Tracey Mair of TM Publicity has been elected the next chairperson of Screenworks, succeeding Dustin Clare, who has retired from the role after serving a term of six years.
New appointees to the board also include project director Rodney Cambridge as vice chair, entertainment lawyer Kris Kotwicki as secretary, and producer Kaylene Butler, who join ongoing members treasurer Neil Lollback, producer Rosemary Blight, executive Chris Oliver-Taylor and actress Brooke Satchwell.
Clare said he was grateful to have played a “small part” in the success of Screenworks, having helped to steer the regional screen organisation through a period of significant growth and the challenges of the pandemic.
“The organisation has deep talent within the board and staff to continue to grow and succeed at all that it does. It has been a privilege to be able to lend my time to an organisation I feel very passionately about,” he said.
“As a young man growing up in regional NSW there were little to no opportunities in the screen arts. Screenworks has changed that and created genuine opportunities for those people from regional Australia and given them access to a platform to launch a career.”
In stepping into her new role, Mair paid tribute to Clare and the other outgoing board members, secretary Richard Keenan and John Welch.
“I’d like to thank Dustin for his dedication and vision over the past six years, Richard for his diligence and wisdom and John for the business acumen he has brought to the Screenworks Board and to welcome new board members Kaylene Butler and Rodney Cambridge,” she said.
“Like Dustin, I grew up in country Australia and, in adult life, returned to the regions to work and raise my family. I too am passionate about providing training and career opportunities for screen creatives in regional areas and am immensely proud of the work Screenworks will continue to do to ensure genuine outcomes for our community.”
The board changes come as Screenworks restructures its annual membership to $29 for regional practitioners. Members receive priority access and discounted tickets to all Screenworks events, as well as a variety of discounts with partner organisations.
The organisation will hold an End of Year Networking Event at the North Byron Hotel in Byron Bay on December 14 from 6pm.