Curatorial / Consultancy
Julie Collins has been best described as a sculptor who just wants to see good things happen. This passion has led to the development of her curatorial and consultancy practice, which has seen an unstoppable commitment to raise the profile of Australian artists.
Julie is an accomplished independent curator, having successfully managed over 70 curated projects. She is the Artistic Director and curator of & Gallery Australia which includes independent projects under the djprojects name.
A sculptor in her own right, Julie has a highly developed sense of aesthetics and material qualities, and with over 150 exhibitions under her belt, she has a deep understanding of all aspects of complex projects. She holds a Masters of Visual Art from Federation University and a Bachelor of Arts – Fine Art from the Victorian College of the Arts – Prahran. She has taught at the Victorian College of the Arts and RMIT and has work held in the National Gallery of Victoria and private collections nationally. Sculpture
Services for private, organisations & corporate clients nationally including:
Curatorial projects
Art collection development and curatorial management
Major event management
Public art / urban art commissioning
Artist Estate Management
Installation services
Selected Projects
& Gallery Australia - Sorrento 2020-
Artistic Director of Commercial Gallery based in Sorrento
& Gallery Australia @ Fed Sq 2023 (6 months)
& Pop Up @ Intercontinental Hotel -Sorrento 2023-
& Pop Up @ Bardo - Sorrento 2023-
& Pop Up @ Sardo -Sorrento 2023-
BOAA –2018.
Founder and Artistic Director of the major visual art event which showcased 150 Australian contemporary artists across 14 venues and locations in Ballarat Sep - Nov 2018.
Link to Gallery of Images and catalogue of BOAA 2018
2016 ‘& Art Fair’
Curator and project manager of pop up art fair within Far East Consortium development, Melbourne, involving 20 pop up galleries spaces showcasing 30 sculptor’s solo exhibitions over 4 days in response to the cancelled art fair.
Lorne Sculpture Biennale Curator 2011 - 2016.
Launched in 2007, the Lorne Sculpture Biennale has since become established as a world-class, free to the public sculpture event located in, and inspired by, the heart of the Great Ocean Road.
Exhibiting in one of Australia’s most picturesque locations, the Biennale successfully offers an open-air event for novices and art lovers alike, providing exposure to both emerging and established artists from Australia and around the world.
Under Julie’s curatorship visitor numbers increased from 11,000 in 2009 to 70,000 in 2016.www.lornesculpture.com
BOAA 2018 - Gerwyn Davis
*Images by Ian Macrae
City of Ballarat 2011- 2016 Public Art Coordinator
Responsible for commissioning of new permanent public art projects. (15 Projects) Collection management and maintenance programming (160 Pieces) Development and curation of Contain ART (regional touring container gallery) Unicorn Lane Gallery & Police Lane Gallery. Curator & Project Manager of temporary public art exhibitions (11 Projects). Responsible for marketing and promotion of projects including promotional videos, production, scripts and reporting.
Contemporary Sculptors Association & Yarra Sculpture Gallery 1997- 2005
Founding member and Chair of not for profit artist run organisation. Responsible for association forming & strategic development. Budgeting & fundraising. Program development. Curation of Yarra Sculpture Gallery. Editor of monthly newsletter. Management of artist workshops and residency program. Stakeholder management including City of Yarra, sponsors, patrons and membership group. Visit Yarra Sculpture Gallery
Yarra Sculpture Gallery 1997
Victorian College of Arts 1999-2001
Lecturer in Sculpture. Course development & Off-Site exhibitions coordinator.
RMIT TAFE 1997- 1998
Lecturer in Sculpture
Additional Projects
& Gallery @ FED SQ. 2022-
Ongoing monthly curated group exhibition program www.andgalleryaustralia.net
What’s in the BOX 2017
Touring exhibition, Ballarat, Melbourne & Hepburn Springs. 75 artists selected to create shoe box scale artwork for the BOAA official artist announcement.
Whats in the Box - Ballarat 2017
Artist Management of Josh Muir 2014-2016 & 2021-2022
Josh Muir, Ballarat Indigenious artist. As manager, curatorial advisor & mentor I was responsible for exhibition planning, grant writing and strategic career planning. Selected achievements during my management included Josh receiving the Hutchinson Fellowship $45,000 stipend and 12-month residency at the Victorian College of the Arts, representation by Mars Gallery and commissioning as the major project for White Night Melbourne 2016 with a projection project across the National Gallery of Victoria, St Kilda Rd.
Sadly, Josh passed away in Feb 2022 His last exhibition was at & Gallery @ FED SQ.
Josh Muir - Projection onto NGV as part of White Night
Williamstown Festival Contemporary Art Prize 2010
Curator and project manager 100 emerging artists award exhibition held at the Substation in New Port.
One World, Ship of Fools 2008
35 artists from 13 countries respond to global warming with sculpture based around the Ship of Fools theme. Yarra Sculpture Gallery- Melbourne, Mining Exchange – Ballarat and online engagement.
Golden Plains Arts Trial 2008 & 2010.
Development of concept for 1st Arts Trail in Australia. 45 artists 20 locations. Curator and project manager for Golden Plains Shire.
One Night Stand 2009
University of Ballarat performance art collaboration- Yarra Sculpture Gallery. 6 projects.
Off Spring (Calling all kids of sculptors) 2005
18 young artists at Yarra Sculpture Gallery.
Ten 2007
Curator of Yarra Sculpture Gallery 10th Anniversary exhibition. . Celebrating 10. An exhibition showcasing the original 30 exhibiting artists.
Archive 2007
Research and exhibition into the History of the CSA and Yarra Sculpture gallery.
Toorak Festival of Sculpture 2007.
Curator of exhibition and responsible for the development tof the first outdoor street component displaying sculptures on the footpath rather than within the shop windows.
Water 2006
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. 15 artists respond to water and the drought.
Waste Not, Want Not 2007
Major group installations of recycling crates surplus to need by the City of Yarra. Edinburgh Gardens and Yarra Sculpture Gallery.
ARI (artist run initiatives)
Curator of 3 projects for Yarra Sculpture Gallery as part of Arts Victoria event.
CSA Auction
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. Project Curator. 60 artworks.
Committed Committee
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. Current and past committee of the CSA.
Bonanza 05
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. Project Curator. Group member award exhibition.
Live
Installation/performance. 3 week program with Victorian College of the Arts students.
Sculpture Survey 01
Melbourne Component, Gomboc Gallery Western Australia. 25 Vic Sculptors.
One Night Stand
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. One night one projects on 4 weeks, 8 projects.
Dear John
Yarra Sculpture Gallery & Monties Bar. Performance art project with elder Larry Walsh.
Overue
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. Project Curator. 35 Artists.
Commissions Rejected
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. Research and exhibition relating to the artists who get rejected for public art projects. The ones that got away.
Seamless
Yarra Sculpture Gallery. Exhibition with Victorian College of the Arts Students as part of the off site program I developed whilst lecturing at the VCA.
Enough Space 1987
Yarra Sculpture Gallery Melbourne. Curator. Founding exhibition at Yarra Sculpture. Australia most innovative sculptors under one roof in the new gallery.