Robyn Archer AO

ROBYN ARCHER AO is a singer, writer, artistic director and public advocate of the arts. She is currently Creative Director of the Centenary of Canberra ( 2013) , and Artistic Director of The Light in Winter (Federation Square, Melbourne). Robyn’s concerts in 2011 included Augsburg, Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney. She is involved in the European Festivals Association’s Atelier mentoring program ( Varna, Bulgaria 2010, Singapore and Izmir 2011, Ljubliana 2012).  Her most recent public speeches are published under the title Detritus ( UWA Press) and in 2012 she has been invited to deliver a National Press Club Address ( Canberra) , the Memorial Arthur Boyd Lecture (London) and take part in Singspore’s ConversAsians. In 2011 she devised the program for the 5th World Summit on Arts and Culture ( Melbourne). Robyn Archer is an Officer of the Order of Australia, Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France), Officer of the Crown  (Belgium) and holds honorary doctorates from Flinders University (SA), and the  Universities of Sydney and Canberra.  She has been awarded the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch ABAF Award for Cultural Leadership, and is Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra. You can find more details at the depArcher lounge www.robynarcher.com.au

Vivienne Binns OAM

VIVIENNE BINNS came to prominence in the late 1960s, producing paintings with a bold, psychedelic aesthetic. In the 70s she was active in the crafts and fought for improvements for women artists and conditions in the arts generally. Throughout the '70s, the artist implemented a number of collaborative projects in urban and rural communities, with emphasis on the lives and creative activities of women. The best known project from this period is Mothers' Memories Others' Memories (1979-1981) By way of these projects, Binns sought to define the practice of making art as a human activity rather than simply an aesthetic or institutional concern.

In 1983 Vivienne received the Order of Australia Medal for contribution to art, craft and community; the Ros Bower Memorial Award in 1985 and the Australian Artists Creative Fellowship in 1990. She was the CAPO fellow (Capital Arts Patrons Organization)  in 2003. Her work is held in major museums and collections throughout Australia.

Since she returned to studio-based painting in 1983, her work has been shown in many solo and group exhibitions. Notable among these are; 2006-7 Vivienne Binns Solo Exhibition, which toured from the Tasmanian Museum and Gallery to Victoria, NSW and ACT. In  2007 Cross Currents: Focus on Contemporary Australian Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, and in 2009 Clemenger Contemporary Art Award, National Gallery of Victoria

She is currently represented by Milani Gallery, Brisbane and Sutton Gallery, Melbourne. Her work is held in major museums and collections throughout Australia.

She lives in Canberra and is Senior Lecturer in Painting at the Australian National University, School of Art where she was Head of Core Studies from 2000-2007.

Ruth Osborne

RUTH OSBORNE has pioneered youth dance practice in Australia. She has extensive experience teaching, facilitating, mentoring and consulting in schools, universities, youth dance companies and projects, and with emerging dance graduates.
Her professional dance career spans 40 years: performing, teaching, choreographing, directing and collaborating. After extensive training and experience in Sydney, she established the Contemporary Dance Centre in Perth, and was co-director for 23 years. She has choreographed nationally and internationally for stage, film, television and major events. She taught at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts for 18 years in the Dance, Musical Theatre and Theatre Departments. She was a founding board member, choreographer and Artistic Director of STEPS Youth Dance Company for 10 years, and senior examiner for the Contemporary Dance Association (CDA).
Ruth has served on many boards including Ausdance National Council, Ausdance WA (President for 8 years), West Australian Ballet, WAAPA Advisory Board, Arts WA Peer Assessment Panel, STEPS Youth Dance Company and Youth Arts Incorporated.  She was also a peer advisor for the Dance Board of the Australia Council.
Since moving to Canberra in 1999 she has developed unique youth dance programs as Manager of Youth Dance Practice at the Australian Choreographic Centre, and now Artistic Director of QL2 Centre for Youth Dance. She established Quantum Leap Youth Dance Ensemble, focusing on choreographic literacy for young dancers. She has presented youth dance works at Canberra Playhouse, Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, National Museum of Australia, and National Portrait Gallery, as well as international collaborations in Singapore, Thailand and Jamaica.  Quantum Leapers have continued into full-time training and many now have successful careers in contemporary companies and independent practice.
Ruth was shortlisted in 2005 for an Australian Dance Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dance; for Services to Dance in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; and is on the awards panel for 2012. In 2011 she won the award for Services to Dance and also accepted the award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth or Community Dance for QL2’s junior project ‘Hard Yards’.  She has represented Australian youth dance at the Dance and the Child International (daCi) conference in Jamaica, and the 2010 Youth Dance England national conference.
She continues to develop youth dance practices that develop young people as nascent artists and advocates for quality youth arts experiences nationally.