April 2020
Artspace Board Director 1988—92
Image: 1987 Artspace Annual Report
Vale Sally Couacaud, April 2020 – Artspace Board Director 1988–92. Throughout her life and career Sally championed the arts and artists; she was critical in paving the way for Artspace and the values it upholds today. Overseeing Artspace's move from Randle Street in Surry Hills to our current home in The Gunnery, Sally was a determined and committed advocate for the organisation and her tireless efforts laid an extraordinary foundation for subsequent generations. She was the inaugural Director of the Australian International Video Festival and was one of the first curators in Australia to focus her critical attention on video and other forms of electronic media art. She was Curator of the Sydney Open Museum where she commissioned and managed the City of Sydney's public art collection, including the Sculpture Walk, and throughout her esteemed career curated exhibitions at organisations including Performance Space, Australian Centre for Photography, the Art Gallery of NSW and the New Museum in New York, among many others. Sally passed away last week and is survived by her daughter Zoe, her son Leo and beloved grandchildren. Artspace expresses our deep condolences to her family and the community of friends, peers and collaborators who are grieving her passing. We want to honour her life and work by upholding her legacy and hope that in the future we can invite community together at Artspace to honour her contribution and leadership.