Agency is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander not-for-profit that responds to an identified need expressed by cultural leaders, which resonates with Government priorities, academic research and the voice of innovative philanthropists who care deeply about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, art and Country.
Agency is a catalyst for connection, engagement, and impact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, communities and culture.
Agency secures sustainable investment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led projects from government, corporate and private sectors to support targeted activities that benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and cultural leaders. Our key strength is our capacity to identify and establish innovative partnerships and opportunities that result in timely outcomes that respond to an identified need.
Agency creates new opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creative practitioners and cultural leaders to build profile, skills, wealth and scholarship. We celebrate and promote these partnerships through our extensive national and international audiences and networks, and via the talks, events and exhibitions that we host.
Agency delivers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led projects, ensuring high impact outcomes for the individuals and communities with whom we partner. Our work always responds to an identified need and supports the current priorities for the sector, including the new national agreement on Closing the Gap (2020), the National Indigenous Visual Art Plan (2022), and the findings of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts and crafts Productivity Commission (2022).
As an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organisation, it is Agency’s priority to focus on true representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, truth telling, and the amplification of First Nations voices. Agency acknowledges that the inclusion and consultation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities at the concept stage of project development is fundamental to enabling authentic voice and representation.
Agency are a supporter and member of Indigenous Art Code (IAC), promoters of the ethical production and sale of art, and encourage local and global promotion of ethical transactions, and adherence to the IAC. We adhere to and uphold the importance of protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) law and protocols in all that we do.
Agency delivers activities in Australia and overseas including art and built environment commissions, forums, digital initiatives and other innovative projects that increase the profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and engage new audiences.
Over the course of the 22/23 year, Agency engaged 436 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and creative practitioners through talks, commissions, exhibitions and project-based activity on Country.
Agency facilitated 84 separate projects with a 32 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Centres across the 22-23 year. 75% of participating art centres engaged with Agency over multiple activities over this period.
Agency hosted 39 national and international events throughout the 22/23 year, including talks at the Singapore Art Fair, Sydney Contemporary, Melbourne Design Week and Garma Festival, and exhibitions in Melbourne, the United States and Italy.
Over the course of the 22/23 year, Agency provided professional development and training for 159 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, arts workers and creative practitioners, including residencies, public speaking and up-skilling in the area of new digital technology.
Agency increased its annual turnover by 200%, from $904,000 to $2mil. This was enhanced through increased government and philanthropic investment, and by securing major government and corporate contracts.
Agency facilitated six international residency, exhibition and diplomatic activities featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders throughout the 22/23 year, including participation in the Singapore Art Fair and the opening of Maḏayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala in New Hampshire and Washington DC.
Agency facilitated 21 Industry Support Services for the Indigenous Visual Art sector throughout the 22/23 year.
In the 22/23 year, Agency partnered with 12 national and international cultural and educational institutions to deliver dynamic projects, including Powerhouse Museum, National Gallery of Victoria and the Kluge Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection.
Agency is a progressive and innovative organisation that is governed by a board of directors whose values align with the foundations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resilience, strength and a desire to share.
Lauren Ganley is a descendent of the Kamilaroi people, and an experienced leader in First Nations strategy, digital inclusion, and governance. With 40 years’ experience across two tenures at Telstra, Lauren is the Head of First Nations Strategy and Engagement, where she provides strategic advice, leads programs and business activities to improve digital and social inclusion for First Nations people and communities. During a five-year period outside the company, Lauren was the Chief Executive Officer of Desert Knowledge Australia in Alice Springs and NT Director of PwC’s Indigenous Consulting practice in Darwin.
Lauren has contributed actively in the community for many years and currently holds Director roles on the Boards of Community First Development, Kakadu Tourism, Darwin Festival and is a divisional councillor with the Australian Institute of Company Directors NT. Lauren is a graduate and Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2014 Lauren was recognised as one of Australia’s most influential women, winning a place in The Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards.
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Elizabeth Liddle has worked in the Aboriginal arts and business communities for almost twenty years across Aboriginal policy, governance, implementation, planning and strategy. Her work with many peak arts organisations has championed the development of Aboriginal arts over the last fifteen years. She has created and supported the development of some major initiatives including the Victorian Indigenous Art Awards, the Koorie Art Show and the Yalingwa program and fellowship.
Liz has senior management experience in delivering outcomes for Aboriginal Economic Development in the small Business, start-up and retail sectors, and has led in Aboriginal Arts, Culture and Creative sector development across Victoria.
Tony Grybowski is one of Australia’s leading arts administrators with a 30-year career in and with the arts community and governments.
Tony is based in Melbourne and for much of his career has worked at a national level. His experience has included executive leadership roles in several Australian arts organisations and significant arts policy work, governance, planning, strategic reviews within arts organisations and across state and federal government bodies.
In 2019, Tony established a Consulting Practice with the objective to form project teams of leading national and international experts to address issues and reviews of the Australian Arts and Cultural sector. Since Establishing Tony Grybowski & Associates the company has worked for the South Australian, Tasmanian, Victorian and Queensland Governments providing Reviews, critical strategic advice and Executive Leadership. Clients across the arts sector have included Bangarra Dance Theatre, The Tasmanian Symphony, West Australian Ballet, Back to Back Theatre and the Wheeler Centre for Books and ideas. Tony’s principal consulting partner and advisor is Graeme Gherashe.
Mayatili Marika is a Yolŋu leader, curator, educator and advocate from Yirrkala in North East Arnhem Land. As Chief Executive Officer of Agency Projects, she leads the organisation’s vision to strengthen cultural leadership, create new opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, and build meaningful connections between communities, philanthropy, institutions and global audiences.
Drawing on deep cultural knowledge and strong community relationships, Mayatili has built a reputation for advancing First Nations art, design and cultural practice through innovative partnerships, exhibitions and international collaborations. Her work is grounded in cultural integrity, self-determination and a commitment to ensuring First Nations voices, knowledge and creative practice are recognised and celebrated nationally and globally.
As a Director and CEO of Agency Projects, Mayatili brings strategic leadership and a deep connection to community, guiding the organisation’s growth and expanding its impact, reach and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, cultural leaders and communities.
Mayatili Marika (she/her) is a Rirratjingu Traditional Owner and Yolŋu woman based in north-east Arnhem Land. Part of a new generation of leadership for Yolŋu people, Mayatili is a bilingual leader and advocate who is involved in the education pipeline for Yolngu people in the region.
Mayatili belongs to one of the great artistic and political dynasties of Australia. Her father is Wandjuk Marika O.B.E. and her grandfather is Mawalan Marika. Her father was instrumental in the international recognition of Aboriginal art, traveling around the world to promote Indigenous culture. As Chair of the Aboriginal Arts Board of the Australian Council he played an important role in advocating for the founding of the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre.
Mayatili has been working closely with major domestic and international art institutions such as National Gallery of Australia, the Met in New York, and many commercial galleries in Australia and the US, as a curator of exhibitions, including the recent groundbreaking and critically acclaimed travelling exhibition Maḏayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala. She has been the Cultural Curator and programmer of the Garma Festival, for over a decade (Australia’s largest annual indigenous event) in North East Arnhem Land.
Ella is an accomplished arts manager with experience across the Australian arts sector, working at the intersection of community-led practice and professional excellence.
For the past decade, Ella has been a dedicated force in the Indigenous visual arts sector, managing Aboriginal-owned art centres across Western Australia and the Northern Territory including Mowanjum Arts, Durrmu Arts and Numbulwar Numburindi Arts. Fueled by a profound admiration for First Nations art and craft, her work is deeply relational, partnering with esteemed cultural practitioners to facilitate the maintenance and promotion of cultural and creative practices.
In addition to working with Wandjina-Wunguud peoples to revitalise and market traditional bark painting, Ella collaborated with Ngarinyin artists on the publication of Wurnan, an encyclopedic resource of Willingin harvesting practices and material culture, published by Magabala Books.
Passionate about the Indigenous visual arts sector, Ella is excited about the role she will play in building strategic partnerships and developing a strong platform for Agency’s long-term sustainability. Ella has a Masters of Arts and Cultural Management from the University of Melbourne.
Tim Hillier (he/him) is a passionate and experienced videographer and photographer who has spent years mastering the art of visual storytelling. He has worn many hats throughout his career, collaborating with a wide array of clients and working alongside diverse teams. This journey has fostered a deep resourcefulness and an unwavering commitment to quality.
Transitioning from freelance work in recent years to a core part of the Agency team, Tim has thrived in this flexible environment, using his organisational skills and self-motivation to deliver exceptional results.
A lover of the Arts and a passionate advocate for digital storytelling, Tim finds joy in capturing and crafting compelling narratives. He is known for his personable nature, quick wit, and always impeccable presentation. Whether working as part of a team or taking the reins independently, he approaches each project with a meticulous eye and a dedication to excellence.
Outside of his professional life, Tim enjoys exploring new creative horizons and is driven by a love for documentary work. With a keen ability to learn swiftly and adapt to new situations, he is always ready to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to every project.
Noah McShanag-Munn brings varied experience in the production of creative arts events and projects across multiple disciplines. Drawn to research and the challenge of communicating novel concepts in ways that connect with people, he has worked to deliver compelling experiences that engage with diverse audiences.
Alongside his role at Agency, Noah works closely with remote Aboriginal art centres on grants and organisational strategy, work that reflects a deeper commitment to supporting the conditions in which artists and cultural communities can thrive.
Jennifer Tighe (she/her) has extensive management experience and a breadth of expertise in leadership, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and First Nations advocacy in the private and not-for-profit sectors.
Jennifer worked in management roles at Agency from 2021 to early 2026, during which time she was instrumental in the delivery of key projects, programs and exhibitions, including annual Melbourne Design Week presentations, Garma, the UNTOLD Darwin programs and the Rubbish on the Shore Think Tank.
Prior to joining Agency, Jennifer was General Manager at Australian design firm, Tait, for over nine years, where she successfully implemented strong leadership, strategy and HR initiatives, resulting in significant organisational and operational growth for the company. Prior to this, Jennifer worked with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as Manager of Corporate Partnerships and Events, developing strong client-relationship and engagement skills and overseeing annual fundraising and donor engagement events.
Jennifer has a deep commitment to advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creative practice and enjoys supporting the important work that Agency undertakes to elevate First Nations Art, People and Communities. As a practicing artist herself, Jennifer is an engaged and active participant in the arts and has a deep interest in how culture and creativity can enrich our lives and unite communities.