
"The Biennale of Sydney plays an indispensable role in Australia’s engagement with the world, and a meaningful role in the life of the nation. In 2018, it attracted visitation of more than 850,000, the highest level in the Biennale’s 45-year history"Barbara Moore, CEO
Biennale of Sydney
The Biennale provides a platform for art and ideas and is recognised for commissioning and presenting innovative, thought-provoking art from Australia and around the globe.
About Us
The inaugural Biennale of Sydney was held in 1973 as part of the opening celebrations of the Sydney Opera House. Initiated by Founding Governor Franco Belgiorno-Nettis and supported by Founding Patrons Transfield Holdings, the Biennale of Sydney was the first exhibition of its kind to be established in the Asia-Pacific region. Alongside the Venice and São Paulo biennales and documenta, it is one of the longest running periodic exhibitions around the globe.
Since its inception in 1973, the Biennale of Sydney has showcased the work of nearly 1,800 artists from more than 100 countries and holds an important place on both the national and international stage.
Board of Directors
Kate Mills (Chairman)
Kate Mills MAICD FIML is an experienced company director, commercial lawyer, policy adviser and consultant on corporate governance and strategy. Kate was a Founding Director of the Inner City Legal Centre Foundation, the Creative Music Fund, and a board member of the Refugee Advice & Casework Service. Kate is a member of international and national visual and performing arts institutions, and an avid collector.
Geoffrey Cassidy
Geoffrey Cassidy is an experienced arts administrator and expert in Australian and International Art. Presently the CEO of herringbone Fine Art Systems and Transport, He is a former Director of Sothebys Worldwide and the former Director of Artbank, The Federal Government Arts support initiative. As such he has broad experience in both the commercial and institutional aspects of the Art world. He believes in the relevance and importance of art to national identity, and specialises in art curation, advisory and arts management. In another life Geoffrey was also a supporting solicitor in the Queensland Native Title Unit, where he assisted on major litigation to determine the effect of pastoral leases on Aboriginal land rights.
Danielle Earp
Danielle Earp is currently the Acting Head of Exhibitions at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Her managerial and directorial experience spans two decades working for visual arts and cultural organisations including; Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Living Museums, Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sherman Galleries and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art.
Johanna Featherstone
Johanna Featherstone is the Founder and former Artistic Director of Red Room Poetry where she established a national poetry education program for schools and correctional centres in New South Wales. Her poetry has been featured in a range of journals and anthologies, and she is currently Director of the Oranges & Sardines Foundation and on the Belvoir board. Johanna is an honorary associate of the University of Sydney’s School Arts and Media and has judged a number of awards including the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and JB Fairfax Award for Rural and Regional Journalism.
Anne Flanagan
Anne Flanagan, former deputy director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, is one of Australia’s most respected art museum leaders. During her 23 years at AGNSW she was responsible for exhibitions and major capital project delivery including Yiribana gallery for Indigenous art, the Asian gallery expansion, John Kaldor Family Gallery and the masterplan for the Gallery expansion. She is a director of Bundanon Trust and a member of the project control group for Sydney Modern, AGNSW.
Paris Neilson
Paris Neilson is the former curator and manager of Sydney’s White Rabbit Gallery. She sits on the gifting committee for the Neilson Foundation and on the board for the Sydney Dance Company and the Chain Reaction Foundation.
James Roth
James has over 30 years’ experience in accounting and finance working with Deutsche bank, UBS, Schroders and Arthur Andersen. He is a Director of Craig’s investment partners in New Zealand and is currently a patron of the Asian Australian Artist Association as well as a member of the Asian Art Archive.
Morry Schwartz AM
Morry Schwartz AM is the founder of Schwartz Media, publisher of the influential The Saturday Paper, The Monthly, and the Quarterly Essay. Morry began his publishing career at the age of 23, when he began Outback Press, publishing poetry and fiction. In a career spanning 40 years, Morry has built a reputation for publishing the highest quality journalism in the country, earning him a place in the Australian Magazine Award’s Hall of Fame in 2018. He is also currently a Director of the Big River Impact Foundation.
Naseema Sparks AM FAICD
Naseema Sparks AM FAICD is an experienced chair and director with high growth companies. Her expertise includes business strategy, media and marketing, technology services and manufacturing. Naseema’s executive career was as Managing Director of global communications company M&C Saatchi and she holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School. Naseema is also Chair of the Sydney Living Museums.
Tea Uglow
For over ten years, Tea Uglow has worked with various artists and cultural organisations, investigating the intersection between technology and the arts. She is currently creative director of Google Creative Lab in Sydney and in 2018, Tea was recognised as one of Australia’s #OUT50 LGBTQ Leaders by Deloitte. Tea is also on the board for the Australasian Writers & Art Directors Association and the Design & Art Directors Guild.
Rachel Verghis
Rachel Verghis is a contemporary art patron, collector, entrepreneur and founder of VerghisArt, a platform focusing on artists from the Asia-Pacific region. Rachel is also a member of the Tate’s AsiaPacific Acquisitions Committee, the Australian Venice Biennale International Council, the Sherman Centre for Culture and Ideas, a patron of the Serpentine Gallery in London and soon to join the MCA Foundation Council.
Chris Wirasinha
Chris Wirasinha is the co-founder of Pedestrian.tv, Australia’s largest youth focused publishing brand. Chris co-founded Pedestrian in 2005 when he was just 22 years old. Pedestrian.tv won back-to-back Mumbrella Media Brand of the Year Awards and is Australia’s most successful digital publishing startup. Prior to co-founding Pedestrian, Chris worked at global media and advertising agency Universal McCann.
Our People
Barbara Moore, CEO
Brook Andrew, Artistic Director, 22nd Biennale of Sydney
Samantha Sudarman, Executive Assistant to the CEO
Jessyca Hutchens, Curatorial Assistant to the Artistic Director
Emily Gardener, Head of Development
Lisa Polten, Philanthropy Manager
Katrina Rae, Partnerships Manager
Samantha Jones, Grants, Trusts and Foundations Manager
Chloe Pryce, Development Coordinator
Cherie Schweitzer, Head of Exhibitions
Tim Barker, Production Manager
Jeremy Skellern, Project Production Manager
Alex Robinson, Registration Manager
Isabelle Morgan, Exhibition Coordinator
Julia Greenstreet, Exhibition Coordinator
Nikki Van der Horst, Exhibition Assistant and Artist Liaison
Sebastian Henry-Jones, Curatorial Assistant
Tori Ferguson, Registration Assistant
Peter Gregory, Head of Finance and Administration / Company Secretary
Sahar Nabinik, Administration & Operations Coordinator
Elizabeth Nguyen, Accountant
Jodie Polutele, Head of Communications and Community Engagement
Paschal Daantos Berry, Curator, Programs and Learning and Co-Head of Communications and Community Engagement
Charlotte Galleguillos, Programs and Learning Manager
Emily McTaggart, Digital Content Manager
Zoe Willox, Communications Coordinator
Greta Balog, Communications Assistant
Kristin Liu, Community Engagement Assistant
Claude Moelan, Digital Producer
Jack Hammond, Digital Producer
Join the Team
The Biennale of Sydney is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity in the workplace.
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Internships
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The Biennale of Sydney offers a limited number of vocational and internship placements as part of its commitment to developing the next generation of Australian artists and arts administrators. These placements are offered to help students or recent graduates meet the requirements of their Australian-based educational or training courses; and to enhance vocational skills in the arts sector.
We are not accepting internship applications at this time.
Subscribe to the Biennale eNews to find out when internship opportunities become available.
Exhibition Reports
21st Biennale of Sydney (2018) Exhibition Report
The 21st Biennale of Sydney: SUPERPOSITION: Equilibrium & Engagement exhibited works from 70 artists, attracting visitation of more than 850,000 at seven of Sydney’s museums, galleries and non-traditional exhibition spaces.
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20th Biennale of Sydney (2016) Exhibition Report
Curated by Stephanie Rosenthal, the 20th Biennale of Sydney, held from 18 March until 5 June 2016, featured more than 200 artworks by 83 artists and included 70% new commissions.
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19th Biennale of Sydney (2014) Exhibition Report
Curated by Juliana Engberg, the 19th Biennale of Sydney: You Imagine What You Desire presented the work of 92 artists from 31 countries free to the public over a three-month period.
Download
21st Biennale of Sydney (2018) Exhibition Report
The 21st Biennale of Sydney: SUPERPOSITION: Equilibrium & Engagement exhibited works from 70 artists, attracting visitation of more than 850,000 at seven of Sydney’s museums, galleries and non-traditional exhibition spaces.
Download
20th Biennale of Sydney (2016) Exhibition Report
Curated by Stephanie Rosenthal, the 20th Biennale of Sydney, held from 18 March until 5 June 2016, featured more than 200 artworks by 83 artists and included 70% new commissions.
Read more
19th Biennale of Sydney (2014) Exhibition Report
Curated by Juliana Engberg, the 19th Biennale of Sydney: You Imagine What You Desire presented the work of 92 artists from 31 countries free to the public over a three-month period.
Download
18th Biennale of Sydney (2012) Exhibition Report
Curated by Artistic Directors Catherine de Zegher and Gerald McMaster, the 18th Biennale of Sydney: all our relations showcased more than 220 works by 101 artists.
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16th Biennale of Sydney (2008) Exhibition Report
Revolutions – Forms That Turn (18 June – 7 September 2008), was curated by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev and presented at seven venues in and around Sydney Harbour, with the eighth being online.
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15th Biennale of Sydney (2006) Exhibition Report
The 2006 Biennale of Sydney aspires to be about the ‘now’ of the contemporary, bearing the disjuncture and discontinuities as much as correspondences and traversal movements of encounter and exchange.