorthernrivers.com.au. The report will show that Arts Northern Rivers once again delivered a range of resources and opportunities across the region. Whether through grant writing workshops, industry consultation, cultural policy development, or simply answering daily queries from artists and arts workers, Arts Northern Rivers continued to support and nurture the arts and creative industries in this vibrant region.

In 2012 Arts Northern Rivers will remain committed to supporting Indigenous artists and projects and I'm looking forward to working with our Indigenous Arts Development Officer Robert Appo to identify priorities for 2012 and to build on some of the great professional development programs we delivered in 2011.

Similarly I'm looking forward to moving the Arts and Creative Industry Strategy forward in 2012 in particular to extend the highly successful Creative Industries Broker project that saw some great headway made in connecting local artists to markets.

Of course none of this work happens without the energy and creativity of the artists and arts workers that make up this extraordinary part of Australia - nor without the support of the seven local governments of the Northern Rivers, our funding partners, our media partners and the Northern Rivers Board and staff. I'm looking forward to working with you all.