The Australian Government welcomes the announcement of the appointment of Ms Karen Quinlan as the incoming Director of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia (NPGA).
Ms Quinlan is highly regarded in Australia’s arts sector. As Director of the very successful Bendigo Art Gallery for the past eighteen years, she has established a reputation as a visionary leader, including through developing innovative international partnerships.
Ms Quinlan is also concurrently the Director and inaugural Professor of Practice at the La Trobe Art Institute within La Trobe University. This has allowed her to combine the strengths of both the Bendigo Art Gallery and the La Trobe Art Institute to enrich the arts offerings in regional Victoria.
Ms Quinlan’s commitment to the sector over several decades is shown through her current roles on the Boards of the Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the State Library of Victoria. She has also been the Chair and a board member of the Public Galleries Association of Victoria and a board member of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival. Previously, Ms Quinlan was Curator at the Bendigo Art Gallery and prior to that, Curatorial Assistant at the National Gallery of Victoria.
The Australian Government acknowledges the significant contribution to the NPGA over the past five years of the outgoing Director, Mr Angus Trumble. Mr Trumble has overseen an important chapter of the Gallery’s story, nurturing a highly successful donor foundation, an exciting program of acquisitions and exhibitions and, particularly in its twentieth year, an ambitious commissioning program.
Ms Quinlan’s appointment has been announced by the Board of the NPGA after an extensive search. She will take up the position on 10 December 2018.
