Management Committee
Gail Carnes - Chair
Gail has more than 30 years of experience in supporting the arts as an arts administrator, State arts commissioner (New Mexico), board director and corporate sponsor. Relevant experience includes the Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque (executive director), New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (director), Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (director), Carclew Youth Arts (general manager), Adelaide Fringe (CEO), Contemporary Arts Centre of South Australia (director), and the Community Foundation of South Australia (founding director). Gail is a fellow of the Leadership Institute of South Australia and currently works in the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation in the role of Manager, Economic Development, Top End Region.
Rebecca Renshaw - Vice Chair
Rebecca Renshaw has worked for the past 19 years with industry specialists, museum staff, educators and artists. Her in-depth experience spans public programs, education, visitor services, membership, volunteering, marketing and communications and governance for the gallery, museum and arts sector. Renshaw has a Bachelor of Ceramic Design from Monash University and a Masters of Arts Management from the University of Melbourne. She has worked for Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Currently she is employed as the Communications Manager for Artback NT and Business Manager for the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand.
Nardi Ling - Treasurer
Nardi Ling has a degree in social work and has been working in that field for 20 years. She currently works as a social worker for Defence, and has previously worked in women’s refuges, prisons, community mental health, and child protection. She also has qualifications in Personal Training and Fitness Instruction, Occupational Health and Safety, and Arts and Contemporary Craft. Since arriving in Darwin in 2013, Nardi has held both voluntary and paid positions within Tactile Arts, and has worked across all areas of the organisation.
Jocelyn Tribe - Secretary
Jocelyn is a Darwin based printmaker with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Victorian College of the Arts. She has extensive experience in cross-cultural art projects, from urban to remote communities and is committed to the growth of the arts sector in the Northern Territory. She has worked across Indigenous, refugee, mental health and non-Indigenous contexts expanding on community development from a creative and collaborative perspective. She encourages the practice of art to be invitational and trauma-informed while being dedicated to creating spaces that are accessible, inclusive and person-centered.
She believes that mindfulness and heartfulness actions such as art making have a profound potential for both personal and interpersonal healing. Jocelyn is honoured to have the opportunity to be a Management Committee member and is also humbled to have been nominated by the members of Tactile Arts to join in the development of such an important space that holds many possibilities for social change.
Sarah Lacy
Sarah Lacy was elected onto the Tactile Arts Management Committee in 2019, a good fit since she is passionate about both handcrafts and good governance. As an experienced community development practitioner, Sarah has spent the last five years building strength and stability in Aboriginal corporations by advising and upskilling directors in governance and management.
Sarah holds a Masters in Social Science (International Development), a Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Policy Development and a Bachelor of Arts (Fashion Design).
After a long hiatus from designing clothes, Sarah found inspiration in becoming a mum to launch a bright and colourful range of clothing and accessories specifically designed for babies and kids living in the tropics. Sarah designs and crafts all items from her home in Darwin. Since its launch in 2017, Xan and Gran has been a staple at the Tactile Arts craft fairs.
Darwin and the Top End has such a rich tapestry of local artisans and handcrafters and Sarah is proud to have a leadership role with Tactile Arts, the key body supporting this vibrant community of artists.
Staff
General Manager
Tessa Duke
Tess has more than 13 years’ experience in the arts as a glass artist, business owner and arts administrator. Many members will know Tess from her prior employment with Tactile Arts, during which time she very capably managed craft fairs and special events.
Since then she’s been working as the Engagement Officer for the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory whilst also serving in the role of Vice-chair of the Management Committee. With her calm demeanour and generous advice based on first-hand knowledge of Tactile Arts operations, Tess has been a steadying influence in a transitional year. We are confident that under her leadership Tactile Arts will stabilise, grow and thrive.
Programs and Administration Officer
Ned Roberts
Ned is an arts administrator and artist with an interest in textile pattern design. He comes to us from the Sapphire Coast of NSW where he’s had extensive involvement in gallery operations. He has a passion for promoting the decorative arts and crafts as an integral part of the wider art industry.
Ned has worked for the past four years with the Bega Valley Regional Gallery as gallery assistant and volunteer coordinator. His experience includes streamlining and maintaining administration procedures, designing marketing collateral and social media campaigns, implementing community engagement and workshop programs to activate strategic planning, all round staff and volunteer support, facility management and exhibition installation.
Retail Coordinator
Linda Pfau
Linda has extensive experience in the fashion retail industry, where she developed exceptional customer service skills in both managerial and supporting roles over many years. In her role as Retail Coordinator, Linda receives and approves new stock, manages stock displays and rotation, reports on sales and supports volunteers. Linda has also developed a Studio Series workshop for Tactile Arts called Boosting Your Sales with Visual Merchandising, for those wishing to learn the science behind visual merchandising and the creative use of colour, contrast, and text.