Adrian Collette Reappointed CEO Of Creative Australia

It’s a big day in the Australian music industry, as Tony Burke, Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for the Arts, has reappointed Adrian Collette AM as the CEO of Creative Australia (formerly the Australia Council) for a second five-year term.

Collette has been an integral member of Creative Australia since 2019, having been the CEO since then and displaying commitment to the arts essential to his job.

As CEO, Collette has been essential in delivering the outcomes of Revive, Australia’s new National Cultural Policy. With Collette at the helm, Creative Australia’s ongoing goals include forming and establishing a First Nations body and Writers Australia within the government organisation.

Minister Burke said in a statement regarding Collette’s leadership and reappointment, “The establishment of Creative Australia is the biggest transformation of Australia’s principal arts investment and advisory body since Gough Whitlam was Prime Minister.

“That was possible thanks to the leadership of Adrian Colette. That leadership will be critical to the future of Creative Australia and the arts in this country.”

Collette will begin his reappointment on Monday, 21 January 2024.

Before becoming CEO of Creative Australia, Collette served as a member of the arts organisation Australia Council Board between July 2013 and December 2018. He also served as a chair of the Major Performing Arts Panel, was the CEO of Opera Australia for 16 years, and has significant experience in book publishing, including the position of Managing Director of Reed Books.

Collette was awarded the Order Of Australia in 2008 for his services to the arts sector.

Creative Australia’s Revive legislation passed through parliament last June. As per the Parliament of Australia website, Music Australia and Creative Workplaces will now be working parts of Creative Australia. A summary of the bill states that “Music Australia will be responsible for supporting, promoting, and developing markets for Australian contemporary music practice”.

Meanwhile, “Creative Workplaces will be responsible for promoting and providing information about fair, safe and respectful workplaces for Australian artists, persons working in organisations that engage in, or support, Australian arts practice and persons otherwise involved in Australian arts practice.”

That’s just the outline of the Creative Australia legislation – you can read more about the bill via the Parliament of Australia website.