Writings, News
Jo Higgins
Art Guide Australia: Home Truths - feature story
Art Guide Australia: Home Truths - feature story
News, Writings
Jo Higgins
Artlink magazine's 'Hyphen' issue published
Artlink magazine's 'Hyphen' issue published
Writings
Jo Higgins
ABC Arts: 'Air' at QAGOMA
ABC Arts: 'Air' at QAGOMA
Writings
Jo Higgins
ABC Arts: Megan Cope is building a living, ...
ABC Arts: Megan Cope is building a living, breathing artwork on Minjerribah
Writings, Events
Jo Higgins
Art Collector: Pull Focus interview with Abdul ...
Art Collector: Pull Focus interview with Abdul Abdullah & Abdul-Rahman Abdullah

Vale Frank Watters - Artlink magazine

Artlink cover.jpg

Gallerist Frank Watters OAM died this week aged 86. There are others who can better attest to his formidable contribution to the Sydney contemporary art landscape but way back in 2006 I had the opportunity to interview Frank for Artlink magazine’s “Elders: The Old Magic” issue, when Watters was just a sprightly 72. This was one of my first ever artist interviews as a fledgling writer and I remember feeling so nervous. Frank though was so generous and easy and my strongest memories still are of sitting upstairs in his apartment above the gallery in Darlinghurst, amid the books and artworks, just delighted and enraptured with his stories and reflections, not quite believing that someone was paying me for this privilege.

You can read my interview with him here.

OTHER POSTS

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Churchill Fellowship Report - findings

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A simple graphic for a very significant undertaking…

In describing what was involved over the course of my eight-week Churchill Fellowship earlier this year, a friend reflected recently that it must have been like “drinking water from a fire hose.” I don’t think I could have found a more appropriate metaphor!

I remain so inspired by the people I met and the programs I had the opportunity to learn about. I’m so grateful to have had this extraordinary opportunity and I am really proud and excited (and relieved…) to finally have my report ready to share.

OTHER POSTS

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Upcoming SAMAG Panel - Youth arts: why we should care what young people think

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Strikers! Youth leading change change panel, Conversation Starters 2019: Temperature Rising, MCA Australia, 2 June 2019. Photo: Jodie Barker, Image courtesy: MCA Australia

Since getting back from my Churchill Fellowship, I’ve been working with the Sydney Arts Management Advisory Group (SAMAG) to co-produce the upcoming panel conversation Youth Arts: why we should care what young people think.

I’m going to be sharing some of my Churchill findings, as well as insights from the MCA GENEXT impact report before a panel of brilliant young people offer their insights and experiences working with six different Sydney arts organisations across the theatre, visual arts, music and heritage sectors.

Wednesday 11 September at MCA

5pm - MCA Young Guides tour of Shaun Gladwell: Pacific Undertow

6pm - Panel conversation with Q&A to follow

Tickets available here.

This quick style insight conversation will focus on the developing role and growth of youth committees and young people’s advisory groups within our arts and cultural organisations. What kinds of expertise do young people bring – as creative producers or advisors? What is their impact and how is the practice of our arts organisations responding to their contribution? How are young people being reached, communicated with and included in the arts beyond being sought as audience members? What does the arts sector look like to newcomers and what are some of the barriers to their involvement?

Join us if you can for a MCA Young Guide-led tour of Shaun Gladwell: Pacific Undertow at 5pm, and then hear from a panel of young people and youth arts workers about their experiences and advice on where organisations should start if they haven’t already.

Panel:
MCA Australia
• Lucy Achhorner (MCA Youth Committee and Young Guide)
• Em Lienert (MCA Youth Committee and Young Guide)

Australian Theatre for Young People
• Emily Buxton
• Daisy Millpark

Casula Powerhouse Art Centre
• Madelaine De Leon (CPAC Youth)
• Stephanie Nguy (Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Youth)

Shopfront Arts Co-Op
• Carlee Heise (Young Leader)
• Daniel Potter (Executive Director/CEO, Shopfront Arts Co-Op)

Information Cultural Exchange
• Liliana Occhiuto (New Age Noise Collective)
• Jessica Paraha (New Age Noise Collective)

Sydney Living Museums
• Hayden Walsh (Producer of Indigenous Programs)

Presenter & Co-Producer
Jo Higgins (Young Creatives Coordinator, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2018 Churchill Fellow)

Moderator
Sophie Harrington, SAMAG Committee Member and Public Program Manager, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences

This seminar is a partnership between SAMAG and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.

OTHER POSTS

I acknowledge the Gadigal and Bidjigal peoples of the Eora nation, the traditional owners of the unceded land on which I live and work and I pay my respects to their Elders, past and present.