Esther Anatolitis has been appointed the next Executive Director of the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), the national peak body protecting and promoting the professional interests of the Australian visual and media arts, craft and design sector.
“Esther has long been recognised as a respected, insightful and fearless advocate for the arts,” said Tony Burke, Shadow Minister for the Arts. “Every breath of her advocacy has been underscored by the principle of keeping artists themselves at the centre of policy. Esther’s appointment is an unequivocal win for visual artists.”
Photograph of Esther Anatolitis by Sarah Walker
Esther comes to NAVA with significant leadership experience, extensive networks, and a strong background in visual arts, design, architecture and media. Her practice rigorously integrates professional and artistic modes of working to create collaborations, projects and workplaces that promote a critical reflection on practice. Following a formative period as the DAAD Künstlerprogramm resident at the Bauhaus, Esther has held several arts and media leadership roles including with Craft Victoria, Melbourne Fringe, SBS and Express Media, and most recently with Regional Arts Victoria. She has served numerous board, policy, advisory and juror roles, and currently serves the boards of ACMI, Contemporary Arts Precincts as Deputy Chair, and Elbow Room Productions as Chair. Esther is a member of the TarraWarra Museum of Art Contemporary Circle, the Melbourne Writers Festival programming advisory, and is a graduate of the Australia Council leadership programs. Across ten years she co-curated Architecture+Philosophy, has taught into the studio program at RMIT Architecture, and has also taught at UNSW and the University of Sydney.
Esther brings a local, regional, national and international perspective to contemporary arts issues as one of the nation’s leading advocates for the arts. A cultural and political commentator on panels, on radio and in print, Esther has facilitated national sector gatherings, political debates and industry events, and has participated in advocacy sessions at the IFACCA World Summit, the Americans for the Arts Convention, the UK Rural Cultural Strategy roundtable, and the past three Artlands biennials. Esther is also a writer and critic with current pieces in Meanjin, Overland, Daily Review, Assemble Papers and Broadsheet Journal, as well as on her influential blog at estheranatolitis.net.
“I’m so thrilled to be joining NAVA at this critical time for championing visual and media arts, craft and design,” said Esther. “Tamara Winikoff’s tremendous legacy has set that bar high, and I’m very much looking forward to working with NAVA’s superb team. NAVA’s members power the arts across our cities, suburbs and regions. Let’s lead the national cultural agenda with a confident, creative vision for Australia’s future.”
Esther’s begins her role as Executive Director of NAVA on Monday 30 October 2017.
