About

Melbourne Art Fair is a seminal fixture on the annual Australasian cultural calendar, stimulating critical and commercial attention for galleries and their artists for over 35 years. The Fair supports and promotes living artists through the staging of a world-class platform for contemporary art, showcasing iconic and new works by artists from the region’s most respected galleries.

With this global creative city as a backdrop, Melbourne Art Fair returned in February 2024 to the Denton Corker Marshall designed Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, continuing its lead role in the region for fostering the development of new audiences for contemporary art.

Melbourne Art Fair has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory board, and Creative Victoria.

The next iteration of the Fair takes place 20-23 February 2025, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Foundation

Founded by a group of galleries in 1988, Melbourne Art Fair is today owned and operated by the Melbourne Art Foundation, an Australian non-profit arts organisation dedicated to the support of living artists. 

Since the foundation’s establishment in 2003, the Melbourne Art Fair has distributed $1M in artist and curator fees. With the endorsement of the Art Galleries Association of Australia (AGAA) the Fair continues to be a seminal fixture on the Australasian cultural calendar, stimulating critical and commercial attention for artists for over 35 years.

Melbourne Art Foundation produces the annual Melbourne Art Fair and, produced in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria, the biennial Melbourne Design Fair.

The Board

PETER JOPLING AM, KC, CHAIRMAN

COMPANY DIRECTOR AND PHILANTHROPIST

Peter Jopling is a Melbourne based King’s Counsel. Peter is the Chairman of the Ian Potter Museum of Art and Chair of the Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation Ltd. Peter has been Deputy Chair of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, a Director of the McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery and Director of the National Gallery of Australia Foundation. Peter is a Patron of the Australian World Orchestra. Peter is a member of the Victorian College of the Arts Foundation and the Melbourne University Humanities Foundation. Peter has also held board directorships of science and business school boards as well as various legal governing boards. In 2014 Peter was made a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to the law in Victoria and to the community. 

MICHAELA WEBB

FOUNDER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR, STUDIO ROUND

With over 20 years’ experience, Michaela has worked for some of the world’s leading brand and design companies, including Wolff Olins and Spin in London, and in 2016 was elected as a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). In 2002, Michaela founded Round with Robert Nudds a design practice that connects culture, commerce and creativity to deliver transformative brands across arts & culture, food & drink, hospitality, publishing, property, retail and architecture & design. Michaela currently sits as an advisor on boards for RMIT Design Hub and Ian Potter Museum of Art.

ROSE HISCOCK

DIRECTOR OF MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS,
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Prior to the University of Melbourne, Rose was Director of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse Museum), Australia’s contemporary museum for excellence and innovation in applied arts and sciences. Rose’s career includes a period at the Australia Council, where she held the position of Executive Director, Arts Development and Museum Victoria where she was responsible for commercial and audience growth across Museum Victoria’s highly successful venues. She is committed to building a thriving and dynamic arts sector and is Board member of Back to Back Theatre and Chunky Move.

 

ADRIAN FINI OAM

FOUNDER/DIRECTOR, FJM PROPERTY AND FINI GROUP

Adrian Fini OAM is a prominent Perth business executive involved in property development and the arts. He was managing director of family company Fini Group. Following its merger with ASX-listed Mirvac in 2001, he became chief executive of the expanded Mirvac Fini Business. He was subsequently appointed an executive director of Mirvac Group, responsible for its development division before resigning in 2010 to concentrate on private business ventures through FJM property and the ‘reborn’ Fini Group. In July 2020, Fini Group and Linc Property merged their operations under the name Hesperia. Mr. Fini is a director of Perth Festival and the University of Western Australia Foundation. In 2016, Mr. Fini was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the arts in Western Australia, and named the Western Australian of the Year.

JOANNA STRUMPF

CO-DIRECTOR, SULLIVAN+STRUMPF

Joanna Strumpf is the Co-Director of Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney. Established in 2005 with Ursula Sullivan, the gallery is now one of the leading spaces for contemporary art in Australia
working with over 40 contemporary emerging and established artists, and regularly participating in key national and international art fairs. Strumpf holds a Bachelor of Arts with Double Major in Art History from the University of Queensland and has held positions at Eva Breuer Art Dealer, Savill Galleries, Lawson-Menzies (Head of Paintings), and Deutscher Menzies (Art Specialist) before founding Sullivan+Strumpf. In 2021, Strumpf and Sullivan created The First Nation’s Fellowship Gift Fund in partnership with The Institute of Modern Art (IMA, Brisbane), that looks to give opportunities to emerging First Nations curators through projects with the IMA. In 2022, Sullivan+Strumpf expanded by opening a second Australian space in Melbourne.  

 

PROF. BRIAN MARTIN

ASSOCIATE DEAN, INDIGENOUS
MONASH UNIVERSITY ART, DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE

Professor Brian Martin is the faculty’s inaugural Associate Dean, Indigenous. Brian is a descendant of Muruwari, Bundjalung and Kamilaroi peoples. Brian is represented by William Mora Galleries. He has been a practising artist for twenty-seven years and has exhibited both nationally and internationally specifically in the media of painting and drawing. His research and practice focuses on refiguring Australian art and culture from an Indigenous ideological perspective based on a reciprocal relationship to “Country”. Brian was previously Professor and Head of Research at the Institute of Koorie Education at Deakin University. He is also Honorary Professor of Eminence at Centurion University of Technology and Management in Odisha, India.

 

VIVIEN ANDERSON

DIRECTOR, VIVIEN ANDERSON GALLERY

Vivien Anderson has over 30 years’ experience in Australian Indigenous art. After returning from a career in London in documentary film, she became Manager of the Aboriginal Artists Gallery in Melbourne and later managed and directed several acclaimed contemporary galleries in Melbourne and Sydney, all with a focus on the representation and exhibition of Australian indigenous visual artists. Vivien has directed her own specialist gallery in Melbourne since 2006. The current gallery is in St Kilda. Vivien Anderson is a former board member of the Art Galleries Australia Association and is a current board member of the Indigenous Code of Conduct. 

JUSTIN HOMER

PARTNER, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

Justin Homer is a partner at PwC Australia, with 18 years experience specialising in collaborative design, facilitation, strategy and transformation consulting. Justin is an expert in the development of co-design capabilities having successfully developed in-house solutions for world leading organisations across the USA, UK and Australia.

Advisory

N'ARWEET CAROLYN BRIGGS AM

FOUNDER AND CHAIR, BOON WURRUNG FOUNDATION

Carolyn is a Boon Wurrung senior elder and is the chairperson and founder of the Boon Wurrung Foundation. She has been involved in developing and supporting opportunities for Indigenous youth and Boon Wurrung culture for over 50 years.

A big part of her work is defining her role as an elder, but also having it validated by the wider community. This involves teaching a generation of children about language and history.

Carolyn was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in 2019 for her significant service to the Indigenous community and she sees this national recognition as part of her role of an elder.

She has undertaken studies in Language & Linguistics in the hope of recording her Boon Wurrung language in oral and written form, as well as a Doctorate in Philosophy – Media & Communication researching assisting urban Indigenous youth to understand Indigenous knowledge, which has been part of Carolyn’s life-long journey documenting the history of her ancestors.

Key people

MAREE DI PASQUALE

CEO & Fair Director 

Maree Di Pasquale has held cultural leadership positions across greater Asia and is credited with successfully repositioning and relaunching Melbourne Art Fair in the Melbourne Arts Precinct as a leading showcase for the Australasian contemporary art market. Di Pasquale was Director of Strategic Partnerships at MCB Visit Victoria (2016-2017) and a member of the leadership team for Art Fairs Australia (2010-2016), where she played a pivotal role in revitalising projects and developing ventures in new markets, most notably as founding Director of Art Central Hong Kong (2014-2016) and Assistant Director of Sydney Contemporary (2013 / 2015) and Melbourne Art Fair (2014). During her time in the United Arab Emirates, Di Pasquale managed exhibitor relations and delivered public programs for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Art Fair and the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, the latter in partnership with global teams for the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum (2009-2010).

Di Pasquale holds a BA Visual Arts (Creative Industries) from QUT, and a MA in Marketing from Melbourne Business School, The University of Melbourne. She has held numerous cultural board and committee appointments and is a current board member for 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (2017-present). 

MAREE@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM

ESTHER LAWLER

GENERAL MANAGER

Esther Lawler is a small business strategist turned arts manager who works with galleries, not-for-profits and artists to pass on her knowledge, passion and experience in both the art and business worlds, not only to those with a long-held passion for the arts, but to those fostering an interest.  She has previously lent her talents to Sullivan+Strumpf where she was gallery manager for 3 years, driving their art fair strategy and participation in Australia and the region. Prior to her entry into the artworld, Esther worked in the MedTech start-up space, bringing her commercial skills and entrepreneurial spirit to her role with MAF.

Esther holds an MA in Art Curatorship from The University of Melbourne and a PGDip Art History and Theory alongside a BCApSc from The University of Otago.

ESTHER@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM
 

MARY WENHOLZ

DIRECTOR, EVENTS & OPERATIONS

Mary Wenholz has a background in gallery management and the delivery of arts festivals and fairs. Mary has been involved in the successful delivery of seven editions of Sydney Contemporary (2015-2022) including two digital iterations (2020 and 2021), in addition to contributing to fairs internationally including Art Central Hong Kong (2014, 2015, and 2017), Art16 London (2016), and the Melbourne Art Fair (2014).  As Event Manager, Mary delivered a city-wide program for Art Month Sydney (2016 and 2017). Prior to this Mary was Associate Director at Gallery Barry Keldoulis for 5 years, a key role involving liaising with artists and collectors, and managing the gallery’s participation at Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Stage Singapore, Korean International Art Fair (KIAF) and the Melbourne Art Fair. Following this, Mary was the Associate Director at Anna Schwartz Gallery, Sydney, overseeing the staging of significant exhibitions including Erwin Wurm, Candice Breitz and You promised me, and you said a lie to me, curated by Alexie Glass Kantor. Mary has a BA (Hons) and MFA from Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney.

MARY@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM

ERIN HODGE

DIRECTOR, MARKETING & PARTNERSHIPS

Prior to joining Melbourne Art Foundation, Erin worked as an integral member of the marketing team at Emporium Melbourne. From its beginning in 2014, Erin was involved in delivering the new-to-market $1.6 billion asset; responsible for seeing the brand through development, launch and stabilisation, successfully positioning the centre as an iconic Melbourne destination.

Whilst at Emporium Melbourne, Erin developed and delivered many successful partnerships that received critical acclaim from both local and international media. Passionate about working with both emerging and established creative brands, Erin collaborated with a diverse range of clients, including; Baz Luhrmann, The Australian Ballet, National Gallery of Victoria, Disney, Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Melbourne Fashion Week.

Prior to this, Erin built a diverse skill set working in various roles within the fashion industry, including public relations for Stella McCartney in Paris & London.

ERIN@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM

JODIE KRAS

FAIR MANAGER

Jodie Kras has over 10 years of experience in the art industry, working across commercial galleries, biennales, art fairs and auction houses in Melbourne and Sydney. 

Jodie’s passion for helping the next generation of art collectors led her to establish The Arts Club in 2018, a series of pop-up exhibitions in unique locations aiming to bridge the gap between emerging artists and collectors. The Arts Club created spaces distinctly different to the setting of a traditional gallery and sourced unique works by emerging artists at affordable prices.

JODIE@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM

HOLLY CAMPBELL

VIP AND PROGRAM MANAGER

Holly Campbell is an arts administrator with an interest in connecting both public and private audiences with visual art and curated spaces. Prior to joining the Melbourne Art Foundation, Holly worked as a Curator and Operations Coordinator for public art consultancy and manufacturer UAP Company, leading the Melbourne Studio and working with Clients both nationally and internationally. Holly holds a BA from The University of Melbourne.

HOLLY@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM

CRISTINA ULLOA SOBARZO

DIGITAL CONTENT COORDINATOR

Cristina Ulloa Sobarzo is an emerging arts professional. She has previously worked with Clemenger BBDO, leading the digital implementation of campaigns for Myer. During that time, she also volunteered with SYN radio as an executive producer for their flagship arts and culture show, Art Smitten. There, she was able to further cultivate her love of the arts, interviewing working artists around Naarm and beyond, while producing a weekly radio show and managing a team of volunteers. In 2020, during lockdown, she worked with RMIT Culture to produce a student belonging exhibition titled Museum of Me which looked to connect students during a time of social isolation.

She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Media), graduating from RMIT in 2021. She is currently studying for a Graduate Certificate in Business (Arts & Cultural Management) at Deakin University.  

CRISTINA@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM

DHARIZ (DEE) MANALO

FAIR ADMINISTRATOR 

Dhariz (Dee) Manalo has a background in project and operations management. She thrives on building strong relationships and providing solutions to all stakeholders within the Arts, Events and Construction Materials Industry. Dee has been involved in the successful delivery of Melbourne Art Fair (2022), Melbourne Design Fair (2022 – 2023), Affordable Art Fair (2022), Sydney Contemporary (2022 – 2023), Gertrude Street Projection Festival (2022 – 2023) and IMARC (2022 – 2023). 

An avid volunteer within the Arts sector, Dee is committed to sharing inspirational experiences with the audience whilst supporting artists, galleries and NFP organisations.  

DHARIZ@MELBOURNEARTFOUNDATION.COM

VIP Relations

Partnering with Melbourne’s leading institutions, private museums and independent art spaces, the Melbourne Art Fair VIP Program celebrates the vibrancy of Victoria’s cultural landscape. The program engages an international network of collectors through invitation-only dinners, studio visits, private collection tours, exhibition openings, and private events. Melbourne Art Fair allows collectors to discover artists, galleries and artworld figures at the forefront of contemporary art, and experience the best of our host city, Melbourne.

For more information on the VIP Program, or to register your interest, please email: 

vip@melbourneartfoundation.com

For existing VIPs, you can access the VIP Portal with your unique code via the link below:

maf.melbourneartfoundation.com/vip-portal