News

Exit interview: Marcus Westbury, Director, Collingwood Yards

The outgoing Director of Melbourne's newest arts precinct reflects on his time at the organisation, finds himself 'very, very happy' and details the challenges of shaping a new cultural community.

22 Mar 2021 12:00

Richard Watts

Performing Arts

Collingwood Yards is home to a diverse mix of small to medium arts organisations that are greater than the sum of their parts, says Marcus Westbury. Photo credit Samara Clifford.

After five years and one month as the Director of Melbourne’s newest arts precinct, Collingwood Yards, Marcus Westbury is looking forward to some downtime now that the long-awaited venture has opened its doors to the public at last.

The founder of Renew Newcastle and Renew Australia, a former Festival Director and television host and a dedicated urbanist, Westbury says he’s very happy with the community mix of cultural organisations that have taken up residence at Collingwood Yards to date.

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's former National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in early 2020. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association in 2021, and a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Photo: Fiona Hamilton. Follow Richard on Bluesky @richardthewatts.bsky.social and Instagram @richard.l.watts