NAVA Board Election: Voting Now Open
The election is now open for three Artist Representative positions and two Organisation Representative positions on the NAVA Board.
Following a recent call for nominations, NAVA received four nominations for three Artist Representative vacancies and three nominations for two Organisation Representative vacancies.
The nominees are:
Artist Representatives
- Dylan Batty (NSW)
- Jacky Cheng (WA)
- Jamie Lewis (Vic) (renomination)
- Dr Ryan Presley (Qld) (renomination)
Organisation Representatives
- Caine Chennatt (Tas)
- Janice Falsone (NSW) (renomination)
- Georgia Hayward (WA)
NAVA Members are now invited to vote by following the link below.
To assist Members in considering their ballot, information about the current Board is available here:
To be eligible to vote, you must be a current financial Member of NAVA.
Members may cast one vote per vacancy.
In casting your vote, Members are encouraged to review each candidate’s statement and note that the NAVA Board must maintain representation across at least four states and territories, as required under NAVA’s Articles of Association.
Voting closes at 11:59pm AEST on Sunday 7 June 2026.
Artists
Dylan Batty (NSW)
Dylan Batty. Photo by Zan Wimberley.
Dylan Batty a multi-disciplinary artist and arts worker who advocates for the rights and recognition of arts workers, particularly installers and behind-the-scenes staff whose labour is essential to the sector yet often overlooked. This focus informed his Master’s thesis examining hierarchies of labour in the arts. Their conceptual practice explores themes of human connection, storytelling, and the semiotics of labor, intimacy and technology. Dylan previously worked to establish the Australian Arts Workers Alliance to strengthen representation and collective organising for arts workers. Their previous roles include Board Member of the Sydney College of the Arts Student Society (2013–2016), Co-Director of Deadspace Gallery (2016), Gallery Manager and Co-Director of KNULP (2015–2020), and Founder and Board Member of the Australian Arts Workers Alliance (2018–2019).
Jacky Cheng (WA)
Jacky Cheng with her Imaginary Homelands installation, 2025, National Art School, Sydney. Photo by Nicole Anderson.
Jacky Cheng is an artist, facilitator and arts educator based on Yawuru Country in Broome, Western Australia. Born in Malaysia and of Chinese heritage, her interdisciplinary practice spans socially engaged art, public space, community collaboration and cultural exchange, often exploring relationships between people, place and belonging. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture (Honours I) from the University of New South Wales and was the inaugural recipient of the Creative WA Fellowship. Jacky is currently on the Boards of SPACED and Regional Arts WA.
Jamie Lewis (Vic)
Jamie Lewis (Vic) is currently co-Chair of NAVA and serves on NAVA's Goverance Subcommittee. She has been on NAVA’s Board since October 2024. A Singaporean-Australian artist, curator, dramaturg and facilitator, her practice creates site-responsive performances that engage audiences as participants and communities as artists, often through autobiographical storytelling, conversation and food. Jamie is also Interim General Manager at Multicultural Arts Victoria and on the Board of VicHealth. She was previously CEO / Executive Director of Next Wave, Program Manager at Theatre Network Australia, and part of the 2018 Creative Australia Future Leaders program.
Ryan Presley (Qld)
Photo by Sam Roberts
Dr Ryan Presley is currently the longest-serving elected Director on NAVA’s Board, as well as its only full-time practising artist, and is a member of NAVA's First Nations Steering Group. Born in Mparntwe/Alice Springs, he currently lives and works in Meanjin/Brisbane. His father’s family is Marri Ngarr from the Moyle River region in the Northern Territory, and his mother’s family were Scandinavian immigrants to Australia. Ryan’s practice explores themes of power and dominion, particularly the ways religion and economic control have shaped colonialism and empire, and how these structures continue to appear in everyday life. His major solo exhibition Fresh Hell was co-commissioned by Adelaide Contemporary Experimental and Gertrude Contemporary in 2022. His work is held in major public collections including the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of South Australia and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. Ryan is represented by Milani Gallery and completed a PhD through Griffith University in 2016.
Organisation Representatives
Caine Chennatt (Tas)
Caine Chennatt is a curator, cultural leadership practitioner, and mediator based on unceded lutruwita/Tasmania. He is Curatorial Director and University Librarian at the University of Tasmania, where he leads an integrated portfolio across libraries, galleries, and cultural collections, guided by principles of cultural humility. His curatorial practice explores expanded ways of knowing, plural cultural identities, and hope (projects include: Interfacial Intimacies, De/Centre for Belonging, and upcoming Vipoo Srivilasa: If We’re Being Honest).
Caine brings strong organisational capability and governance experience across non-profit arts organisations. He has previously delivered and supported public programs, accessibility initiatives, digital engagement, and arts workshops at organisations such as Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery and Mowanjum Art and Cultural Centre and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship for arts inclusion.
Born and raised in Kuwait of Luso-Indian heritage, his practice is shaped by relational and cultural bridging approaches to leadership. He is an alumnus of Creative Australia’s International Curators Program and NIDA’s MFA Cultural Leadership.
Janice Falsone (NSW)
Photo by Hilary Wardhaugh
Janice Falsone was elected onto the Board in May 2024, and currently Chairs NAVA’s Development Sub-Committee. She previously held the role of acting co-Chair of the Board. Janice is an arts leader and curator living and working on Djiringanj Country in regional New South Wales, and is currently Gallery Director at the South East Centre for Contemporary Art. She brings extensive experience across gallery leadership, curatorial practice and arts management, including previous Director roles at Canberra Contemporary and PhotoAccess. Janice also has experience in private sector arts support through her work with the Australia Business Arts Foundation. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) from Griffith University Queensland College of Art and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Foundations of Directorship course. Janice is part of Creative Australia’s Leadership Programs Alumni Network, having participated in the SEC Newgate Mentoring and Stakeholder Engagement program. In 2025, she received the inaugural Australian Museums and Galleries Association Digital Capabilities International Residency, travelling to Austria and Canada to connect with an international cohort of peers.
Georgia Hayward (WA)
Georgia Hayward is an artist and curator currently based in Walyalup/Fremantle. Her practice spans curatorial work, writing and artist-led initiatives, with a strong focus on experimental contemporary art. Georgia is currently Curator at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts and was previously Director of Outer Space (2022–2025), where she led organisational strategy, operations and artist development. She has also served as co-Chair, Editor and Board Member of Runway Journal (2023–2024). Georgia was awarded a Creative Australia Governance Training and Mentorship Bursary and completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Foundations of Directorship course.
To be eligible to vote, you must be a current financial Member of NAVA.
Voting closes at 11:59pm AEST on Sunday 7 June 2026.
Results will be announced at NAVA's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday 15 June 2026.
