Women in the Arts Leadership Forum 2025

Join us as we explore ideas and foster collaboration for a resilient and inclusive future through the lens of women in the arts in contemporary Australia.

Can we reimagine the system to better reflect our values? What will it take to move from surviving to thriving? Can we turn bold ideas into real impact and create lasting change?

The 2025 Women in the Arts Leadership Forum, presented by Western Sydney University’s Western Sydney Creative, explores connection, cohesion and leadership in the arts.

The forum is being held in connection with International Women’s Day 2025 and will include keynote presentations, panel discussions and a practical exploration of themes including community engagement, wellbeing, technology, social cohesion, and sustainability.

Attendees will also get a chance to experience Sans Lo (take breath) in the Margaret Whitlam Gallery, by Shivanjani Lal. Shivanjani is a Fijian-Australian artist and curator whose work explores personal grief to account for ancestral loss. Shivanjani is the recipient of the Western Sydney Creative Artist Commission an exciting new award supporting the development and creation of new art by Western Sydney based mid-career artists or artists’ collectives.

This one-day event reflects and resonates with the unique perspectives and leadership of women in Western Sydney’s arts sector.

Date: Tuesday 11th March 2025 (9 am to 5 pm)

Location: Female Orphan School, Whitlam Institute, Western Sydney University Parramatta South

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Kyas Hepworth

Lucy Keeler

SPEAKERS & PANELLISTS

Kerri Glasscock

Kath Melbourne

Danielle O’Keefe

Jane Stratton

Rosie Lourdes

Ana Tiwary

Bine Bhattacharya

Welcome speech by Ms Julia Finn MP, Member for Granville