Regional & Public Galleries NSW Association has announced Gemma McKenzie-Booth, Learning Coordinator at Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery, as the recipient of the Alan Sisley Memorial Fellowship.
The Alan Sisley Memorial Fellowship provides funds for a professional gallery staff member to dedicate time to researching and developing ideas that will benefit their organisation in the areas of exhibitions, collections, public programs, audience development, and partnerships.
Recipient Gemma McKenzie-Booth will use the Fellowship to conduct a national study into best-practice examples of interactive gallery spaces for children and families. The research will guide the development of a new, dedicated interactive gallery space at Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery, designed to support meaningful early art experiences and long-term engagement with contemporary art.
The selection panel found Gemma McKenzie-Booth’s application stood out for its strong focus on education and engagement, and its potential to deliver lasting benefit for the recipient, for Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery and the Regional and Public Galleries of NSW sector more broadly.
Thrilled with the announcement, Gemma McKenzie-Booth said:
“I am delighted and humbled to have received the Alan Sisley Memorial Fellowship and look forward to making meaningful use of the opportunity. The Fellowship will provide me with dedicated time to conduct a national study into best-practice examples of interactive gallery spaces for children and families, and guide the development of a new, dedicated interactive gallery space at Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery.
Galleries and museums can be rich sites of learning and provide formative early art experiences for young audiences. Cultural institutions across Australia have demonstrated the powerful impact of exhibitions and spaces designed specifically for children and families to engage with contemporary art. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to research in this area and bring a space like this to Western Sydney.”
Gemma McKenzie-Booth is Learning Coordinator at Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery, where she works closely with artists, curators and schools to develop innovative, inquiry-led programs for young audiences. She has a strong interest in the role of creative play in supporting holistic learning, and her practice encourages curiosity, critical thinking and creative response. Gemma develops programs for children from babies through to senior secondary students and also delivers nature play and outdoor learning programs at Greater Sydney Parklands.
The Alan Sisley Memorial Fellowship will enable McKenzie-Booth to undertake research visits to leading Australian institutions recognised for excellence in creative learning environments. The project aims to establish guiding principles and a practical framework for a new interactive gallery space at Lewers that is innovative, sustainable, and deeply embedded within the Gallery’s artistic and learning programs.
The Alan Sisley Memorial Fellowship is awarded biennially, providing an opportunity for a NSW gallery worker to undertake a period of research or study to develop a project or program beneficial to their organisation. The Fellowship is named in honour of Alan Sisley (1952–2014), Director of Orange Regional Gallery from 1991 to 2014, a gifted communicator who passionately advocated for the role art can play in people’s lives. The fellowship is facilitated by the Regional & Public Galleries of NSW Association.
