Outback Arts Executive Director, named Chairperson of state funding advisory board

(L to R) Ross Harley, Jamie-Lea Trindall, John Oddy, the Hon. Ben Franklin MLC, Chris Puplick AM, Noel Staunton, Jennifer Byrne.

Absent: Kim McKay AO, Chair, Museums and History Artform Advisory Board; Simon Mordant AO, Chair, Visual Arts Artform Advisory Board; Karen Moses, Chair, Dance and Physical Theatre Artform Advisory Board; Naseema Sparks AM, Chair, Classical Music, Opera and Choral Advisory Board.

(L to R) Skye Squires, Jamie-Lea Trindall, Ross Harley, John Oddy, Brianna Munting, Rina Marcellino, Annette Pitman, the Hon. Ben Franklin MLC. Backs to us (L to R) Sarah Mullins, James Smart, Noel Staunton, Jennifer Byrne.

In June 2019, the state government formed the Create NSW Artform Advisory Boards, made up of arts and cultural leaders.

The purpose of these Boards is to assess applications made to the Arts and Cultural Funding Program and to provide recommendations to the Minister on the strategic directions for the sector.

Outback Arts Executive Director, Jamie-Lea Trindall has served on the Aboriginal Arts & Culture Board since her successful appointment in 2019.

In September, Jamie-Lea was personally invited by the Minister for the Arts Hon Ben Franklin, to take on the Chairperson role, representing the Aboriginal Arts & Culture Board she has been a part of for the past three years. This invitation saw Jamie-Lea taking over from internationally acclaimed playwright and artistic director Mr Wesley Enoch AM.

This month Jamie-Lea attended meetings in Sydney to assess the most recent round of applications. As part of her new Chairperson role, Jamie-Lea represented the Aboriginal Arts & Culture Board in a meeting with the Minister, along with representatives from the nine other artform specific boards that include; John Oddy Contemporary Music, Karen Moses FAICD Dance & Physical Theatre, Jennifer Byrne Literature, Kim McKay AO Museums & History, Simon Mordant AM Visual Arts and more.

“It’s an exceptionally daunting role, I am very grateful for the opportunity to take a seat at the table with such extraordinary people. Funding assessments are rigorous and often difficult choices need to be made, I accepted the Chairs role with the support of a very strong Board as well as the support of the Outback Arts Board. I hope that I can represent the Artform Board well and highlight the strengths and challenges of our region in the process.” said Jamie-Lea Trindall

The recent refresh of Artform Boards has seen nineteen new leaders from the arts and cultural sector have been appointed, adding fresh talent and perspectives to help shape the future of the State’s arts and cultural landscape.

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. It is exciting to see regional areas are being represented with almost 30 per cent of members across the Boards being regional NSW.

For more information on the Artform Advisory Boards visit the Create NSW website at www.create.nsw.gov.au