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The Copyright Agency announced the appointment of two new Board Directors at its AGM yesterday.

Copyright Agency Chairman Kim Williams welcomed leading Aboriginal arts consultant Jason Eades to the Board as an independent director. Mr Eades will replace outgoing independent director, Indigenous artist and author, Bronwyn Bancroft, who has served on the Board for nine years.

Mr Williams says, “Jason has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, strong visual arts credentials, standing within the Indigenous and creative community and a well-developed business sense. I am very pleased he will be bringing this significant expertise to the Copyright Agency.”

Mr Williams also confirmed the appointment of Dr Oliver Watts. Dr Watts joins the Board as the interim Artist Director as a result of the merger between the Copyright Agency and Viscopy, which was finalised yesterday after overwhelming support from the organisation’s two memberships.

Dr Watts was a Director on the Viscopy Board and curated the organisation’s John Fries Award in both 2015 and 2016.

“Oliver is a multi-faceted artist, communicator and advocate for the visual arts. He will certainly bring a unique and lively perspective to our Board deliberations. These appointments mark a new phase for our Board which promises to serve the interests of our wider membership creatively and with passion,” Mr Williams says.

He thanked Ms Bancroft and paid tribute to her, saying: “Bronwyn is a highly accomplished artist, with a deep knowledge of the visual arts sector and the difficulties for all artists, and particularly for Indigenous artists, in sustaining their practice. Bronwyn has made a huge contribution to all aspects of the operation of the Copyright Agency. She brought knowledge, passion and reasoned arguments to supporting really important projects. Projects, which I am confident in saying, have made a difference.”

Two other Board members, who were due to complete their terms, David Barnett (APA-appointed director) and Helen O’Neill (ASA-appointed director), were reappointed for a three-year term, ending at the 2020 AGM.

Full biographies of both new Board members are available below.

About the Copyright Agency

The Copyright Agency connects users and creators of content, providing licences for the use of copyright material such as text, images, art and survey plans. We manage the educational and government licences for the use of text and images, as well as the resale royalty scheme for artists (by Government appointment). Our members include writers, artists, surveyors and publishers. Membership is free. www.copyright.com.au

Biography Jason Eades

Jason is an Aboriginal man born and raised on Gunnai country in eastern Victoria. He has more than 25 years’ experience in leadership roles within the Indigenous for purpose sector.

Jason currently holds the position of Director, Consulting with Social Ventures Australia. He is also a non-executive Director at Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), a member of the Australia Council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Strategy Panel, Deputy Chair of the National Museum of Australia’s Indigenous Reference Group and a member of the National Film and Sound Archive’s Indigenous Connections Committee.

Biography Oliver Watts

Dr Oliver Watts is a Sydney-based artist, theorist and curator. He currently lectures at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and is an honorary associate of the Sydney College of the Arts (University of Sydney). He has curated exhibitions in Australia, Hong Kong, the United States and Singapore. As a critic and theorist, he has published in various magazines such as Art and Australia, Art Monthly, Das Superpaper and leading academic journals.

As well being a founding member of The Chaser satirical team as its cartoonist and illustrator, Dr Watts is also a co-director of Chalk Horse Gallery in Darlinghurst, Sydney.