Nineteen new leading arts and cultural experts from across the State have been appointed to the NSW Government’s Artform Advisory Boards
Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin said the new board members encapsulate the expertise and diversity of the sector with new members representing education, government, and independent artists.
“I congratulate the new members on their appointment and acknowledge their invaluable expertise and passion. The members’ combined experience and drive will inject fresh energy to shape the future of NSW arts and culture,” Mr Franklin said.
The appointments bring the total number of board members to 97 across the 10 Artform Advisory Boards. More than half of all Artform Advisory Board Members are women, 15 per cent are Aboriginal, 14 per cent are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and five per cent identify as living with a disability.
Almost 30 per cent of members across the Boards are from regional NSW and 10 per cent are from Western Sydney.
The new Board Members are:
Museums and History
- Hayden Walsh, First Nations Advisor, Sydney Living Museums
- Paula Bray, Head of Digital Engagement and Insight, Australian National Maritime Museum
Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board
- Beau James, Head of First Nations Programming, Sydney Opera House
- Nardi Simpson, Writer, musician, composer and educator
Classical Music, Opera and Choral
- Anita Bellman, Executive Director, Northern Rivers Conservatorium
- David Boyce, General Manager, Omega Ensemble
- Dr John Peterson, Composer
- Brett Weymark OAM, Artistic and Music Director, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
Contemporary Music
- Morwenna Collett, Arts Consultant and Facilitator
- Kaleena Smith, First Nations Development Coordinator, MusicNSW
Dance and Physical Theatre
- Cadi McCarthy, Director and Founder, Catapult Dance
- Richard Cilli, Rehearsal Director, Sydney Dance Company
- Anni Davey OAM, Artistic Director, Flying Fruit Circus
Festivals - Christopher Hanley OAM, Founder, Byron Writer’s Festival
- Bernadette Heard, Manager, National Music Teacher Mentoring Program, Australian Youth Orchestra.
Literature
- Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt, Director of Research, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning UTS
Multi-arts
- Nuala Furtado, General, Manager, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
- Josh Butt, Founder and Producer, Ampel
Theatre and Musical Theatre
- Daniel Graham, Theatre Director and Disability Advocate
See full list of all 2022/23 Artform Advisory Board members and biographies
