Jeremy Smith

Jeremy Smith has broad experience working in community arts and fostering emerging and experimental arts practice. Jeremy’s early career was in festivals and the performing arts, following his graduation from lighting design at the WA Academy of Performing Arts. His first taste of community-determined arts and cultural programs was through a young people and the arts fellowship offered by ArtsWA, which enabled him to work in Canada and attend courses at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

Jeremy has supported regional arts engagement and forged partnerships with diverse communities throughout his career, having held management and advisory roles in both the public and private sector. This work involved delivering community projects and activity in regional and remote areas across Western Australia.

Prior to joining Council in 2016, Jeremy was responsible for managing Rio Tinto’s community investment activities across its Western Australian operations, brokering and managing state-wide partnerships across key areas of education, environment, culture and health over a number of years.

Jeremy worked at WA-based arts organisation DADAA Inc in a dual role managing regional arts, health and strategic projects. DADAA’s regional arts and health program grew significantly under his leadership as new partnerships were developed with non-arts service providers. He was also responsible for fundraising and implementing an extensive capital works program across the organisation.

Jeremy held several positions at the Department of Culture and the Arts WA (DCA WA), including Manager, Resources, along with sector engagement roles in community and regional arts development. Jeremy worked closely with DCA WA’s regularly funded arts and cultural organisations.

For more than five years, Jeremy served on the Australia Council’s former Community Partnerships Committee – including an extended period as acting chair. Jeremy has extensive volunteer experience – as the director of operations with TedXPerth in 2015, member of the Healthway Arts Advisory Committee and deputy chair of Propel Youth Arts WA.