Rob Garrett

Interests

Rob Garrett, BFA (Elam, Auckland) and MA (Otago) is a New Zealand-born independent curator and arts leader living in Sopot, Poland. He has 37 years’ experience in the visual arts, as curator, senior manager, writer, arts entrepreneur, strategist and government advisor, teacher and artist. He has long experience in start-ups; leading arts organisations and teams; and change management; and is a specialist in commissioning artist projects and all aspects of public art planning and implementation.

Current, recent and former roles:

- Curator, 2017 inSPIRACJE International Visual Arts Festival (13muz & TRAFO Centre for Contemporary Art), Szczecin, Poland
- Curator, CORNER Window gallery (not-for-profit), international programme of emergent contemporary art projects and practices, K Road, Auckland, NZ
- Selector and Curator of the New Zealand participation in Entre Islas / Between Islands International VideoArt Festival 2016, Spain
- Curator, SCAPE 8: New Intimacies, Public Art Christchurch Biennial (3 October - 15 November 2015), Christchurch, NZ
- Curator of "Mise en Scene" (working title) by Daniel von Sturmer (AU), Courtenay Place Park Light Boxes, Wellington, 2 December 2013 - 6 April 2014
- Curator of "Unearthing Delights", the 5th edition of Narracje - Installations and Interventions in Public Space, Gdansk, Poland, November 2013
- Curator of "Lost in a dream", an international group exhibition at independent artist space Snake Pit, Auckland, NZ, October-November 2012
- Curator of "Don't hold your breath", NZ-Australia Programme, Ängelholm International Video Art Festival (AIVA), Ängelholm, Sweden, April 2012
- Guest Curator, NZ Sculpture OnShore outdoor contemporary art biennale, Fort Takapuna, Auckland, NZ, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014
- Curator, Francis Upritchard's public artwork for Auckland Council, "Loafers" 2012, Symonds Street, Auckland, NZ
- Curator, Neil Miller's public artwork for Hamilton City Council, “Te tiaho o Matariki” (the brightness of the Pleiades) 2011, Garden Place, Hamilton, NZ
- Leader, Public Art Policy Development Project, Auckland Council, 2012-2013
- Manager Public Art, Auckland Council, Auckland, 2010 to 2011
- Founding Director & Principal, Rob Garrett Contemporary Fine Art Ltd, 2006 to present
- Sponsoring Manager of the fundamental practice by et al., New Zealand’s exhibition pavilion project, 51st Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art, 2005, Venice, Italy
- Senior Manager, Creative New Zealand (Arts Council), Wellington, 2002 to 2006
- Head of School, School of Art, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, 2000 to 2002
- Founding Chair, Otago Festival of the Arts, Dunedin, 1999 to 2002
- Founding Director & Curator, Artists at Work international artist residency programme, Dunedin, 1993 to 2002
- Head of Art History & Theory, School of Art, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, 1990 to 2000

Government appointments:

- Council Member, Arts Council of New Zealand, 2001 to 2002
- Member, Heart of the Nation Strategic Working Group, 2000 (to develop a national cultural strategy)