What futures are we designing by default? What collaborations are we complicit in? How can we incorporate an active civic engagement into our professional and creative practice – into our everyday lives? Esther Anatolitis presents a dynamic snapshot of her own practice from a distinctly Australian context but with a global perspective. In an election year, this book is an indispensable caution against political disengagement, offering galvanising arguments among moments of joy. Collecting pieces written across two decades, Place, Practice, Politics is a handbook for spurring creative practice into civic action – and a reminder that leadership is up to each of us.

CAST (Contemporary Art and Social Transformation) invites you to join Esther, Opening Speaker E. Flynn and MC Marnie Badham and guests to celebrate the launch of her book on Tuesday 12th April, 6-8pm. Please register for this event. Limited capacity.

ABOUT ESTHER

Esther Anatolitis is one of Australia’s most influential advocates for the arts. She is Deputy Chair of Contemporary Arts Precincts, the team behind Collingwood Yards, and Honorary Associate Professor at RMIT School of Art. Esther has led arts and media organisations across all artforms, and her consultancy Test Pattern focuses on creative practice, policy and precincts, as well as advocacy and public value. A hallmark of Esther’s arts leadership career has been her tenacious civic engagement, ensuring that artists’ voices and arts issues feature prominently on political agendas. This work has ranged from strategic development and private advice to public events, regional marginal seat forums, candidates’ debates, specialist workshops and Australia’s first advocacy training program for the arts. A prolific writer, Esther’s work regularly appears in literary journals, newspapers, and across the arts and design media.

OPENING SPEAKER

E. Flynn is a writer, arts worker and community organiser. An Aboriginal (Larrakia and Tiwi), Chinese Malaysian and Muslim woman, E. Flynn works within her multiple communities to create change through literature, art, politics and community engagement. E. Flynn’s thoughts on the politics of race, gender and culture have been published widely. Her essays, articles and short stories have been published in IndigenousX, NITV, the Guardian Australia, Peril magazine, and the anthology #MeToo: Stories From the Australian Movement. With extensive experience in community engaged arts practice, E. Flynn has worked with Kurruru Youth Performing Arts and The Social Studio. Most recently, she has worked at Eleven Collective and ACMI. Elizabeth is a Board Member of ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, Peril Magazine, Collingwood Yards, Blak Dot Gallery, and the Ebony Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Institute.

PUBLISHER

Art Architecture Design Research, an imprint of German publisher Spurbuch, disseminates the relationship between creative projects and innovative theory, thinking and doing. AADR and its Curatorial Editor Dr Rochus Urban Hinkel, are supported by an Academic Advisory Board and an Editorial Advisory Board, with leading academics and practitioners from around the world. https://www.spurbuch.de/en/aadr.html

This event is proudly supported by CAST and RMIT PlaceLab.