SINGLETON has a wealth of cultural assets that have been identified in the Singleton Cultural Plan Towards 2020.

The town’s heritage value through its buildings and trees, its Anzac traditions, the Singleton Art Prize, strong music groups such as Singleton Theatrical Society and the Singleton Arts and Music Society and the Sister’s of Mercy Convent ‘Sacred Spaces’ were just some of the cultural icons of the community identified.

The project is a partnership project between Singleton Shire Council and the community and is hoped to be ready for public exhibition early next year.

The project not only identifies current cultural assets, but has a view to the future for the cultural and arts activities in Singleton.

Singleton Council community services manager Jennifer Underwood said council was at a stage where they were putting together a strategic plan and reporting on their findings.

“We have identified the key themes that relate to Singleton’s cultural development; heritage and history, arts, celebration, identity and character and future.”

Ms Underwood said the response from the community had been good with 519 community members involved in the consultation process including 11 attending community workshops, 88 attending forum meetings, 52 organisations were represented, one written submission was received and of 419 surveys completed.

She said a ‘cultural map’ of Singleton had identified assets, activities, resources and infrastructure that was currently in place or part of the ‘cultural vision’.

Future actions and plans based on community needs were also identified.

The advisory committee includes Singleton Shire Council representatives, Singleton Councillors Lyn MacBain and Godfrey Adamthwaite and a handful of community representatives.

Ms Underwood said they currently had places on the committee for an indigenous representative and two youth representatives.

She said the youth representatives would be involved more in the hands-on activities with programs at the Singleton Youth Venue and could be aged between 11 and 25.