​This unique opportunity for regional visual artists to create artworks in response to original regional music has been a labour of love for Arts OutWest. We could see the impact of the global pandemic on the arts. Lockdowns and loss of work ran right across all artforms, particularly live shows. We wanted to help by creating opportunities for those most affected.

In response to the impacts of Covid-19 on the local music industry, Arts OutWest commissioned 15 songwriters across 11 local government areas in the region to each write a song reflecting their experiences of 2020. This compilation album was titled While the World Waits.

We heard what it felt like, now we wanted to see what it felt like.

While the World Waits is a curated exhibition in which selected visual artists in the region each respond to one or more tracks, title or words on the album.

The exhibition was officially launched on Saturday 19 March, 2022 at Tremains Mill Gallery in Bathurst by Dr. Tracey Callinan, CEO Regional Arts NSW. The exhibition has travelled for 18 months to galleries and venues across NSW Central West LGAs of Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Mid-Western Regional, Oberon, Orange, Parkes and Weddin and will on display at the Parliament of NSW between August 6 and 29.