Who’s in, who’s out as Labor figures head cultural leadership shake-up

He is renowned for his deft networking skills that convinced Sydney’s wealthy to part with tens of millions of dollars for the biggest expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW in its history.

Now Sydney’s master arts fundraiser David Gonski will hand over leadership of the AGNSW Trust to planning advocate Michael Rose in the biggest leadership shake-up of the state’s galleries and museums in about a decade.

New board appointments: David Borger, Bob Debus, Cathy Foley and Bob Carr.Credit: Nathan Perri

Former NSW premier Bob Carr, two former Labor ministers, Bob Debus and David Borger, and former ALP deputy lord mayor Linda Scott are among 10 new appointments to the state’s premier cultural bodies.

All three new board presidents or chairs – Carr to the Museums of History NSW, Debus to the State Library of NSW, and Borger to the Powerhouse Museum – are former Labor politicians.

Two former Coalition ministers – cities minister Rob Stokes and arts minister Peter Collins – have also been named to the boards of institutions that draw as many as 19 million visitors each year.

The board appointments take effect from January 1 and endorsed by state cabinet late on Monday.

While eight of the 10 appointments are men, overall more women than men sit on each board, except for the Museums of History NSW where vacancies are still to be filled.

Arts minister John Graham said: “Five of the six cultural institutions are run by women and all but one of the boards has gender parity. The government will continue to prioritise board diversity.”

The appointments stamp the Minns government’s direction over the sector in a year in which it has embedded its new 10-year arts, culture and creative industries’ strategy that aims to elevate the sector, encourage diversity and give voice to the next generation.

One of the new female appointees is chief scientist Cathy Foley, who joins the Australian Museum trust.

Outgoing Art Gallery of NSW president David Gonski with his successor, Michael Rose. Credit: James Brickwood

One-time roads minister David Borger will step up from director to helm the Powerhouse Museum, taking carriage of $1.2 billion worth of projects, including delivery of the $915 million Parramatta Powerhouse.

Borger, a business leader and supporter of Sydney’s multicultural heartland, will be joined by Jobs and Skills Australia commissioner Professor Barney Glover, back at the Powerhouse for a second term, and former ALP councillor Linda Scott.

Joining Peter Collins on the Art Gallery trust is film financier Emile Sherman, whose mother, Gene, is a notable donor and collector of contemporary art.

Gonski steps down at the end of the month after 19 years as the gallery’s president over two terms. During that time, with fellow trustee Dr Mark Nelson, he helped raise more than $110 million – one-third of the cost of the gallery’s expansion.

He hands the baton to Rose, who chairs the influential urban policy think tank Committee for Sydney, and is an art lover and collector.

Commentators describe Rose’s appointment as non-partisan – given his record of working with both major parties – and a safe set of hands to steer the AGNSW as it begins a worldwide search for a new director.

It will also be Rose’s job to convince Sydney’s wealthy to donate as generously for the art and exhibitions that go inside the building, and keep pressure on Treasury for sustainable levels of operational funding.

“For me, it’s less about how you fill the building with art and more about how you fill a building with people and what you exhibit there and how that drives the creative life of a city,” Rose said.

Gonski remains chancellor of the University of NSW but says he is open to another board position.

“I have loved this, absolutely loved it – and I’m certainly on the lookout for something to fill the time that I’ve put aside for this, which was considerable and passed very quickly.”

Former trustee Geoff Ainsworth paid tribute to Gonski: “Many people made vital contributions to the success of [the AGNSW extension] Naala Badu, but it was David Gonski who brought it home with government and constructed a board that raised and gave the large majority of philanthropic funds required.”

Rose said his immediate priorities were to meet his fellow trustees and find a successor for Brand. He would look for “someone with the ambition to match the ambitions of the gallery”.

Asked if he would seek advice from Gonski, Rose joked: “I’ve already signed up to the David Gonski after sales service program.

“One of the great things about roles like this is who you get to meet and who you get to learn from. I’m fortunate to have worked with David before, and I’m hopeful – and I know how generous he is – that I’ll continue to have access to what he knows, and I can learn from him about the role.”

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