About the presenters:
Margret Meagher, Executive Director, Australian Centre for Arts and Health
Founder of the Australian Centre for Arts and Health (ACAH) is a not for profit charity, with DGR status, established as the national peak body to promote and support arts and health and creative ageing policy, practice and research in Australia and to foster international networks and partnerships. The Arts and Health field encompasses the utilisation of professionally designed arts programs for hospitals, palliative care, creative ageing, aged care, community health, health promotion, education and research, training for artists. Arts and Health programs include the visual arts, poetry, creative and narrative writing, music, theatre, dance, circus, digital arts and new technologies.
Lena Nahlous, CEO, Diversity Arts Australia
Lena Nahlous is an experienced CEO, producer, curator, artistic director and facilitator with a long-term commitment to racial equity in the arts, screen and creative sectors. She is currently the CEO of Diversity Arts Australia and host of The Colour Cycle podcast. She is the recipient of the 2024 Carla Zampatti Arts and Culture Medal and in 2023 was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake research in 2024.
Tim Askew, Director of Programs, Hunter Joint Councils
Tim manages the policy and programs team, consisting of 11 staff, specialising in the circular economy, resilience, net zero and other environmental and economic development projects. Tim has 14 years’ experience in local government and 20 years in the private sector working across a diverse range of areas, including circular economy, city and coastal revitalisation, place making, economic development, smart city, destination marketing and waste and environmental management, project management and finance. Tim has a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Newcastle.
Anne Loxley, Executive Director, Arts & Cultural Exchange (ACE)
Anne Loxley is an award-winning curator who specialises in collaborating with artists and communities to creatively address significant issues. In 2020 she joined ACE as Executive Director. Previously Anne was Senior Curator, C3West, for Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, (2011-2019) where she developed innovative ways for artists to collaborate with communities, businesses and non-arts organisations, to address important concerns. 2017 – 2019 she was program associate, visual arts, Perth Festivals. Anne is Deputy Chair of the City of Sydney’s Public Art Advisory Panel, and a member of these organisations: Western Sydney Arts Alliance Working Group, Western Sydney Women’s Leadership Network – Art and Culture and the Sydney Cultural Network council.
Dr Martina Mrongovius, Art Producer, Lake Arts Precinct
Martina Mrongovius is an expert in holographic art and design. With Lake Macquarie City Council she took up the new role of Art Producer to develop the Lake Arts Precinct. As the Creative Director of the HoloCenter in New York (2009-2021) she curated major exhibitions and established key programs as well as collaborating with tech start-ups and institutions including the Met, Urban Glass and Eyebeam. Her academic teaching and has involved working with Korea National University of Arts, Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Pratt Institute Borokyn and RMIT University.
Gerry Bobsien, Director, Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Gerry Bobsien is the Director of Maitland Regional Art Gallery. She has worked across leadership, curatorial and programming roles at the National Gallery of Australia, Newcastle Art Gallery, and the Lock-Up. She has provided public art advisory services for several organisations including the former Hunter Development Corporation, Newcastle City Council and City People. She is a writer contributing to publications on a range of cultural topics from art to surfing and holds a PhD (English). Gerry has also worked in an industrial forge in Melbourne and Newcastle. She has written creative and curatorial essays and feature articles alongside several books for young adults published by Walker Books Australia.
Natalie Drage, Community and Cultural Development Manager, Cessnock City Council
Natalie holds a bachelor and a master’s degree in social work and commenced her career working at Maitland Hospital. After working five years as a hospital Social Worker, and with an interest in community development she pivoted to local government and in 2007 joined Cessnock City Council as a social planner. In 2017, Natalie was appointed Community and Cultural Development Manager and this enabled her to work alongside the Cessnock City Council owned and operated ‘Performance Arts Culture Cessnock’ team. Natalie had a lead role in the planning and construction management of the $3.1 million cultural hub refurbishment and what was achieved included the creation of an av, maker's and art exhibition space, along with a new theatre box office and gift retail space.
Jo Smith, Manager Libraries & Learning, Maitland City Council
Jo Smith is a library professional with over 25 years’ experience focusing on addressing digital exclusion and literacy support, building strategic partnerships and community capacity and resilience. In addition, she has worked with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver impactful cultural infrastructure projects, events, and programs supporting and enhancing the local cultural economy. Jo is currently Manager, Libraries and Learning with Maitland City Council.
Jim Lawson, Manager, Central Coast Council
Jim Lawson is an independent artist, arts manager and educator. Currently he is the Section Manager Arts & Culture Central Coast Council. A vocal & passionate advocate for the arts, Jim has lived, created, and worked regionally for most of his adult life. Jim brings experience as a Creative Director, Program Manager and arts administrator within major arts organisations, national service organisations, regional government, community and non-government organisations at local, regional, national and international levels.
Rosemarie Milsom, Founding Director, Newcastle Writers Festival
Rosemarie Milsom is the founding director of the Newcastle Writers Festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023 and is one of Australia’s largest regional literary festivals. A former award-winning print journalist with Fairfax Media (now Nine) and broadcaster with the ABC, Rosemarie is also a respected facilitator and is regularly invited to host events at festivals and forums. She has interviewed writers such as Helen Garner, Liane Moriarty, Simon Winchester, and William Dalrymple, as well as leading public figures including Julia Gillard, Nigella Lawson and feminist Anne Summers. Rosemarie champions literature and the arts. She is a member of the NSW Government’s Literature Board, is Chair of the University of Newcastle’s External Advisory Board for the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, and is the founding Chair of the Hunter Creative Alliance, which represents artists, arts organisations, and arts workers.
Jacqui Hemsley, Manager Arts, Culture and Tourism, Lake Macquarie Council
Since 2018, Jacqui has been the Manager of Arts, Culture and Tourism at Lake Macquarie. For over 30 years, she has worked across Australia and New Zealand in leadership positions across art galleries, libraries, and museums, developing regional cultural strategy and instigating cultural facilities construction projects including Broken Hill Regional Gallery (2005), Murray Art Museum Albury (2015) and the Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima (2021) and the Sugar Valley Library Museum (2023).