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Local Arts Leaders Reference Group

The Local Arts Leaders Reference Group comprises a range of community members that represent different creative forms and practices.

It also reflects the diversity of Casey’s population and geography. The Reference Group provides advice to the City of Casey on the arts and the cultural needs of the community. It also advises on arts and cultural policies and strategies.

The Reference Groups objectives are to:

  • Keep Council informed of emerging needs or issues representative of the arts and cultural community
  • Facilitate communication between community representatives and Council in arts and cultural related disciplines
  • Contribute to discussions regarding Council’s priorities for arts and cultural development within the municipality, consistent with Council’s strategies and policies
  • Contribute to the periodic review of Council’s arts and cultural strategies, policies, programs and services
  • Contribute to the development and enhancement of a strong, recognisable public profile for the arts in Casey

View the terms of reference and the member declaration

For more information, contact us.

Local Arts Leaders Reference Group

Ms Stephanie Sacco
Curator at the Town Hall Gallery Boroondara, Alumnus and former employee of Cathy-Lea Dance Music Drama Works.

  • Charitha Dissanayake
    Charitha has presented a weekly Sri Lankan radio program for almost twenty years. He holds two masters of Arts degrees and is a current PhD candidate with a specialty in developing radio in Australia for an ethnic audience.
     
  • Tannia MacMartin (Nia)
    Nia is a speaker, author and a performing singer-songwriter. She is an experienced management professional across a broad range of industries including corporate and not-for-profit organisations and small to medium enterprises.
     
  • Verity Bosanquet
    Verity is a young artist and current member of the Arts Agitators, a multidisciplinary youth arts collective that delivers creative projects to the broader Casey community.
     
  • Gino Ciancio
    Gino Ciancio is the manager and owner of an art and design studio in Casey. He has been a practicing digital artist for more than seven years. Gino was an art and design lecture for twenty-seven years at Chisholm Institute and is currently a part-time teacher at a private secondary college. Gino has been involved with the arts community across Casey over the last ten years and is a current committee member on the SECAN artist group.
     
  • Susan Bergman OAM
    Susan Bergman has extensive knowledge of performing arts including experience as a roving entertainer and in amateur theatre as a performer and in production roles. Susan has knowledge of theatre layout through her contribution to the design of the Cranbourne Community Theatre and the original concept of The Factory – Rehearsal Centre for the Arts. Susan’s experience as a secondary school teacher gives her an understanding of education and the public service sector.
     
  • Hari Sivanesan
    Hari Sivanesan has a grassroots understanding and contacts within the South Asian and UK expatriate community in Casey. Hari is a co-curator of Sangam: Performing Arts Festival of South Asia and Diaspora at Bunjil Place and Dancehouse (2019). Hari is also co-Director of Casey Pathways Program Bunjil Place (2019) and recently released an EP in partnership with Multicultural Arts Victoria (2018). A vocalist, veena player, composer and teacher of South Asian Classical music for over fifteen years, Hari has over twenty years’ experience in cross-genre/multi-art form production in the UK and Australia and has toured extensively, working solo and on cross-art form projects.
     
  • Sohail Yamin
    Sohail Yamin has been a member of City of Casey Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee for the past four years. Sohail has experience in arts, engineering and project management. In 2019, Sohail was a recipient of the Victorian Government Award for Excellence in Multicultural Affairs – Meritorious Service Award. Sohail is a practicing visual artist and has an appreciation for developing the arts within a Council organisation.
     
  • Di Lockwood
    Di Lockwood is a practicing visual artist, art tutor and has worked in the areas of Mental Health and Refugee Support. A past member of City of Casey Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee, Di has contributed to judging the Casey Creatives program and the Winter Arts Festival workgroup. As a current member of Akoonah Park Management Board and SECAN, Di is community-minded with strong links to cultural groups across Casey.
     
  • Georgia Mandarino
    Georgia Mandarino has studied creative arts and has successful creative workshop business so understands how to foster creative opportunities to create successful business outcomes. Georgia has hands-on experience in management, marketing and social media and instructing on most visual art forms. This will be Georgia’s first term on the City of Casey Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee, and she looks forward to helping the City realise it’s creative vision.

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