Seeking new West Space Director, Melbourne
Deadline for applications 5pm 11 July 2008.
We are seeking a new Director for West Space to lead the organisation into the next stage of its life. Established in 1993, West Space is an artist-led organisation supporting engaged artistic practice within a critical context.
Outgoing Director Simon Maidment leaves West Space on 1st August 2008 after 3 1/2 years with the organisation. During this time West Space has played a leading role in the Australian arts community and undertaken a range of ambitious projects and initiatives. As well as the exhibition program at the gallery in Anthony Street, West Space has generated 6 international projects over this time including 'West Space East', Singapore, with Plastique Kinetic Worms, and 'View Masters - Remix', Osaka, with Osaka Arts Aporia, and participated in 'Too Near, Too Far', Milan with careof. West Space has also been instrumental in the management and coordination of two of Australia¹s largest collaborative visual art projects, 'Rapt! 20 Contemporary Artists from Japan' (2006), involving over 20 organisations across Japan and Australia, and Making Space: artist run initiatives in Victoria (2007), a two month long program of exhibitions, performances, public events and workshops involving 21 ARIs across the state, accompanied by an ambitious 256 page publication.
In 2008 a new artistic program model developed by Simon began implementation. The new program places equal emphasis on generation, facilitation, research and dialogue, and incubates projects with a range of outcomes including exhibitions, publications, talks and workshops. In line with this new programming model, West Space has also achieved one of its long-held goals - the removal of gallery hire fees for artists.
Simon leaves West Space to focus on Satellite, a contemporary art agency he has founded to initiate, develop and present ambitious public projects and commissions, and to take up the role of Visual Arts Coordinator at the 2008 Melbourne International Arts Festival. Satellite has been influenced by organisations such as Art Angel (UK) and Creative Time (NYC), and will launch its inaugural project with Ronnie van Hout at the 2008 Melbourne Art Fair.
We wish Simon well with his future endeavours, and would like to thank him for his contribution to West Space.
West Space is now in the process of appointing a new Director. We invite applications from people who are interested in taking a leadership role within contemporary art where engaged artistic practice which is challenging, experimental, exploratory, and diverse is foregrounded. Brett Jones, the founding Director of West Space, once described West Space as Œa creative practice that is a channel for the inventiveness and ingenuity of artists¹. We are looking for someone to continue to lead the organisation as it fulfils this vital role.
The Director position description can be downloaded from the West Space website http://www.westspace.org.au
Enquiries should be directed to the Chair of West Space, Suzie Attiwill at suzie@westspace.org.au
West Space Inc.
Level 1, 15 - 19 Anthony Street
Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Australia
+61 3 9328 8712
info@westspace.org.au
www.westspace.org.au
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