Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts board members

Dr Mark Bin Bakar (Chair) WA

Dr Mark Bin Bakar brings extensive skills and experience working in Indigenous arts and culture to the role of Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board. He was responsible for the creation and development of a number of prominent Indigenous arts organisations in Western Australia. Through his creation of the iconic character Mary G, he has received national acclaim including Deadly Sounds National Music Awards and telecast on SBSTV as well as NAIDOC awards and the Tudawali Award. Mark has held a number of Council, Board and Committee positions including the National Indigenous Representative Board, Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation as Chair, Australian Film, Television, Radio School, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board, WA Department for the Arts Aboriginal Assessment Panel and Broome Aboriginal Media Association.

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.

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.

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.