NAVA announces Esther Anatolitis as its next Executive Director

James Emmett, Chair of the Board of the National Association of the Visual Arts (NAVA) has this week announced the appointment of Esther Anatolitis as the organisation’s next Executive Director.

Anatolitis joins NAVA from Regional Arts Victoria, where she currently works as Director of Projects.

Announcing the appointment, Emmett stated “it is with enthusiasm and pride for NAVA that I welcome Esther as the new Executive Director.

“Esther’s experience, profile and intellect makes her ideal to lead NAVA through its next chapter.

“At a personal level, I am very excited to start working with Esther soon. I particularly want to thank our acting co-directors, Brianna Munting and Penelope Benton, for their ongoing excellent management of NAVA during this transitional period. They are tremendous assets to the organisation.”

Anatolitis 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.

Alongside this work, Anatolitis brings a local, regional, national and international perspective to contemporary arts issues as one of the nation’s leading advocates for the arts. Esther is a sought-after cultural and political commentator on panels, on radio and in print. She 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.

Welcoming her appointment, Anatolitis stated “I’m so thrilled to be joining NAVA at this critical time for championing visual and media arts, craft and design.

“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.”

Aegeus Executive Search led the recruitment process for the vacancy.

Anatolitis’ first day as Executive Director of NAVA is on Monday 30th October 2017. 

Image of Esther Anatolitis courtesy of Sarah Walker.

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