The Lock-Up

Exhibition view Khaled Sabsabi, 14 September - 24 November 2024, The Lock-Up, Muloobinba/Newcastle. Courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery, Brisbane. Photograph: Ben Adams

The Lock-Up is an 1800s police station, reimagined as a contemporary art space.

Committed to presenting multidisciplinary practices of local, national and international artists, The Lock-Up is a space that is dedicated to stimulating and challenging audiences. With an emphasis on producing artist-led projects that explore contemporary social issues, The Lock-Up believes firmly in artists taking risks. Our historical space is a platform for artists to create new works, experiment, create dialogue, share, learn and reflect.

STAFF

ALEXANDRA PEDLEY
DIRECTOR

Alexandra’s experience has crossed the Australian, Asian and European contemporary visual arts sectors. She has curated and managed production for multiple exhibitions and programs in institutions, foundations, commercial galleries, fairs, and artist-run-spaces. Contributing to several artist monographs, she has an editorial history in both English and French with publications produced by Sullivan+Strumpf, SAM Arts Projects/Palais de Tokyo, Paris (co-editor), and Artspace, Sydney; Yvon Lambert, Paris; CAC Brétigny, Biennale of Sydney and Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.

Alexandra was Curator at the Lock-Up since 2024. Prior to joining TLU, she headed up Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, was Managing Editor + Artists Relations at Sullivan+Strumpf, and previously worked at Artspace, Biennale of Sydney and was International Studio Manager of artist Mel O’Callaghan based in Paris for close to a decade.

KAR MUN PHOON
CURATOR

Kar Mun is a dedicated collaborator in Muloobinba/Newcastle’s vibrant artistic community, bringing their experience as an independent curator and producer to the role. She joins The Lock-Up from the Newcastle Art Gallery team, where her creativity and rigour have contributed to an ambitious artistic program and major expansion project.

Kar Mun has contributed to various exhibitions, institutions, projects and collectives, including The Lock-Up, Liveworks Festival, New Annual, The Creator Incubator, Newcastle Art Space and the Independent Galleries Newcastle Art Fair. Deeply embedded in the local creative ecology, they are committed to nurturing meaningful connections with artists, cultural partners, and community members to facilitate accessible, enriching experiences that resonate with diverse audiences.

LOTTIE CONSALVO
PATRONS PROGRAM AMBASSADOR

Lottie Consalvo is a Newcastle-based artist, originally from Melbourne. Lottie has voluntarily assisted in the formation of the The Lock-Up’s Patrons Program and is an Ambassador for the program. As an artist, she is represented by Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney and Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane. Her work has been exhibited internationally, most recently in Germany, Mexico and New Zealand. Lottie is held in collections including Artbank, Newcastle Art Gallery, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Gippsland Regional Art Gallery, Macquarie University, University of Newcastle, Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie, Allens Law Firm and The Stevenson Collection (NZ) and Onna House (New York).

SIA COX
CHILDREN’S ART EDUCATOR

Sia Cox is an artist and arts educator. In her practice, Sia uses expended materials that hold their own stories; objects like worn clothes and cardboard boxes. From these remnants she builds sculptures which reflect on connections: to ancestors, to each other, to nature and to our own human nature. Included in her catalogue are large-scale sculptures, wearables and puppets for live performances and short films. Sia’s practice has been featured in The Australian, Arts Hub and Hester Art Magazine. She holds a BFA in Sculpture from National Art School.

Sia spent a decade living in the Central Desert, working in community arts projects, Aboriginal Art Centres, and teaching at TAFE. She now lives on Awabakal country, where she teaches art to young people.

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

NEWCASTLE HISTORIC RESERVE LAND MANAGER (NHRLM) IS A VOLUNTEER BOARD ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE NSW STATE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF CROWN LANDS UNDER THE CROWN LAND MANAGEMENT ACT 2016 AND IS APPOINTED BY THE MINISTER.

THE LOCK-UP (TLU) IS AN INITIATIVE OF NHRLM AND LAUNCHED IN 2014 AS A DEDICATED MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE WITHIN A HISTORICAL BUILDING. TLU SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR PUBLIC USE (DOC18/070103 MAY 2018) AS REQUIRED UNDER THE CROWN LAND MANAGEMENT ACT 2016.

NHRLM is responsible for the conservation, management and cultural use of three heritage listed government buildings including the former Newcastle Police Station and Lock-Up (1861).

For more information contact:

The Business Manager
nhrlmbusiness@gmail.com

GILLEAN SHAW – CHAIR

Current Art Curator for University of Newcastle, its Galleries, Museum and Collection and has curated independent projects for arts and history organisations such as The Lock-Up, Maritime Museum and the Lovett Gallery. Gillean has previously worked in public programs, visitor services and exhibition installation at the Newcastle Art Gallery and was the Curator at The Lovett Gallery. She holds Masters by research in the Presentation of Material Culture, particularly as it relates to historic buildings and collections.

STEPHEN MCLEAN – CO-CHAIR

Currently self-employed as a Project and Asset Manager, Stephen’s senior management leadership experience has been developed by having excelled in public and private sector organisations. His skills and expertise included multi-site, multi-services operations management, business planning, strategy and execution, customer and stakeholder relationship management, human resource management, workplace change and risk management, tender writing, response and assessment, and internal and external compliance and quality auditing. Stephen’s skills are complemented by the recent completion of the Diploma of Governance from the Institute of Community Directors Australia.

ANNETTE MORRISSEY – TREASURER

Annette is a Chartered Accountant with approximately 25yrs experience in a senior financial management and advisory capacity for the commercial, NFP and government sectors. Management Accountant Asset Delivery for the Australian Rail Track Corporation, Annette’s expertise includes project management; governance; budgeting; strategic planning; risk management; taxation; leadership development; change management; IT systems exploitation; financial management, advice and reporting; and financial sustainability.

CATHERINE CROLL

Kate is the founding director of Cultural Partnerships Australia Programming Sub- Committee and has held the position of Director Special Projects at Red Gate Gallery, Beijing since 2009. She is an arts patron, collector and practitioner with extensive experience in the management of multi faceted cultural exchange projects and international touring exhibitions.

ROSEMARIE MILSOM

Rosemarie Milsom is the founding director of the Newcastle Writers Festival, one of Australia’s largest regional literary festivals, founded in 2013. She has been an award-winning journalist, mainly with Fairfax Media in Sydney and Newcastle. More recently she has worked as a broadcaster with ABC Emergency. In 2019, she was selected to participate in the Australia Council for the Arts’ Leadership Program. Rosemarie is chair of Hunter Creative Alliance and is a member of Create NSW’s Literature Advisory Board. Rosemarie is also a respected facilitator and has hosted events with leading public figures such as Julia Gillard, Nigella Lawson, Peter Garrett, and Richard Flanagan.

KRISTEN TOLA

Kristen Tola is a Heritage Consultant in the cultural heritage sector. She is a graduate of the Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies from Deakin University specialising in heritage practice, with interest in the integration of heritage conservation into planning and urban development strategies. Kristen draws on experience working at Newcastle Museum and the City of Newcastle, where she combined her cultural heritage and museum studies qualifications in museum management, support of the Fort Scratchley Historic Site volunteer group, grant management, heritage interpretation, local government processes, stakeholder relationships, the Museum Shop and customer experience.

COURTNEY NOVAK

Courtney Novak has been working in the arts and creative sector for over 20 years. She has a passion for contemporary art and ideas, creating connections between art institutions and their communities. As Deputy Director of Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Courtney leads the public program and education and learning teams, increasing the reach, impact and visibility of this leading regional arts institution. Previously, as Artistic Director of The Lock-Up, she led the small independent arts space to become a nationally recognised arts institution. Courtney has also worked arts organisations across the Middle East, including The Third Line Gallery, Christie’s Middle East and Art Dubai. She has also worked with various arts organisations across Australia including Artbank, Australia Council for the Arts and Newcastle Art Gallery. Courtney holds a Master in Curating and Cultural Leadership, School of Art and Design, University of New South Wales and an Undergraduate in Fine Art, University of Newcastle.

VOLUNTEERS