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Curious Leadership

ARTS, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE LEADERSHIP

Catherine C. Turner (she/they) is an arts and cultural leader who works at the intersection of creativity, curiosity, and community to explore the human instinct for storytelling. With a career spanning the literary, visual and performing arts, from working in galleries, museums, libraries, and presenting organisations, they believe in the power of art to reflect and shape collective experience. Backed up with a wide range of  formal and informal training, and strategic roles across government and community arts organisations, Curious Leadership shows Catherine’s dedication to fostering access, representation, and sustainability in Australia’s arts, cultural and heritage sector.

Professional Bio

Books and stories are my first love. I’m an emerging writer, qualified book editor and award-winning freelance book publisher who’s: worked as a production controller in book publishing in Melbourne; volunteered with writers' centres in Canberra and Darwin; and am a serial writers’ festival attendee, be it in regional or metropolitan centres.

 

My other lifelong loves are for the performing and visual arts, and I'm currently working with a classical music organisation in Melbourne. I’ve also: worked at Australia’s largest regional theatre in Queensland; performed as an amateur flautist in community bands in Melbourne, Darwin, Toowoomba and Geelong; am a hobby photographer who’s exhibited in Melbourne, Brisbane and regional Queensland; and, enjoyed performances and exhibitions across Australia and while travelling in the UK, Europe, Türkiye, USA, and Canada. 

 

My literary, visual arts and heritage loves came together between 2015 and 2021 when I worked in the GLAM (gallery, library, archives, and museums) sector. I: managed a gallery and military museum in regional Queensland, while working closely with the library team; managed operations and programs for a converged library-museum-gallery team in regional NSW; and managed an award-winning and internationally recognised central library building and its teams in regional Victoria. 

 

The other thread to my nearly 25-year career has been in communication and marketing roles, where I’ve worked for: a Commonwealth Department in Canberra; the Legislative Assembly of the NT; Defence’s contribution to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and on deployment to Afghanistan; a micro workplace training business in Darwin; and, consulting with micro and small agricultural businesses and working for a local government agency in regional Queensland.

C.C. Turner is wearing a purple scarf against a black background. By Karin Locke.

Image © Karin Locke

Skills

  • Leadership and Staff Management 

  • Relationship Management

  • Fiscal management 

  • Communication Strategy Management

  • Publishing Expertise

  • Tech-savvy

  • Program Delivery Management

  • Governance Knowledge 

  • Development/Fundraising Knowledge

Not-for-Profit Board Positions

Tertiary Qualifications

(in seniority order)

  • Master of Fine Arts (Cultural Leadership), National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA, 2019–23)

    • During the course, Catherine investigated digital lending rights and the history of literary funding through the Australia Council for the Arts (2020) and wrote an original Australian feminist fairy tale for the capstone research project (2021) 

    • For their International Placement, Catherine reported on the inclusion, diversity, accessibility, and equity (IDEA) initiatives that Canadian orchestras are doing with equity-seeking communities as part of evolving the artform 

  • Graduate Diploma in Editing and Publishing with Distinction, RMIT University (2005 & 2007)

  • Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, Deakin University (2016–7)

  • Bachelor of Communication (Honours), University of Canberra (2000)

  • Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Professional Writing), University of Canberra (1997–99)

    • majors in creative writing and creative communication, with an elective major in literary studies

  • Diploma of Management (Government), Australian Army (2002) 

  • Diploma of Personnel and Operations Management, Australian Army (2002) 

  • Certificate II in Printing and Graphic Arts (Desktop Publishing), Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT, 2002)

  • Statements of attainment for units in online and e-marketing strategies and designing smartphone applications, Queensland TAFE (2012)

Accredited Training 

Professional Development

  • Leadership and management (since 2011) — in addition to the above tertiary qualifications and accredited training, have undertaken several one-day workshops; a team role-playing scenario challenge; and, multi-day Million Dollar Expert Thought Leadership course

  • Fundraising (2012 & since 2024) — grant writing seminar; arts fundraising 2 x one-day workshops, 3 x ‘knowledge series’ webinars, and 2 x industry conference sessions 

  • GLAM (2016–22) — several one-day workshops, seminars, and conferences on: exhibitions, copyright, public history, industry developments, and Design Thinking; 3 x multi-day state-based conferences (in different states)

  • Marketing and communications (2010–15) — 2 x one-day workshops, and 3 x multi-day state-based industry conferences

  • Disaster Management (2013–16) — 3 x one-day workshops on various parts of emergency management systems (Prepare, Plan, Response, Recovery)

  • Public sector (2003 & 2013–4 & 2018) — 5 x one-day workshops on: diversity and inclusion; public service ethics; OHS; and productivity

Professional associations 

Awards

FICTION

Highly Commended for short story ‘Thoughts of the Hour’ in the Darling Downs group of the Children’s Book Council “Anywhere Anytime Anybook Book Week” Competition (1996)

Blog

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