Perspectives: Lisa Havilah

Apr 27, 2021 | Past Events, Perspectives

Wednesday 16 June, 6pm

Pricing: Free

Location: Allan Scott Auditorium, Hawke Building, 55 North Terrace, Adelaide

Presenter: Lisa Havilah, Chief Executive, Powerhouse Museum

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Hear from some of the leading cultural minds of our time in Perspectives: shaping the world through visual culture, an initiative developed by ACE Open, Guildhouse and The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, University of South Australia. This annual series of thought-provoking lectures invites leading artists, makers and thinkers to Adelaide to engage with the compelling ideas currently shaping our world.
Lisa Havilah
Reframing the institution

Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah presents her visionary approach to leadership. Renowned for reshaping tested institutional structures into culturally and commercially vibrant contemporary arts epicentres, Havilah shares her personal ideology on the new role that cultural institutions will play and the moments that have shaped her innovative, ambitious approach to reframing the institution. This will include insights into collaborative approaches to exhibition making, strategic development and the important role that artists can play in establishing new ecologies and networks with an institution.

From starting an Artist Run Space in Wollongong to undertaking the largest cultural infrastructure renewal project in Australia since the Sydney Opera House, Havilah’s entrepreneurial, community engaged approach to shaping the contemporary art institution, investing into artists and national art policy is undeniable.

LISA HAVILAH is the Chief Executive of the Powerhouse Museum.  Through her visionary leadership she is establishing a new museum paradigm for one of Australia’s oldest and most important cultural institutions.  The landmark renewal of the Powerhouse is the largest cultural infrastructure project in Australia since the Sydney Opera House. It includes the creation of the museum’s new flagship, Powerhouse Parramatta; the revitalisation of Powerhouse Museum Ultimo; the expansion of the Powerhouse, Castle Hill and the digitisation of the Powerhouse Collection. 

From 2012 to 2019, Lisa was the Director of Carriageworks. Under her leadership Carriageworks experienced extraordinary audience, artistic and commercial growth, becoming the fastest growing cultural precinct in Australia. Previously, she was Director of Campbelltown Arts Centre, where she pioneered an internationally renowned contemporary arts program that brought together culturally and socially diverse communities. She was recently named one of Sydney’s most influential people in the Daily Telegraphs’ Power 100 list.

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Image: Lisa Havilah. Photograph: Toby Burrows.