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Last week NSW Premier Mike Baird announced the new cultural Ambassador for Western Sydney, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, the Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA).
Driven by her passion to engage audiences of all ages and distances with the latest contemporary art, Ms Macgregor’s appointment will continue the development of ambitious art programs in public arenas such as Circular Quay, Western Sydney and across the state.
Ms Macgregor says she feels, “incredibly privileged to be chosen for this role and I intend to continue the contributions the MCA makes currently and to look for ways to further engage with Western Sydney communities through creative endeavours.”
Adding to Ms Macgregor’s list of credibility is the MCA’s long-term program C3West that started in 2006 that initiates such Greater Sydney community engagement. C3West aligns corporate social investment strategies with community development. Contemporary artists are placed at the core of projects that address local issues and actively involve the business sector in sustainable ways of working together.
A notable public project, the MCA Transforma Project involved artist Michael Tuffery transforming previously dumped cars in the St George River into an enormous Kangaroo sculpture which is now a public sculpture in the playground of Airds High School.
Bridging the gap has always been the fuel for Macgregor’s fire. From previously being involved in a moving exhibition – literally on a converted bus that travelled around remote Scottish communities, to her current leadership at the MCA that has offered the digital excursion program to connect regional and rural schools with MCA educators and artists, Macgregor’s ability to think outside the square distinguishes her as an innovator for the art community.
Western Sydney poses exciting new challenges and prospects as she enthused “there is a terrific network of galleries, organisations and artists in Western Sydney doing innovative and highly engaging work.”
This new role will add to her list of achievements, in 2003 Ms Macgregor was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to the Australian public and contemporary art, and most recently in 2012 she received the IMAGinE Museums and Galleries NSW Achievement Award, as well as many in between.
Ms Macgregor’s focus on pushing beyond the boundaries of the gallery to connect artists with audiences, establishes her as more than capable for the task ahead. Her past experience in developing public private partnerships will promise a sustainable and continuing art conversation between Western Sydney, the MCA and Greater Australia.
Image credit: Elizabeth Macgregor courtesy the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia
