Lorenzo Quinn’s Support braces Ca’Sagredo Hotel at the Venice Biennale 2017. Photo: Jean Pierre Delbera
An impressive team of emerging arts professionals, exhibition team leaders and volunteers will support Australia’s exhibition in Venice, as part of the Australia Council’s Venice Biennale Professional Development Program.
The Australia Council has announced the program’s participants, who will gain valuable first-hand experience and networks while working behind the scenes on one of the biggest events in the international visual arts calendar.
For the first time, the program has expanded from an opportunity for curators only to include those working across all areas of the arts including education, arts journalism, arts administration, exhibition design and development.
Australia Council Executive Director Strategic Development and Advocacy Dr Wendy Were said the Professional Development programs were a key part of the Venice project that includes Australia’s national participation at the Biennale, supported by a significant donor program.
“Australia’s arts professionals are pivotal to the success of Australian arts, both at home and internationally. These professionals will contribute to Angelica Mesiti’s exhibition ASSEMBLY at the Australian Pavilion and the broader Venice project, whilst gaining valuable international connections and experience.”
“The program is a proven launch pad for arts professionals. Many past participants now hold high-level positions within the Australian and international arts sectors and credit their time in the program as a pivotal point in their career development. This really is a great example of how Australia’s representation at Biennale Arte 2019 can be leveraged to create opportunities and build the capacity of the broader visual arts sector,” she said.
The cohort of Australian arts professional includes:
Emerging Arts Professionals
Aaron Bradbrook (VIC)
Amelia Winata (VIC)
April Phillips (NSW)
Blake Griffiths (NSW)
Carmen Ansaldo (NT)
Clare Armitage (NT)
Dan Bourke (WA)
Emma McLean (QLD)
Gina Mobayed (NSW)
Imogen Dixon-Smith (NSW)
Jing-Ling Chua (ACT)
Sarah Sansom (TAS)
Serena Wong (SA)
Vivian Cooper (SA)
Exhibition Team Leaders
Bree Richards (NSW)
Caroline Hunter (NT)
Claire Richardson (VIC)
Debbie Pryor (SA)
Kate Davis (NSW)
Lara Merrington (VIC)
Laura Couttie (VIC)
Volunteer Exhibition Attendants
Amanda Saker (NSW)
Amy Perejuan-Capone (WA)
Brent Harrison (WA)
Courtney Wagner (NSW)
Eva Balog (NSW)
Hannah Rose Carroll Harris (NSW)
Hilary Thurlow (QLD)
Jessica Row (VIC)
Jenna Pippett (SA)
Jimmy Nuttall (VIC)
Nadia Odlum (NSW)
Rebecca Vaughan (VIC)
Yvette Dal Pozzo (ACT)
Zoe Martyn (WA)
For full participant biographies, visit
The Emerging Arts Professionals program is delivered in partnership with Create NSW; Arts South Australia; Creative Victoria; Culture and the Arts (WA), Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Arts NT, Department of Tourism and Culture, Arts Tasmania and Arts Queensland.
Meet the participants: