Tamsin Cull joined the Queensland Art Gallery/ Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in 2002. She has been pivotal in playing a role in shaping how people engage with artworks and artists, in particular creating pathways of engagement for children and families.
Under her guard, the gallery established the Children’s Arts Centre with the opening of GOMA – a space that has been internationally recognised for leading in this area – and today has expanded to involve a team of colleagues.
As Head of Public Engagement – a title that didn’t exist when she started 22-years ago – Cull has just scored another revolutionary milestone, as curator of the exhibition Wonderstruck – a domain usually reserved for a gallery’s curatorial department.
ArtsHub caught up with Cull to explore some if the nuances of this critical role in the gallery sector.
What does an average day look like for you as Head of Public Engagement?
Tamsin Cull: I’m Head of Public Engagement, so that means that I oversee the Children’s Art Centre, Public Programs and the Members team, so I work really closely with artists in these roles and (each of these) teams right across the gallery.
A big part of my job is about looking for ways to make art and ideas accessible to really broad, diverse audiences.
Tell us about that shift in public programs, as we used to think of it, or engagement as it’s known today?
Cull: Yes, it’s a funny thing (that shift), as it includes public programs. It’s a funny title because sometimes people think the title suggests public relations, which is more of a marketing thing, whereas my job is very much about audiences and that intersection between audiences and artworks.
That includes things like public programs, and then also the work we do in the Children’s Art Centre, where we work really closely with artists to actually create new projects for the gallery.
How did you get your break as Head of Public Engagement?
I have worked here for a very long time. I’ve actually worked here for over 20-years. When I started, I was actually doing a Masters in Sydney at the University of New South Wales, and I came onto the staff as an intern.
I had had a professional career as a teacher before that, but I took the opportunity because I knew it was one that might not come up again, and I really just worked in different roles – in junior roles in public programs. I guess at that time – before there was a Children’s Art Centre – it was in children’s programs, and then GOMA opened. Since then I’ve held a couple of different roles, and now Head of Public Engagement.
If you were interviewing for a new Head of Public Engagement, which qualities would you be looking for?
I would say it’s really important to love working with people, and to be really interested in what lights people up, because that’s a big part of what we do, is we look to make those connections between art, artists, ideas and audiences.
I do find it really exciting when people, who might not have visited the gallery before, come in and feel like what we’re doing, and what we’re presenting to them, is accessible,and breaking down those boundaries.
So, qualities? I think a love of art, ideas, people and also a willingness to work hard. We work pretty hard in this place, but we all love what we do so we don’t mind.
Read: Kids at the Gallery: Australia leading the way
How much of being a Head of Public Engagement involves working with artists?
It’s really special to work with artists because each time we do a project, of course, it’s completely different. Every artist brings their own experience, their own practice to what we do, and it’s a huge privilege getting to work with them every day, and also our multidisciplinary team. This includes graphic designers, digital specialists and many others.
Every time we do work with an artist, we start with a really open question about what they would like to explore for young audiences. We always start with the artist’s idea and then we bring children in – it’s a really collaborative process.
We talk about this three-way collaborative process, where we involve children, we involve artists and then our team to develop the project.
In the past we used to think of engagement with children as either school visits or school holidays but it’s so much more today. How has public engagement changed in Museums?
I think for us, as an art museum, it is a really great place for families, and all people to really connect. It’s a place where you can talk about ideas, about what’s happening in the world and really explore together.
I think once upon a time it might have been about school visits only. I think school visits are still an incredibly important part of what we do, but there are many forms, and many ways, that people can connect in the art museum (today).
Read: Exhibition review: Wonderstruck, QAGOMA
What’s the best part of being Head of Public Engagement?
There’s something really energising about having the opportunity to pull an exhibition like this – Wonderstruck – off as part of a team. No one person can do something like this, and I love the people I work with. We have this great exchange of ideas and to do something like this together – working closely with artists, working with audiences – is really a privilege and a joy.
This idea that wonder doesn’t just exist in an object, or even an artwork, or a natural phenomenon – it exists in us at that point of intersection with these things.nWatching the show activated by people, and them energised by art is magic, and that has always been there since the beginning (in my job).
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