Artspace

Overview

OverviewArtspace is pleased to announce the appointments of Lisa Chung, Peter O’Connell and artist Khaled Sabsabi to the Board of Directors.

Lisa Chung and Peter O’Connell hold between them over twenty years of experience working in strategic capacities for internationally-regarded arts organisations across Australia. Khaled Sabsabi joins fellow artists Daniel Boyd and Mikala Dwyer, fulfilling a Board-mandated decision in 2016 to increase minimum artist representation on the Board from two to three out of a total directorate of twelve, affirming artists as central to Artspace’s mission.

Artspace Board Chair Andrew Cameron AM states, ‘We are delighted to welcome these exceptional individuals to the Board, who bring to Artspace a breadth of experience working across the arts sector, from production and presentation, to consultancy, strategy, and advocacy. Their outstanding achievements, both locally and internationally, are testament to their agency and agility across multiple areas of expertise, and we look forward to working with them to help steward Artspace in the coming years.’

Artspace Executive Director Alexie Glass-Kantor adds, ‘The decision to increase artist representation to 25% of our Board confirms Artspace’s commitment to ensuring artists have a strong leadership role in shaping the organisation. We are honoured to have the support of such a diverse range of individuals whose deep knowledge and collaborative energy will sustain Artspace into the future. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to outgoing members artist Caroline Rothwell and treasurer Julie Garis, who have completed their tenures: their unwavering passion and support over the past four years has led the organisation through a period of substantial growth and development.’

Khaled Sabsabi in his Artspace Studio, 2016. Photo: Jessica Maurer

Khaled Sabsabi’s relationship with Artspace began in 2010 when he was awarded the Helen Lempriere Travelling Art Scholarship (now the NSW Visual Arts Emerging Fellowship), culminating in 2012 in Mush, his first solo exhibition at Artspace. He is recently an alumnus of the 2016 Artspace One Year Studio Program. Sabsabi is an internationally-awarded artist working across borders, cultures and disciplines to challenge extreme principles and actions. He has worked with communities, particular within Western Sydney, to develop and implement arts programs and projects that explore people and places from broad social, political and ideological spectrums. He was awarded the Fishers Ghost Prize in 2014 and the Arts NSW Western Sydney Arts Fellowship in 2015. International presentations include the 18th Biennale of Sydney, 2012; 9th Shanghai Biennale and Sharjah Biennial 11, 2013; and most recently the 3rd Kochi–Muziris Biennale, 1st Yinchuan Biennale and 5th Marrakech Biennale in 2016. Khaled Sabsabi is represented by Milani Gallery, Brisbane.

Lisa Chung is a company director with several years experience in a diverse range of sectors, including commercial property and infrastructure, outdoor advertising and mass media, professional services, education and training, visual and creative arts and social and community services. Chung was formerly a partner at Blake Dawson (now Ashurst), as well as Maddocks Lawyers where she participated in the Champions Program of the Venice Biennale over a number of years. Maddocks has been a corporate sponsor of Australia’s participation in the Venice Biennale since 2001. She is currently chairman of The Benevolent Society and Deputy President of Trustees of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences.

Lisa Chung, 2016. Photo: Jessica Maurer

Peter O'Connell, 2016. Photo: Jessica Maurer

Peter O’Connell has delivered strategic audience insight for Artspace, having developed and implemented Artspace Audience surveys in 2013 and 2016, and also regularly consults on organisational planning. He has delivered strategic analysis and consultative facilitation in diverse environments including community organisations, the business and corporate sector as well as local government. For almost two decades O’Connell has developed a personal practice of improvisational storytelling as an actor, conductor, and artistic director of Playback Theatre. He has worked with Museums & Galleries of NSW, Hazelhurst Regional Art Gallery, the Australian Museum Members, and is presently the Strategic Insights Consultant at Griffin Theatre Company.