Katrina Sedgwick will step down as director and CEO of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) after more than seven years to lead the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation.
Her tenure at the organisation has included overseeing a $40 million renewal project and navigating the impact of COVID, with the ACMI reopening in February last year after being closed to the public since May 2019.
She also pioneered the museum’s engagement team and established the inaugural First Nations Committee, as well as setting up First Nations identified programming roles.
The museum’s collection has increased access tenfold under her leadership, while ACMI’s touring arm has doubled its reach nationally and internationally.
Sedgewick said it had been an “extraordinary honour” to lead ACMI and work with the organisation’s partners, committees, collaborators, and volunteers.
“Together we have positioned ACMI at the forefront of museum culture on a local and global scale not just in terms of our programs but our focus on making ACMI more accessible, welcoming, and reflective of our communities,” she said.
“I could not be prouder of our achievements. And as I move into this new role, I look forward to collaborating with ACMI and our colleagues across the sector as we seize the extraordinary opportunity of the Melbourne Arts Precinct to enable the cultural capital of Australia to further flourish though the incredible talent that resides in our city and state.”
In announcing Sedgwick’s departure, ACMI board president Janet Matton commended her leadership amid the ongoing challenges of COVID.
“Katrina is a wonderful ambassador for the moving image and leaves a legacy of a newly transformed museum that lies at the heart of Victoria’s creative industries,” she said.
“I’m certain that Katrina will continue to be a huge asset to our city through her leadership of Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation.”
Sedgwick will conclude her role with ACMI on March 31 and commence her new job on April 4. Graham Jephcott has been appointed ACMI’s acting director and CEO while a global search commences for Sedgwick’s successor.