Housed in a large and striking heritage building in the heart of Perth, Western Australia, PICA was incorporated in 1989 but its emergence was preceded by the commitment and hard work undertaken over five years by its founders. Securing PICA’s eventual location, in what was originally the Perth Central School in the heart of the Cultural Centre, was fundamental to that process.

The new organisation partly ‘follow[ed] on from Praxis (Western Australia’s former Contemporary Art Space now amalgamated with PICA), which had a 15-year history of producing an important program of visual arts exhibitions, publications and special projects. Praxis had been a part of a network of contemporary art spaces across Australia; organisations which had their origins in the alternative spaces of the 1970s, and which at their best have been critical, challenging and provocative.

The intention of those people and groups involved in the development of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts was that it would provide a new forum for the analysis and presentation of critical and contemporary art practice. This practice would include the visual arts, music, dance and performance along with their contemporary and interdisciplinary variants but would be wider than any list of art forms… Fundamental to the concept of PICA was that culture was not an isolated province but intimately connected to the social, economic, psychological and political dimensions of contemporary life.’ 1

The late Noel Sheridan was the inaugural Director of PICA from 1989–93. During that time he put his vision into action by delivering a dynamic program and overseeing the initial renovation of the building that PICA still calls home. He was succeeded by Sarah Miller, who from 1993–2006 continued PICA’s development into one of the country’s most innovative, best-known and loved contemporary arts venues in Australia. In 2006, Amy Barrett-Lennard was appointed as Director. She led the evolution of PICA until August 2022, responding to the changing needs and desires of artists and audiences, with the ultimate goal of forging an inclusive space that sits at the nexus of art, innovation, and community. In October 2022, Hannah Mathews joined PICA as its new CEO.

1. John Barrett-Lennard, ‘A spacious central location…’, catalogue essay for A spacious central location: installations for PICA and the Cultural Centre, (Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, 1990), p.4

Hannah Mathews – Director/CEO

Georgia Malone – General Manager

Sarah Wall – Curator

Olivia Nichols – Exhibitions & Residencies 

David Brazier – Exhibitions Production 

Ariane Katscherian – Producer

Jenn Garland – Creative Learning 

Miranda Johnson – Public Programs 

Manda Campbell – Front of House 

Sam Leung – Communications

Erin Lockyer – Marketing 

Jo Yong – Design

Anne Tunnecliffe – Development 

Georgia Siciliano – Events 

Bryce Goddard – Operations 

Jayne Cleave – Business 

Suzanne Fielding – Finance

Mark Clapham – Chair

Mark Clapham is the Joint Managing Director of Cushman & Wakefield Western Australia, a leading global commercial property company specialising in the sale, leasing and asset management of institutional-grade commercial office assets and new office development precincts. Mark has over 27 years of experience across Australia and London, providing strategic property advice to institutional property owners and wholesale private clients. He is also an active member of the Property Council of Australia.

James Brown – Treasurer

A highly strategic and solution focused tax, treasury and risk professional with over 20 years’ experience, equally comfortable in both the boardroom and the detail.

Kelly Fliedner – Board Member

Kelly Fliedner is a writer, editor and curator with over 15 years of experience working with arts organisations across Australia and Asia. She is interested in the convergence of critical and creative discourses surrounding contemporary art, working on many creative writing projects for organisations such as the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in India, the Biennale of Sydney, and the Next Wave Festival. Kelly is currently an Editor at Tura New Music, where she is writing a history of the experimental music organisation, and is co-founder and editor of Semaphore, a publishing project about art from Western Australia.

Minali Gamage – Board Member

Minali Gamage is a governance, risk and audit professional with 17 years of experience. Minali regularly supports the arts through advocacy, philanthropy, arts advisory roles, and collecting. She is the founder of perth.art.seeker, a social media-based information-sharing service about art exhibitions, events, and industry opportunities in and around Perth.

Tarryn Gill – Board Member

Tarryn Gill is a multidisciplinary artist from Boorloo/Perth, Western Australia. She works across sculpture, photography, video, drawing, theatre design and performance. Through her solo & collaborative practices, she has exhibited works and undertaken residency projects across Australia, in Argentina, France, Germany, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Japan. Tarryn is represented in numerous collections nationally, including Artbank, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the Art Gallery of South Australia, Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art.

Theo Kailis – Board Member

Theo Kailis is the Executive Director and shareholder of Austral Fisheries. Australia’s leading integrated, sustainable commercial fishing company. Theo’s family has produced high quality, sustainably caught seafood products for customers worldwide for 40 years. Proud of his Greek heritage, Theo believes arts and culture are essential and draws upon his experience studying, working and living in Greece, Spain and Sydney to nurture and develop contemporary art in his hometown. 

Carly Lane – Board Member

Carly Lane is a Murri woman from Queensland, Australia. She is an independent curator and a senior research officer at Culture and the Arts – DLGSC (Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries). In 2012, she also guest curated the Second National Indigenous Art Triennial (National Gallery of Australia, 2012). Carly finds inspiration in political art and any art (really) where the artist speaks their political, social and cultural truth.

Ian Smyth – Board Member

Ian Smyth is the Development Director for Hesperia; a property development company recognising the uniqueness of our State and the need to evolve continually alongside our growing community. Ian oversees the delivery of Hesperia’s mixed-use and commercial built-form projects. Previously with Fini Group and FJM Property, Ian has been involved in many award-winning developments from Como the Treasury and the State Buildings through to Knutsford residential development in Fremantle.

Melvin Yeo – Board Member

Melvin Yeo is a company director and corporate lawyer with 25 years’ experience. He has a global client base, and has also co-founded various international mineral exploration projects. Melvin’s experience incudes governance, strategic planning, legal affairs, capital raising, operational oversight and transaction negotiations. Melvin is a supporter of the arts and is a Trustee of the WA State Government’s Arts and Culture Trust. He is also a keen collector of contemporary works by Australian artists and has previously served on the Murdoch University Art Collection board. Melvin also a co-founder and board member of Heritage Perth Inc.

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Are Assistance Dogs permitted at PICA?

In line with our legal obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, all accredited Assistance Dogs are able to accompany their handler into all venue at PICA.

Are Therapy Dogs permitted into the PICA venue?

Yes.

How do I volunteer?

There are times when PICA will be on the search for volunteers across our operations and program activities.

The best way to be informed of such opportunities is by subscribing to our e-newsletter. You will find information about upcoming exhibitions, employment and other engagement opportunities there.

How do I apply for work experience or an internship?

There are times when PICA will be on the search for work experience and internship opportunities across our operations and program activities.

To ensure these opportunities provide optimal benefits to PICA and the individual, we only have limited number of places.

The best way to be informed of such opportunities is by subscribing to our e-newsletter. You will find information about upcoming exhibitions, employment and other engagement opportunities there.

If you are part of a university or TAFE course and looking for an internship opportunity, then please email jobs@pica.org.au to express your interest.

Note this inbox is not frequently monitored, so ensure your request has adequate lead time.

We currently have no positions available.