First Indigenous Arts Management Fellowship

NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA / WESFARMERS ARTS INDIGENOUS FELLOWSHIP   

MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY: National Gallery of Australia / WesFarmers Arts Indigenous Fellowship

The National Gallery of Australia and Wesfarmers Arts have announced the inaugural recipients of the Wesfarmers Arts Indigenous Fellowship, Australia’s first arts management fellowship. The winning applications represent a breadth of talent for the future of the sector.

The two fellowships worth $50,000 each, allow the recipients to pursue individual projects over a two-year period with mentoring support from the National Gallery of Australia.

The first fellowships have been awarded to Glenn Iseger-Pilkington, Associate Curator of Indigenous Objects and Photography at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, and Jirra Harvey, National Youth Programs Coordinator, Oxfam Australia in Melbourne.

Franchesca Cubillo, Senior Curator Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the National Gallery of Australia said the two were selected by a panel of industry leaders from an impressive group of applicants.

“We were overwhelmed by the calibre of applicants we received for the Wesfarmers Arts Indigenous Fellowship, particularly given the program is in its first year,” Ms Cubillo said.

“I am looking forward to meeting and working with these two bright young minds and seeing what they will bring to both the National Gallery of Australia and to the broader arts community.”

Glenn will be working on a project called ‘Digital directions: Indigenous Australian art in the National Gallery of Australia collection’ while Jirra will develop an Indigenous communication strategy for the National Gallery of Australia.

Made possible through a five-year partnership with Wesfarmers Ltd, the fellowship is a prestigious professional development program designed to increase the representation of Indigenous Australians in the arts management sector.

Richard Goyder, Managing Director of Wesfarmers, said the organisation’s investment of $1.2 million is designed to help address the unbalanced representation of Indigenous Australians in the arts sector.

“Indigenous artists make a dynamic contribution to the Australian art industry; but this stands in stark contrast to the small number of Indigenous Australians in leadership roles in museums and galleries, this program is designed to address this imbalance.

“I am pleased that Wesfarmers and the National Gallery of Australia could develop this fellowship as a national offering to support and strengthen the future of the arts in Australia,” Mr Goyder said.

Ron Radford AM, Director of the National Gallery of Australia, hopes Glenn and Jirra will inspire other Indigenous Australians to pursue a career in arts management.

“We are thrilled to announce the first Wesfarmers Arts Indigenous fellows. Their projects will not only help to pave the way for other indigenous Australians working in arts management, and that their contribution will in turn enhance visitors experience of the national art collection”, said Ron Radford.

FELLOWSHIPS
Two fellowships valued at $50,000 each have been awarded to:

Glenn Iseger-Pilkington, Associate Curator of Indigenous Objects and Photography at the Art Gallery of Western Australia— Perth WA (29 years old)

His project, ‘Digital directions: Indigenous Australian art in the National Gallery of Australia collection’, involves researching and developing technology based platforms to provide a greater level of awareness and accessibility of Indigenous art practice to a variety of audiences, more specifically developing and implementing strategies of using new technologies as educational resources. This project would be developed more fully in consultation with relevant program areas at the National Gallery.

Jirra Harvey, National Youth Programs Coordinator, Oxfam Australia— Melbourne, Victoria (27 years old)

Her project, an Indigenous communication strategy for the National Gallery of Australia, involves researching and developing—in consultation with relevant program areas at the National Gallery and Indigenous communities—an overarching and practical strategy/document/protocol, and to gain experience working alongside the Gallery’s Marketing Section in the promotion of Indigenous exhibitions, galleries and collections at the National Gallery. Her project will also have links with the activities of the Gallery’s Education and Public Programs department.

Ten Indigenous Arts Leaderships each valued at $11,000 have been awarded to:

NEW SOUTH WALES

Nadeena Dixon - studying digital media skills at TAFE and Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Arts Management, Sydney

Tahjee Moar - studying for her Bachelor of Art Theory at the University of New South Wales, Sydney

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Alison Furber - Aboriginal Cultural Education Officer at the Araluen Art Centre & Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs

Gabriel Nodea - Chairman and Indigenous Liaison Officer at the Warmun Arts Centre, Turkey Creek

QUEENSLAND

Freja Carmichael - a graphic designer currently working at Queensland Health as a Project & Policy Support Officer in Brisbane

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Renee Johnson - Visual Arts Officer at Tandanya, the National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in Adelaide

TORRES STRAIT ISLANDS

Emma Loban - Communications Officer, Culture, Arts & Heritage Program at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Torres Strait Islands

VICTORIA

Kim Moulton - Project Officer at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre of the Melbourne Museum, Melbourne

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Ron Bradfield Jr - Manager Regional & Indigenous Development Program at Artsource, Artists Foundation of WA, Fremantle