ARTISTIC director and CEO of Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), Rebecca Coates, announced last week that she was stepping down from the role after six years at the helm.
Dr Coates is departing following the opening in November 2021 of the new SAM building designed by Australian architectural firm Denton Corker Marshall.
“I had three goals when I commenced in the role. First, to build the artistic exhibitions, collection, and engagement so that it earnt the participation of the local community and a national reputation. Second, to build a genuinely world-class new building that would attract visitors, enable a first-class museum operation, and be a symbol of civic pride. And third, to build a stronger community in Shepparton, with the museum as an agent for social change, celebrating diversity and fostering inclusion. All three goals have been well and truly achieved,” said Dr Coates.
SAM’s exhibitions are now widely recognised across Australia and internationally, building on SAM’s focus on ceramics and indigenous art and engagement. In the past six years Rebecca has curated and co-curated 29 exhibitions and overseen a total program of 111 exhibitions.
Two of the exhibitions curated by SAM (Craftivism and Raquel Ormella) have toured to national acclaim. Dr Coates also revamped SAM’s ceramic art awards to build the profile of contemporary artists working in ceramics. She has also built partnerships with a number of Australia’s largest galleries, including the National Gallery of Australia, Bundanon Trust and Art Gallery of South Australia.
The SAM collection has grown through Dr Coates’ tenure, adding 588 artworks valued at $3M. Donations by artists have grown by a factor of ten, including donations by artists Ben Quilty, Danie Mellor, Karen Black, Richard Lewer and Felicity Law and Tony Albert. The Museum has also formalised the gift of the Carrillo and Ziyin Ganter Collection, valued at around $4.5M.
Dr Coates was pivotal to the new Shepparton Art Museum that now stands at the entrance to Shepparton. She was the driving force to use a rigorous process endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects to identify an architect and design. Dr Coates said that this was “vital to ensuring that Shepparton got a world class museum, not just another infrastructure project.”
