About

(l-r) Melinda Harper, Untitled 2002 and Untitled 2003
installation view, Making Her Mark: Selected Works from the Collection, TarraWarra Museum of Art, 2020
Courtesy of the artist
Photo: Andrew Curtis

Connecting Art, Place and Ideas

TarraWarra Museum of Art is a unique institution within Australia. Located on Wurundjeri Country in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, it was founded by the late Marc Besen AC and Eva Besen AO, who not only gifted the award-winning purpose-built Museum designed by the late Allan Powell, they also donated over 600 works of Australian art from their private collection. Welcoming audiences since 2003, TarraWarra is a leading not-for-profit public art gallery that features inventive and stimulating exhibitions and programs about 20th and 21st century art.

TarraWarra Museum of Art recognises and values First Nations peoples as the first artists and custodians of the lands and waters upon which the Museum stands, and proudly commissions works which explore the significant Indigenous culture of the Yarra Valley.

Our community helps us to shape the future of TarraWarra Museum of Art and make it possible for us to commission contemporary artists, deliver exciting exhibitions and creative learning programs and deepen our engagement with communities beyond the Museum.

The generosity of our audience through membership, community of philanthropic supporters, government and corporate partners provides vital support for the development and delivery of our exhibitions and programs, providing visitors with meaningful cultural experiences. Volunteers also play a vital role in enhancing the accessibility of TarraWarra Museum of Art to members of the public and provide our not-for-profit institution with invaluable support.

Eva and Marc Besen Centre

The Eva and Marc Besen Centre (EMBC) is a purpose-built facility adjacent to the existing TarraWarra Museum of Art, opening in mid-2024. It will include a multi-purpose space, suitable for educational workshops, lectures, forums, conferences, classical music concerts and other live arts events. It will seat up to 200 people.

Designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects with landscaping by OCULUS, this state-of-the-art building will also store 300 works from the Museum’s permanent collection of Australian painting and sculpture, viewable through a secure glass wall. This visible storage will provide a teaching and learning resource. When the EMBC reaches full programming capacity over the coming years, it is estimated that we will present up to 160 programs per annum.

Our Values

Respect for First Nations voices of Wurundjeri Country and beyond
Respect for art and the artist
Respect for the spirit of philanthropy – the inspiration for the Museum
Respect for the natural world and sense of place, inspiring fresh creative perspectives
Respect the diversity of our visitors
Respect for the curiosity of our audience
Respect for cultural safety, equity and access

Associations

People

Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin AO
Senior Wurundjeri Elder of the Kulin Nation
Daniel Besen
Chair
Michael Hay
Secretary
Merran Kelsall
Callum Morton
Christine Fleer
Sophie Travers
Fiona Menzies
Dr Victoria Lynn
Victoria Lynn
Director
Tony Dutton
Tony Dutton
General Manager
Patrice Sharkey
Head of Exhibitions and Programs
Elsa Ch’ng
Manager of External Relations
Kali Michailidis
Kali Michailidis
Manager of External Relations (on maternity leave)
Anthony Fitzpatrick
Anthony Fitzpatrick
Curator
Nicole Haverfield
Office Coordinator
Charlotte Carter
Exhibitions Manager
Heather Saleeba
Heather Saleeba
Front of House
Steph Tesoriero
Steph Tesoriero
Front of House
Belinda Cameron
Registrar and Collection Manager
Sarah Metzner
Learning and Engagement Manager
Mel Hartigan
Learning and Engagement Assistant
Kerstin Paulsen
Venue and Events Coordinator
Jasmin De Wolf
Jasmin de Wolf
Marketing & Communications Manager
Sunni Hart
Marketing Assistant
Glennys Hocking
Wendy Catling
Denise Farran
Helen Hardham
Emma Johnson
Annie Lawrence
Margaret McLoughlin
Sue Morgan
Carol Owen
Peter Sank
Diana Viggers
Kevin Whitton

Careers

There are no positions currently available.

Media

TarraWarra Museum of Art can assist with site visits for media, information about our exhibitions and programs, interviews and picture opportunities with artists and Museum staff and copyright-cleared images and video.

See our latest media releases below, or contact us to be added to our media list.

MEDIA RELEASES

Policies & Reports

TarraWarra Museum of Art’s governance policies and reports.

SEE ALL

Sustainability

Building on our engagement with art and with place, the Museum is committed to protect and exhibit exceptional artworks in a way that minimises our environmental impact. The United Nations has stated that global carbon emissions must halve by 2030 – with a goal to achieve zero carbon globally by 2050. The Museum embraces this challenge and aims to be water neutral with zero carbon and zero landfill by 2030. Building lasting relationships with the Indigenous community and caring for country through minimising our impact on the environment is an important part of our continuing journey to sustainability.

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