Minister for the Arts Don Harwin has confirmed nine new appointments and nine reappointments set to take effect for three year terms from 2020 across NSW State Cultural Institutions.

“As we welcome in a significant new decade for our NSW Cultural Institutions, I’m excited about the passion, strategic expertise and breadth of cultural experience that our latest appointments will bring to each respective Board.

“I am extremely grateful for the strategic leadership of our retiring members, who have each built a legacy of achievements during their tenures. All of our institutions have benefitted greatly from their energy and direction and their work will be remembered,”
said Minister Harwin.

Tony Albert, Anita Belgiorno-Nettis AM and Andrew Cameron AM are new appointments to the Art Gallery of NSW Board. Gretel Packer and the Hon. Mrs Ashley Dawson-Damer AM are reappointed and retiring members are Khadim Ali, Samantha Meers and Andrew Roberts.

Philip Bacon AM and Craig Ritchie will join the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales (Sydney Living Museums), Lachlan Edwards has been reappointed and Louise McElvogue will step down from 5 March 2020.

Suzie Laundy and Peter Poulet join as new appointments for the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse) Board, with Dr Alex Birrell and Lisa Chung stepping down.

The Sydney Opera House Trust welcomes the appointment of the Hon. Bruce Baird AM and the reappointment of Jillian Segal AO and Phillip Wolanski AM. Christopher Knoblanche AM will conclude his term at the end of the year.

Dr Christopher Allen will join the Library Council of New South Wales (State Library) Board, with Jane Garling reappointed and Terri Janke finishing her term.

At the Australian Museum, David Armstrong, Steven Gregg and Dr Roderic Kefford AM have been reappointed. Mr Armstrong will continue as both Trustee and President

Art Gallery of NSW Board of Trustees

• Tony Albert (new) – Celebrated Sydney-based Townsville-born visual artist whose work examines the legacy of racial and cultural misrepresentation, particularly of Australia’s Aboriginal people, and seeks to rewrite historical mistruths and injustice. With existing member Ben Quilty, Tony Albert’s appointment satisfies the Art Gallery of NSW Trust’s statutory requirement for at least two Board members with knowledge of, or experience in, the visual arts. Three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Anita Belgiorno-Nettis AM (new) – Director of the Anita and Luca BelgiornoNettis Foundation, focused on supporting the arts, education and community services. Current Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW Foundation, a Director of the Sydney Theatre Company and a member of the Executive Committee of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Venice, and has been a supporter of the Venice Biennale and Biennale of Sydney. Appointed Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia in 2019 for significant service to the community through support and philanthropic contributions to social welfare and arts organisations.  Three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Andrew Cameron AM (new) – Longstanding arts supporter, philanthropist, art collector and advocate and a trained architect with experience in major project delivery of arts projects. In addition to several Board positions including Sydney Festival (current), Artspace Visual Arts Centre (current Chair), Belvoir Theatre, Biennale of Sydney (past Deputy Chair) and the Australian Major Performing Arts Group, Andrew Cameron is a former Chair of the Art Gallery of NSW Foundation and has been actively involved in the capital campaign committee for the Art Gallery of NSW Sydney Modern Project. Three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• The Hon. Mrs Ashley Dawson-Damer AM (reappointed) – three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Gretel Packer (reappointed) – three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Khadim Ali (outgoing) – stepped down 25 October 2019
• Samantha Meers (outgoing) – term ends 31 December 2019
• Andrew Roberts (outgoing) – term ends 31 December 2019

Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales (Sydney Living Museums)

• Philip Bacon AM (new) – Art dealer and philanthropist who has held Board positions across several of Australia’s leading cultural institutions and organisations. A national leader in supporting the arts through personal and professional leadership and advocacy who has opened important communication channels between different art forms such as opera and visual arts. His philanthropy has also ensured Australia’s art history, including the unique documentary heritage of Australia’s commercial galleries, continues to be captured, preserved and promoted. Three-year term 6 March 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Craig Ritchie (new) – Aboriginal man of the Dhunghutti and Biripi nations and the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). Founding member of the APS Indigenous SES Network with previous senior roles within the APS Department of Education and Training, heading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education, incorporating access and participation for people from low-SE backgrounds and international student mobility. A founding Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health in the ACT Government and a contributor to the community sector as CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) – the peak advocacy body for Aboriginal community controlled health services. Adjunct Professor, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research (UTS) and member of Vice Chancellor’s Industry Advisory Board. Three year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Lachlan Edwards (reappointed) – three-year term 6 March 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Michael McDaniel (outgoing) – stepped down 21 March 2019
• Louise McElvogue (outgoing) – term ends 5 March 2020

Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse)

• Suzie Laundy (new) – Experienced sponsorship, fundraising and marketing Executive with extensive experience working in Western Sydney. Works passionately with community organisations that focus on enhancing the lives of children, including the Ngurra Jirrama Foundation, which enables Indigenous students from remote NT to complete secondary education in NSW, and the ASK Council of Australia, which supports underprivileged children with severe medical conditions in Manila. Currently works in the family business, the Laundy Hotel Group, which operates venues and hotels with strong and broad connections to local communities, particularly in Western Sydney, Central Coast and Regional NSW. Three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Peter Poulet (new) – Award-winning former NSW Government Architect (2012- 2018), current Central City District Commissioner at the Greater Sydney Commission and a Professor of Practice Architecture, Western Sydney University. Three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Dr Alex Birrell (outgoing) – term ends 31 December 2019
• Lisa Chung (outgoing) – term ends 31 December 2019

Library Council of New South Wales (State Library)

• Dr Christopher Allen (new) – Art critic and historian. Graduate of the University of Sydney who has worked at the Collège de France in Paris and the National Art School. Current Senior Master in Academic Extension at Sydney Grammar School, teaching Classical Greek, Latin and senior Art History. Author of several books exploring art and the history of art theory. Art critic of the Financial Review from 2005 to 2008 and national art critic for The Australian since 2008. Three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Jane Garling (reappointed) – three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Terri Janke (outgoing) – term ends 1 January 2020

Australian Museum Trust

• David Armstrong (reappointed) – reappointment as Trustee and President for three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Steven Gregg (reappointed) – three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Dr Roderic Kefford AM (reappointed) – three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022

The Sydney Opera House Trust

• The Hon. Bruce Baird AM (new) – Experienced leader in tourism, business and infrastructure. Current Chair of Business Events Sydney and the Screen Producers Australia Advisory Board. Previous Chair of the Tourism and Transport Forum, Board Member of the Sydney Theatre Company and Managing Director of Tourism Council Australia. Three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022.
• Jillian Segal AO (reappointed) – three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Phillip Wolanski AM (reappointed) – three-year term 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
• Christopher Knoblanche AM (outgoing) – term ends 31 December 2019