Suzanne Davies
After seven years, Jessica Frean has stepped
away from front line action, resigning from her position as Executive
Director of Museums Australia (Victoria) at the end of last year.
Jess came to MA (Vic) from the Australian
War Memorial in Canberra in 1995 where she had worked in education
and visitor and corporate services, as well as managing staff
development and training. With such substantial museum experience
and a background in art history and education she was perfectly
poised to bring her invaluable knowledge and skills to MA (Vic).
It has been my privilege to work with Jess
for some 18 exhilarating months. During this time we have seen
growth in funding, office relocation, increased membership and
services and a major overhaul of the functioning of Museums Australia
nationally.
At the farewell function, MA Committee members
Hilary Newton and Maria Berry, and Helen Light, Director and Curator
of the Jewish Museum, spoke of Jess's impeccable professionalism,
integrity, thoroughness, compassion, sure leadership, vision and
ambition for the organisation within a calm, orderly framework.
Everyone spoke with great affection and respect. It brought home
how much we have all relied on Jess to ensure a cohesive, stable
work place, to identify opportunities and to run with them in
an environment of considerable change and challenge. No matter
how difficult the issues at the national level, we have all been
confident that MA Vic., under Jess's executive leadership, will
power on.
The Victorian branch has trebled its activity
and funding these past five years. Some of Jess's specific achievements
include: undertaking substantial research into touring exhibition
needs and then developing the Regional Exhibitions Touring Initiative
(RETI) model (then getting it funded and up and running); and
providing a strategic and practical focus on the Museums Accreditation
Program (MAP), keeping a toolbox / service mentality through its
redevelopment in 1999-2000, securing it more funding and therefore
more people resources. This focus on practicality has added immeasurably
to its successful uptake and national applicability. She contributed
substantially to the development of essential published documents
such as Caring for Our Culture: National Guidelines for Museums,
Galleries and Keeping Places; Competitive Tendering
and the sector's Strategic Planning Manual.
That MA (Vic.) has such a strong voice within
the sector on the Regional and Specialist Museums Advisory Committee
( RASMAC) of the Museums Board of Victoria; Arts and Recreation
Training; Heritage Collections Advisory Committee, Heritage Council
of Victoria; Conservation Centre and Arts Industry Council as
well as excellent relations with the Australian Local Government
Association, Tourism Victoria, the Australia Council and most
particularly Arts Victoria, is testimony to Jess's capacity for
strategic networking and selfless team building skills.
While Jess has said she will stay away from
anything resembling an office for a while, preferring the bush
near a river and plenty of time with her family, we eagerly await
her return to the fray.
Suzanne Davies
President Museums Australia (Vic)