Governance

Registered as a Higher Education Provider under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA). The Academic Board is responsible for the maintenance of academic standards in accordance with accreditation requirements. 

Registered under the Australian Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) to provide courses to non-Australian citizens studying in Australia on student visas (CRICOS Code 03197B). 

A public company limited by guarantee (ACN 140 179 111), with two members, the NSW Ministers for Education and for the Arts. The members appoint a Board of Directors with responsibility for the School and oversight of the leadership of the School. 

Registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) as a charity (ABN 89 140 179 111). 

Entered on the Register of Cultural Organisations and is recognised by the Australian Taxation Office as a Charitable Institution, endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient under Item 1 for the following funds: 

• National Art School General Fund 
• National Art School Gallery 
• National Art School Library 

The Annual Report and Financial Statement provide selected information about NAS’s financial performance, as required by the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021). As an independent State Significant Organisation, NAS is committed to maintaining strong financial sustainability to support our mission, vision and values. 

We continue to strengthen our financial position by diversifying revenue sources and deepening relationships with strategic partners. This approach ensures that NAS has the institutional resources necessary to deliver high-quality fine art education, invest in our heritage campus, and support the creative communities we serve. Our financial stewardship underpins our long-term resilience and independence, enabling us to remain focused on art, artists and the culture they shape. 

Note: The 2025 Annual Report and Financial Statement are currently under development and will be published in April – May 2026. 

Annual Reports & Financial Statements:  2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 

Aligned with the Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF) 2021 and relevant Commonwealth and State legislation, NAS’s interconnected boards, committees and leadership groups provide rigorous institutional and academic oversight. Through defined Terms of Reference, structured reporting and regular review cycles, these bodies collectively uphold regulatory obligations and drive continuous improvement. They also ensure robust quality‑assurance and risk‑management practices that safeguard NAS’s academic standards, long‑term sustainability, and mission to deliver excellence in fine art education. 

Board of Directors 

Jeff Weeden (Chair) 

Formerly Chief Executive Officer of Forager Funds Management, Jeff Weeden has experience in banking and finance, notably with Bankers Trust and later as an Executive Director at Macquarie Bank. He is a Cornerstone supporter of the Pinnacle Foundation, an organisation that provides financial assistance and mentoring to young LGBTQIA+ students. He has a long-held interest in the visual arts, and as a long-term community member he is passionate about the NAS site. 

Emilya Colliver 

Emilya Colliver is the Founder and Director of Art Pharmacy & Sugar Glider Digital, the world’s first B‑Corp certified cultural business. With over 20 years in art strategy, placemaking and cultural development, she has delivered multimillion-dollar projects for governments, corporations and cultural institutions, including serving as Deloitte’s Art Curator. Author of The Art Project and Making Art Matter, and creator of the upcoming Conscious Leadership Wisdom Deck (launching soon). Emilya is also a Board member of Create NSW. She is expanding her consultancy into the Middle East, advancing cultural diplomacy and digital innovation, and is the founder of Flourish Women’s Networking. 

Lucy Keeler 

Lucy Keeler is Head of Strategy & Experiences at Luna Park Sydney, a Create NSW Artform Board Member and former Curator of Vivid Sydney’s Light Festival currently working to transform heritage-protected Luna Park Sydney into a world class multi-art and immersive experience hub, where traditional creative practice intersects with digital, experimental and immersive work. Lucy is a graduate of NIDA and the National Art School. 

Helen Lochhead AO 

Helen Lochhead is an emeritus professor of architecture and urbanism, an architect and urbanist with broad experience in government, industry and higher education in influential roles including Dean, Faculty of Built Environment and Pro Vice-Chancellor Precincts at UNSW Sydney, Deputy NSW Government Architect and President of the Australian Institute of Architects. Her career has focused on urban projects ranging from city-wide improvements programs, educational and cultural precincts, to major urban regeneration of waterfronts in Australia and internationally. She now combines academic and advisory roles with professional practice. Helen also serves on the National Capital Authority, the Sydney Harbour Trust, NSW Architects Registration Board, Sydney Opera House Design Advisory Panel and various Planning and Design Panels across Australia. 

Jess Miller 

Councillor Jess Miller was first elected to Council in 2016 and is one of the youngest people to hold elected office at the City of Sydney. Jess served as Deputy Lord Mayor from 2017 – 2018. Jess is currently Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee, the Cycling Advisory Committee, and a member of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils. In 2014 Jess was voted Sydney’s Woman of the Year and she continues to be a passionate advocate for the environment, and for a diverse nighttime economy. 

John Mitchell 

John Mitchell is a partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler law firm and current non-executive director of the board of Carriageworks, a venue renowned for its commercial and cultural enterprise and innovation. 

Wendy Sharpe AM 

Wendy Sharpe is one of Australia’s most acclaimed and awarded artists. She has won the Archibald prize, (and has been a finalist 7 times) the Sulman and a long list of other important awards and prizes, including a commission as an Australian Official War Artist from the Australian War Memorial (the 1^st woman since WW2).  Most recently awarded the prestigious Gold Award. She taught part time and casual at the National Art School 1990 – 2005 and has been awarded a National Art School Fellowship.  She has held over 60 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally. 

Prof. Christina Slade 

Prof. Christina Slade is Emeritus Professor at Bath Spa University, where she served as Vice‑Chancellor from 2012 to 2017. She has studied and worked across Europe, the US, Latin America and South Asia, and led major EU‑funded research projects, published extensively, and provided policy advice in Westminster and Brussels. 

Professor Slade has previously held senior academic roles including Dean of Arts and Social Sciences at City University London, Dean of Humanities at Macquarie University, and Head of the Creative Communication School at the University of Canberra. She is currently assisting as Rector of Charles Sturt University. 

She has extensive board experience across the UK and Australia, including roles with The Royal High School Bath, the Holburne Museum, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. She currently chairs the Board of Lincoln University College and serves on both the QS Rankings Advisory Board and the Board of the Media Centre for Education Research Australia (MCERA). 

Bruce Solomon 

Bruce Solomon is the founder and Director of Solotel Hospitality Management, which manages 27 hospitality venues across Sydney and Brisbane. He is also a Trustee of the Lady Mary Fairfax Estate and a director of the Bundanon Trust Board. Bruce and his wife Barbara have been supporters of the National Art School since 2018. To date, they have supported five graduating MFA students with the annual Lift Off Award, to support the career development of emerging artists. 

Academic Board 

Dr Kristen Sharp, Director & CEO (Chair) 

Simon Cooper, Head of Studies & Deputy Director 

Dr Yolunda Hickman, Head of Learning & Teaching 

John Waight, Head of First Peoples Programs 

Dr Alexander Kershaw, Head of Photomedia 

Dr Georgina Cole, Lecturer, Art History & Theory 

Dr Elizabeth Bradshaw, Sessional Lecturer, Sculpture 

Eleni Pape, Undergraduate Student Representative 

Postgraduate Student Representative (TBC)

Benedict Griffin, Head of Student Services & Registrar (In Attendance) 

Ashanti Fogden, Academic Governance Officer (Secretary) 

Tesha Malott, External Professional Member 

Tesha Malott is an experienced arts professional with over 12 years working across experimental and contemporary visual arts in Australia. Her practice is grounded in supporting artists at all career stages, with a sustained focus on accessibility, audience engagement, and inclusive programming. She is currently Arts & Culture Manager at the University of Sydney Union (USU), where she oversees strategic cultural programming across the University, including Verge Gallery, PULP Magazine, and major campus festivals. She has directed Verge Gallery since 2018. From 2013 to 2018, she was General Manager of Firstdraft, Australia’s longest-running artist-led initiative, contributing significantly to its development and the support of emerging artists. 

Andrew Comrie, External Academic Member

Andrew Comrie is an experienced academic and educational manager, with a career in education spanning 40 years, in tertiary education in both further education/​college (Scottish equivalent of TAFE) and higher education in Scotland. He has held academic, management, and senior management positions. Over the last ten years, he has been a senior manager at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, which is listed in the top ten performing arts institutions in the world in the QS world ranking and Director of Learning and Innovation at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, Australia. 

The National Art School’s policies and procedures provide a clear, structured framework that supports effective teaching, learning, operations and institutional management. They set out the standards, expectations and responsibilities that guide our community, ensuring compliance with legislation, regulatory requirements and sector best practice. Together, these documents enable consistent decision‑making, transparent accountability and a culture of continuous improvement across the School. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with these policies and refer to them as needed. 

Academic Policy Library