Cultural Development and Public Art Advisory Committee

Public Artwork of Kookaburra on Crawford Street

We have a Cultural Development and Public Art Advisory Committee that is actively involved in the future of culture and the arts in the region. The panel has dual roles:

  • To progress and implement Council’s Cultural Plan and to advise and recommend ways to action Cultural Plan strategies;
  • To provide expert advice on the development and implementation of public art projects within the framework of Council’s Public Art Policy.

The Committee meets quarterly, or additionally if necessary, at locations and venues throughout our local government area

For more information please contact us on 02 6285 6170 or email Cultural.Services@qprc.nsw.gov.au.

Cultural Development and Public Art Advisory Committee

The Cultural Development and Public Art Advisory Committee currently includes:

Kristy Griffin, Helen Ferguson, Helen Musa, Bill Waterhouse, Cveta Taleski, Ali Clinch, Rose Marin, Dennis Mortimer and the Chair of Committee, Deputy Mayor Cr. Esma Livermore.

Download the Terms of Reference for the committee(PDF, 150KB) .

Past Committee Members

Helen Musa - As Arts Editor with the CityNews, Helen is active in local arts and culture through the reporting of, participation in, and promotion of a wide range of arts and cultural activities in the Queanbeyan-Palerang region. Helen has broad consultation experience with the local community and understands the role of media to inform community and as a promotional tool. 

David MacLaren - Founder and Artistic Director of Bungendore Woodworks Gallery. In 2005, he was a founding member of the Bungendore Community Foundation. In 2018 he was awarded an Honorary OAM. During his time in Bungendore, he has been involved in a range of community organisations, including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Town Centre.

Tracy Bourne - Freelance singing and drama teacher in Bungendore and Canberra, having recently set up a community choir in Bungendore. As co-director of SEAM Inc. Tracey delivered art projects with schools and community members, and has been involved in broad consultation with the community, including indigenous performers.

Yolande Norris - Yolande is an ANU School of Art graduate and has worked with visual arts organisations including the National Gallery of Australia, Gorman House Arts Centre and the Canberra Contemporary Art Space. Yolande has also worked on cross-arts festivals including ‘This is Not art’ and ‘You are Here’ festival.

Barry Cranston - As President of the Queanbeyan Arts Society (QAS), painter and Vice Chair of the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society Barry has been actively involved in local public art projects and processes and regularly consults with a large cross section of the community. Barry was a former QCC Panel member.

Maggie Hickey – Past President of the Braidwood Regional Arts Group (BRAG), Maggie is also a member of several community-based art groups with experience of community public art projects including the installation of an indigenous stone monument in Braidwood’s Ryrie Park. Through her time as a member of the Legislative Assembly in the NT, Maggie has a deep understanding of culture and its meaning in the wider community.

Keith Bender - Sculptor based in the Bungendore. Graduated from the ANU School of Art with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Sculpture Major) in 2016. Keith explores his passion for the environment through assembled, constructed and cast forms. In 2016, installed the first contemporary sculpture at Norwood Park entitled Mourning in Time and Space. Recipient of a number Emerging Artist Support Scheme Awards including a year-long residency at the Art, Design and Technology Centre at Canberra Grammar School. Before establishing his art practice

Gerald Preiss – is a Queanbeyan resident who works for The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in Canberra, and is associated with their digitisation collections.