Karen Quinlan has been appointed the new CEO of Arts Centre Melbourne. The current CEO of the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra and former Director of Bendigo Art Gallery will take on her new role from 3 October.

Karen Quinlan

Karen Quinlan. Incoming Arts Centre Melbourne CEO, Karen Quinlan. Photo © Mark Mohell, National Portrait Gallery

It promises to be a challenging time for Quinlan and her team, with the Arts Centre Melbourne entering what has been dubbed a “once-in-a-generation” redevelopment costing $1.7 billion.

“We could not be more thrilled that Karen will be joining us as CEO at such a pivotal moment in our history,” said Ian Carson, President of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust.

Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos also welcomed Quinlan’s appointment, saying, “An exceptional creative leader, Karen brings her vast credentials and talent to drive this next pivotal stage for our iconic Arts Centre.”

Quinlan played a transformative role as Director of Bendigo Art Gallery from 2000 until 2018, working with international cultural institutions to bring blockbuster exhibitions to regional Victoria, driving cultural tourism and the visitor economy.

Already underway, the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation projects includes the complete...