About the Gallery
The
South Australian School of Art (SASA) Gallery was established in 2005 in the
Kaurna Building.
Aims and objectives
The South Australian School of Art (SASA) Gallery is being developed as a centre for high-quality research and is an active site of teaching and learning. The aims of the SASA Gallery are to:
- showcase South Australian artists, designers, writers and curators associated with the School of Art, Architecture and Design in a national and international context
- support a program of researched exhibitions with a strong curatorial premise or rationale which focus on experimental, innovative and excellent contemporary art
- engage in dialogue and extend critical debate about contemporary visual art, design and culture
- engage with current theories, concepts and issues relevant to contemporary art and design practice
- create opportunities, such as touring exhibitions, exchanges and residencies, for artists, designers, writers and curators to engage in research of national and international relevance
- contribute to teaching and learning through student engagement with a professionally managed gallery; a nationally significant exhibition program; and mentored student centred learning projects
- create opportunities for staff and post-graduate students to contribute to the research output of the School of Art, Architecture and Design
- promote the School of Art, Architecture and Design as a centre of excellence and innovation in art, architecture and design, writing and curatorial practice.
Strategies
Building on what has already been achieved, the SASA Gallery will strive to refine and implement a number of strategies in order to achieve its aims and objectives:
- develop a strong and recognised position and national reputation for the gallery
- develop a significant program of exhibitions that have a strong curatorial theme or premise and demonstrate high quality research and focus on experimental, innovative and excellent contemporary art and design
- engage in dialogue and expand critical debate in local, national and international arenas through the presentation of high calibre exhibitions
- support the publication of catalogues with scholarly catalogue essays
- encourage reviews, essays and related writing
- encourage events which extend the exhibition program, expand existing audiences and encourage cross art-form dialogue such as performances, launches of books and journals, readings
- facilitate talks by artists, designers, curators, writers, panel discussions etc
- professionally manage the gallery and exhibition program, and work towards implementing best practice industry standards including contracts, artist fees, exhibition fees, safe serving of alcohol
- draft standard professional exhibition and event contracts
- encourage student engagement with the gallery through a range of informal and formal mechanisms including directed studies and mentored student-centred learning projects such as the emerging curator program assisting with gallery activities, including installation, invigilation; critiquing, writing and speaking about exhibitions
- name the gallery and develop a recognisable corporate identity
- as one of three research concentrations identified in the SASA corporate plan, clearly identify and define the scale and focus of research being developed
- understand the implications of Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) and requirements for the gallery to support high-quality research, and draft a plan to build the gallery into as a centre for high-quality research
- register the SASA Gallery in the Five Year Research Infrastructure Plan
- develop a strong mailing list, press releases
- support and develop exhibition, residency, and exchange opportunities
- strive to adequately resource the SASA Gallery, to enable professional management and payment of artists
- seek revenue through all available internal funding sources including Teaching and Learning Grants, Research Grants, School of Art, Architecture and Design budget lines
- increase the number of successful applications to Australian competitive grant schemes such as the Australia Council, Arts SA and the Helpmann Academy
- seek sponsorship support.
Gallery Advisory Committee
The SASA Gallery is overseen by the SASA Gallery Advisory Committee, made up of staff from the School of Art, Architecture and Design and external scholars. The Committee is responsible for strategic planning, policy development, governance, overseeing program management, funding and sponsorship initiatives. The Committee is a working committee that actively supports the management of the Gallery.
Committee members
- A/Prof John Barbour, Head, SASA; Associate Head, School of Art, Architecture and Design (Chair)
- Kirsten Coelho, Lecturer, School of Art, Architecture and Design
- Dr Kathleen Connellan, Portfolio Leader: Research; Coordinator BVA/C History and Theory
- Professor Mads Gaardboe, Head, School of Art, Architecture and Design (ex-officio)
- Keith Giles, SASA Gallery Administrator (ex-officio)
- Sean Kelly, Director, Moonah Art Centre, Associate Researcher, Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania
- Mary Knights, Director, SASA Gallery
- Adjunct Professor Ian North, Eminent scholar, University of South Australia and Adelaide University
- Christine Morrow, Curator, Museum Contemporary Art, Sydney
- Joanna Majchrowski, Lecturer, School of Art, Architecture and Design
- Sean Pickersgill, Lecturer, School of Art, Architecture and Design
- Esther Ratner, Acting Program Director, Industrial Design, School of Art, Architecture and Design
- Angela Valamanesh, PhD student, postgrad student representative
- Dr Linda Marie Walker, Senior Lecturer, School of Art, Architecture & Design
- Dr Pam Zeplin, Portfolio Leader: Research Education, School of Art, Architecture and Design
Staff
Mary Knights,
Director, SASA Gallery
Keith Giles,
Gallery Manager
Julian Tremayne, Installation Consultant
Susan Kneebone and
Brigid Noone, Gallery Assistants
(Research/Education)
Peter Harris, Technical Officer (Kaurna
Building)