This Month
Art Gallery Of NSW gets first female director after 154 years
Maud Page, the long-time deputy of outgoing director Michael Brand, has been selected to step up at the institution, which gets 2 million visitors annually.
How to direct a musical on a ‘football field’
There’s a lot riding on Opera Australia’s annual outdoor production but Shaun Rennie is more worried about actors getting to their marks, and nothing getting blown into Sydney Harbour.
February
Seven shows you must see in March
From a Michael Jackson musical to an anniversary tour of Green Day’s breakthrough album, there are plenty of performances to get you off the couch.
Australia dumps Biennale artist in late-night crisis
Khaled Sabsabi had previously depicted a Hezbollah leader while also protesting Islamic State - but his invite to Venice Biennale next year has been ripped up.
Why this Archibald winner keeps painting pictures that won’t sell
Wendy Sharpe says Australian society’s disdain for all but young and beautiful naked bodies is as strong as ever, but “normal” nudes remain a muse for her nonetheless.
January
The Millennial maintaining an Archibald winner’s legacy
The artist Nicholas Harding, who died in 2022, famously didn’t “do” finances. For posterity’s sake, it’s lucky son Sam took after his mum.
Opera Australia took director loan amid cash crunch
CEO Fiona Allan is leaving Australia’s largest performing arts company, as the fallout from its staging of Sunset Boulevard widens with the revelation it accepted a director loan to stave off a cashflow crisis.
A wave of new commercial galleries is shaking up the establishment
A changing of the guard in contemporary art venues means there’s plenty of room for new artists – but will the customers follow?
December 2024
Major Sydney gallery to charge entry fee for first time in 25 years
From January 31, visitors to the Museum of Contemporary Art will have to pay $20 to get in. Chairwoman Lorraine Tarabay blames a decline in government funding.
Why this CEO reckons networking is ‘BS’
For Australian Museum boss Kim McKay, work and life are about having meaningful conversations. Social media chit-chat doesn’t cut it.
How a billionaire and government saved a key Sydney theatre
Griffin Theatre Company gave the world Cate Blanchett and David Wenham, but a soaring budget for a much-needed rebuild almost took it away.
November 2024
Tim Olsen launches secondary art business
The son of one of Australia’s greatest landscape painters says the market is oversupplied with galleries selling new art.
October 2024
First woman tipped to run Art Gallery of NSW
The long-time lieutenant of departing director Michael Brand is widely regarded as a worthy successor.
Diary alert: Shows to catch in November
My Brilliant Career becomes a musical, a guest guitarist turns the ACO into house-music hedonists, and a pioneer of abstract art looks back.
September 2024
The Australian gallery making moves on Mayfair
Can Yavuz sets out in his galleries to “challenge, inspire and reclaim”. It’s worked here; now he’s hoping to do the same in London.
Gloves beat McNuggets for rich sculpture prize
Gloves reshaped into romantic rabbits have won the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, besting an earrings and necklace set made from Maccas and its packaging.
August 2024
A big winner from a 1990s bank sale offloads art collection
After Graeme Morgan made $100 million selling Sealcorp to St George Bank he threw himself into art collecting. Now much of his collection is up for sale.
Job-ready skills for the fast-changing workplace
The joint winners of the employability category embed career experience in study programs to give graduates an edge in the competitive job market.
Christie’s-backed art fintech puts finishing touches on recap
It also opened a $US50 million debt book opportunity alongside the equity round and told backers it would be open to a sale or join venture discussions.
May 2024
How this comedian built a career while working for PwC
His bosses thought he’d just popped out for a moment, but he was actually working at the ABC.