Press release from AFTRS
Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) Chief Executive Sandra Levy, has announced the appointment of Liz Hughes to the newly created position of Director Open Program.
Sandra Levy said, "Ms Hughes’ position will oversee the commercial and vocational arm of the school, through our Open Program. Her critical new role will be responsible for the provision of a wide array of courses and learning opportunities available for all skill levels in the community."
Ms Hughes has worked in the film and digital media sectors for 18 years as a director, curator, educator and senior arts manager. For the last seven years, Ms Hughes has been associated with Experimenta, a leading exhibiting and commissioning digital media organization based in Victoria.
As Artistic Director and more recently Executive Director of Experimenta, Ms Hughes contributed significantly to the organisation’s transformation and success through her efforts to reposition Experimenta by generating inspiring and accessible programming.
Under Liz Hughes Experimenta’s activities have grown to include a biennial exhibition, national tour, international touring exhibitions, a commissioning program, education and public programs, a consultancy and saw audience numbers increase from 3,000 attendees to 60,000 annually.
Ms Hughes also brings considerable experience as an educator to the position of Director of Open Program. She has taught video and radio production, cinematography and scriptwriting classes, developed education and workshop programs for Experimenta and developed a Digital Video course at the Australian Centre for Art and Technology at the Australian National University.
Ms Hughes said of her appointment today, ‘I am passionate about Australian film and digital media. As such, I am excited for the opportunity to make a contribution to training Australian practitioners at Australia’s leading screen arts and broadcast institution.’
Ms Hughes will commence as Director of Open Program at AFTRS in early November, which marks the start of an exciting new chapter in the type and number of courses AFTRS will be providing for the community.