Director - Cairns Art Gallery Precinct

A significant opportunity for a strategic cultural leader to establish and develop three galleries and precinct as part of a transformative cultural.

• A transformative cultural initiative to establish Cairns as the arts and cultural capital of Northern Australia
• Set on a 2-acre site with 3 heritage buildings of over 1000m2 gallery space and extensive precinct areas
• Significant opportunity for a cultural leader to establish and develop the galleries and the precinct

Cairns Art Gallery is nationally recognised as one of Australia’s leading regional galleries through the excellence of its programs and its significant collection of art from North Queensland and the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists of Far North Queensland.

In 2024 as an initiative of Cairns Regional Council, the Cairns Art Gallery Precinct was created as a transformative cultural initiative in the heart of Cairns designed to establish the city as the arts and cultural capital of Northern Australia.

This new and unique project integrates three heritage-listed buildings: the existing Cairns Art Gallery with two Council owned and operated venues – the Court House Gallery and the Mulgrave Gallery (the former Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers), into a cohesive, world-class arts precinct. 

This Precinct will be managed and operated by the Cairns Art Gallery – a not-for-profit company managed by an independent Board of Directors – with the three gallery spaces under long-term leases from the State Government and Cairns Regional Council, the later which will contribute approximately 75% of the Precinct’s annual operating costs through a multi-year funding agreement.

The initiative will create a vibrant and expansive arts precinct to showcase the Gallery’s collection of over 1000 historical and contemporary works, international and domestic touring exhibitions as well as contemporary local and indigenous art.

This vision not only aims to build economic outcomes through tourism and community engagement in the arts, but is a celebration of the distinctive arts and culture created in Far North Queensland which contributes to our city’s reputation as one of Australia’s key destinations for a unique cultural experience. The precinct will be a bold and iconic statement that values and supports the arts for the benefit of residents and visitors.

A primary strategic focus of this initiative is to establish the precinct and the galleries as key drivers of cultural tourism and a leader in cross-cultural research and programs relating to the art of the world’s tropic zone.

We are looking for a visionary cultural leader to provide strategic oversight and to drive the artistic direction, operational excellence and public value of the galleries and the precinct, positioning them as a premier destination for cultural engagement with regional, state, national and international creative influence.

Please contact the consultant assisting the Board to obtain the link to the Information for Candidates site that has full details of the role and the application requirements:

Tony Grierson

AEGEUS Executive Search    

P: +61 8 7160 2383

E: cairnsartprecinct@aegeus.asia