Dame Quentin Bryce to deliver 2024 Betty Churcher Memorial Oration

Dame Quentin Bryce AD, CVO, Australia's 25th Governor-General, will deliver the National Gallery of Australia’s 2024 Betty Churcher Memorial Oration on 5 September 2024 in Kamberri/Canberra.

In honour of the late Betty Churcher AO (1931–2015), Dame Quentin Bryce will speak on the value of creativity, the recognition of women’s voices in the arts and reflect on her leadership across several decades of public service.

In 2008 Dame Quentin was appointed the first female Governor-General of Australia, a position which she held until 2014. She devoted attention to social justice and human rights issues, placing special emphasis on promoting and protecting the rights of the country’s First Nations peoples. Dame Quentin was a Member and Convenor of the National Women’s Advisory Council from 1982-1984; Director of the Queensland Women's Information Service 1978-1984; Queensland Director of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission; Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner; CEO of the National Childcare Accreditation Council; Principal and CEO of the Women’s College at the University of Sydney; and Governor of Queensland.

The Betty Churcher Memorial Oration was established in 2022 in honour of Betty Churcher AO, the only female director to lead the National Gallery. Churcher was a renowned Australian arts educator and administrator who left a long-lasting legacy on the industry. The annual oration features leading women in the arts who inspire creativity, inclusivity, engagement and learning. Previous speakers have included international curator, Dr Melissa Chiu and Maria Balshaw CBE, Director of Tate, one of the world’s most visited galleries.

National Gallery Director Dr Nick Mitzevich: ‘Dame Quentin Bryce has had incredible impact across decades of public service and as Australia’s 25th Governor General, the first women to hold the position. We are honoured that she will deliver the 2024 Betty Churcher Memorial Oration which was established as part of the Gallery’s Gender Equity Action Plan.’

‘This annual event celebrates the legacy of former National Gallery Director and industry champion for women – the late Betty Churcher, whose spirit continues to inspire today. Dame Quentin’s address will continue important conversations about the value of creativity and women’s voices in the arts.’

Audiences can book a free ticket to attend the Memorial Oration at the Gallery or register to watch online via live stream.

EVENT

2024 Betty Churcher AO Memorial Oration: Dame Quentin Bryce AD, CVO

Thu 5 Sep 2024, 6.30pm-7.30pm
James Fairfax Theatre & online
Duration: 60 minutes including Q&A
Free, booking essential
Book here

TICKETS
Please reach out for complimentary media tickets to the virtual/in-person event.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

JESS BARNES
Communications Manager
M | +61 437 986 286
E | jessica.barnes@nga.gov.au or media@nga.gov.au

ABOUT DAME QUENTIN BRYCE AD, CVO
Dame Quentin Bryce graduated in Arts and Law at University of Queensland and was admitted to the Queensland Bar in 1965. In 1968 she became the first women appointment at the T. C. Beirne School of Law at the University of Queensland where she lectured in law and social work from 1968 to 1983. In 2008 Dame Quentin was appointed the first female Governor-General of Australia, a position which she held until 2014. As Governor-General, Dame Quentin devoted attention to social justice and human rights issues, placing special emphasis on promoting and protecting the rights of the country’s First Nations peoples. She delivered the 2013 Boyer Lecture series speaking to the importance of human rights in building neighbourhood, community and citizenship. Dame Quentin was a Member and Convenor of the National Women’s Advisory Council from 1982-1984; Director of the Queensland Women's Information Service 1978-1984; Queensland Director of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission; Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner; CEO of the National Childcare Accreditation Council; Principal and CEO of the Women’s College at the University of Sydney; and Governor of Queensland.

ABOUT BETTY CHURCHER
A former director of the National Gallery, Betty Churcher AO (1931–2015) was a leading Australian arts educator and administrator. During her esteemed career, Churcher was the first woman to lead an Australian tertiary education centre as Dean of the School of Art and Design at Phillip Institute of Technology in Melbourne (1982–1987), first woman to lead a state gallery as Director of Art Gallery of Western Australia (1987–1990) and first and only woman director of the National Gallery (1990–1997).

Constantly at the forefront, Churcher’s considered approach to accessibility in the arts remains clear today. She introduced the ‘blockbuster’ to the Australian art scene. Having gained the nickname ‘Betty Blockbuster’, Churcher brought 12 international major exhibitions to the National Gallery including Rembrandt to Renoir, Matisse, The Age of Angkor and Rubens and the Italian Renaissance. She led the way on shows such as the insightful and poignant 1994 exhibition Don’t leave me this way, showing real courage in tackling the challenging topic of HIV, the first national gallery anywhere in the world to do so. Overcoming the cynics who claimed her popularist approach undermined the scholarly vigour of the arts, Churcher dramatically raised the profile and idea of what the art gallery experience could be on an international scale.

Image credit: Dame Quentin Bryce AD. Image courtesy of Dame Quentin Bryce AD.