Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts board members
Dr Mark Bin Bakar (Chair) WA
Dr Mark Bin Bakar was appointed Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board from 30 April 2009 for a period of three years by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, The Hon. Peter Garrett AM MP, Dr Mark Bin Bakar has committed over 30 years of his life to making a difference for Indigenous people working in arts management, community development and performance.
Mark is a multi-talented person who brings many skills and experience to Indigenous arts and culture. Mark contributed to the creation and development of a number of prominent Indigenous arts organisations in Western Australia including Abmusic and Dumbartung in Perth, Stompem Ground, Goolarri, Mary G Live Radio and TV in Broome. Through his creation of the iconic character Mary G, he has received national acclaim including Deadly Sounds National Music Awards NAIDOC awards, the Tudawali Award and being telecast on SBS.
Mark has held a number of Council, Board and Committee positions on organisations as diverse as the National Indigenous Representative Board, Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation (as Chair), the Australian Film Television Radio School, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board, WA Department for the Arts Aboriginal Assessment Panel and Broome Aboriginal Media Association.
Mark has played an important role in developing Indigenous artists and is a committed advocate for Indigenous musicians and songwriters. Mark has also supported a large number of new and emerging artists. Mark’s talent as a musician, singer, songwriter, sound engineer, broadcaster, filmmaker, actor and arts manager are an invaluable asset to the artistic direction of the Indigenous community.Mark is a positive role model, leader and spokesperson for his people throughout the nation, attempting to make Australia understand its responsibility and respect for its Indigenous community.
Leo Akee Torres Strait
Leo Akee is a Meriam man of the Torres Strait region and has been a cultural ambassador for Meriam culture spanning 30 years. He has also been Artistic Director of the Zenadh Torres Strait Cultural Festival. He has worked extensively in the Torres Strait in the area of community development across the sectors of art and culture, local government, education, housing, employment and youth. He brings a wealth of experience in the areas of governance, organisational strategic planning and advocacy.
Richard Frankland Vic
Richard Frankland is one of Australia’s most experienced Indigenous singer/songwriter and filmmakers. His film and stage credits include Who killed Malcolm Smith, No Way To Forget, After Mabo, Harry's War, Conversations With The Dead and An Evening With Richard Frankland. Richard is also an acclaimed musician whose music features on the soundtracks to many of his films. Richard has written, directed and produced a wide range of films, documentaries stage productions and has toured nationally as a musician.
Jeanette James Tas
Jeanette James is a traditional shell necklace stringer who has inherited the tradition from her mother, one of three elders regarded as senior custodians of the Palawa tradition. Jeanette James’ necklaces have been nationally recognised with a Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander award in 2000. She has exhibited in the Darwin Museum, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Launceston and her work has been acquired by private and public collections across Australia.
Desmond 'Kootji' Raymond NT
A Larrakia man and traditional owner of the Darwin region in the Northern Territory, Kootji initially travelled to Perth in the late 1970s to play football for West Perth while studying art at Claremont College. After knee injuries curtailed his football career, Kootji taught art and football at Clontarf Aboriginal College later enrolling in a fine arts degree course at Curtin. It was there that he met filmmaker Paul Roberts in 1993 and began a collaboration that continues to the present day. In 2000 Kootji and Paul completed Land of the Little Kings, which won the 2000 Human Rights Award for television that year and is generally regarded as the seminal documentary work on the issue of the stolen generation. Kootji has gained numerous production credits including Assistant Director on The Mary G Show and directed Cooking Capers for ABC Television's Message Stick among others. Filmmaker & visual artist, Des Kootji Raymond received an Honorary Life Membership to the Film & Television Institute in 2004. He continues to paint and his art works have appeared in over a dozen exhibitions nationally and in 2003 he was awarded a Masters Degree in Fine Arts.
Lynette Narkle WA
Lynette Narkle is a highly respected performer and director of Indigenous theatre and film. She has been a pivotal force in theatre since the early days of Jack Davis when she acted in Dreamers (1973), Kullark (1978) and No Sugar (1985). Her film and television credits include Heartlands (1994), Natural Justice (1996), Heat (1996), Jackaroo (1990), and Southern Cross (2001). She has worked as a director with the acclaimed Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company directing Ooh La Nah Nyungah (1996), Donkalonk (1996) and Aliwa (2000). She also worked for Screen West to increase the engagement of Indigenous filmmakers with screen culture.
Lee-Ann Buckskin SA
Lee-Ann Buckskin is a Narungga Wirangu Woman from South Australia. Lee-Ann has a strong background in festivals and events throughout Australia. Her current position is with Carclew Youth Arts in Adelaide as manager, Indigenous arts and culture program working with children and young people aged four - 30 years. She produced Blak Nite 05; Australia's leading Indigenous Youth Arts Showcase as part of the 2005 Come Out Festival and is about to deliver her second Blak Nite. Lee-Ann's focus program is working in APY Lands developing leadership and community through the arts for young people aged 15-25 years. She has a BA in Communications from the University of South Australia and is a graduate from the Australian Indigenous Leadership Program (Canberra).
Tara June Winch (youth representative) NSW
Tara June Winch is a young writer who’s accolades include the Maureen Donohue Award for Queensland Young Writers Award (2003) and David Unaipon Award for Indigenous Writers (2003). Her first novel Swallow the Air received the 2006 Victoria Premier’s Award for Indigenous Literature and was short listed for the Age book of the year.