Advertising executive appointed new Chair for the Australia Council for the Arts

Robert Morgan, Executive Chairman of advertising agency the Clemenger Group, and former Sydney Swans and Opera Australia Director Robert Morgan has been appointed as the news Chair of the Australia Council for a three-year term.

Announcing Morgan’s appointment, Federal Arts Minister, Paul Fletcher says Morgan will provide critical leadership to the arts funding body and Australia’s creative and cultural sector at a challenging time for the arts in Australia.

Advising that Morgan (pictured) would play in supporting the government’s strategic priorities for the arts, including making them more accessible to all Australians, Minister Fletcher stated “this is a key arts appointment at a key time for the arts sector. COVID hit the sector hard, but rebuilding is well under way.

“The Australia Council has recently taken a major step in support of this priority by adding eight new companies to the National Performing Arts Framework, most of them located outside of Sydney and Melbourne. I know that under the leadership of Robert Morgan, and chief executive Adrian Collette, the Australia Council will have a strong and continuing reform agenda.”

Morgan said it was an honour to be appointed to a body that played such a unique and important role in the Australian arts sector, commenting “I have spent my career in a sector focussed on creativity and believe deeply in the artistic and creative excellence we have in this country.”

Morgan takes over from outgoing chair Sam Walsh who has spent five years leading the organisation.

Fiona Menzies, Chief Executive of Creative Partnerships Australia, said the move was a “great appointment”.