Director strategic development community partnerships

The Australia Council for the Arts today announced the appointment of Frank Panucci as its director, strategic development for community partnerships.

This new position has been created specifically to drive establishment of the Australia Council's Community Partnerships section; manage the implementation of the Community Partnerships Scoping Study; and develop the Council's long-term strategic framework for community partnerships.

For a period of at least 12 months - the time estimated to achieve these set-up goals - Mr Panucci will work closely with the Australia Council's new Community Partnerships Committee, the CCD Grants Assessment Committee and the Community Partnerships Scoping Study Reference Group, and liaise broadly with the arts and community cultural development sector.

Australia Council CEO Jennifer Bott says Mr Panucci's appointment is a significant milestone in the establishment of the organisation's new Community Partnerships section. 'Frank brings a wealth of hands-on experience in working with communities and the arts and expertise in strategy and policy development that will shape the future direction of our community partnerships policy and programs.'

Mr Panucci says he is dedicated to seeing everyone has the opportunity to participate actively in the arts and contribute to Australia's cultural development.

'I believe that community-based and directed cultural development is an important measure of the 'wellness' of a society.'

Mr Panucci has spent much of his life actively involved in the community - from research roles with a union, a community health centre and an immigrant association, to consultancy projects advising on issues affecting immigrants and people from non-English speaking backgrounds to community cultural development and the arts.

He also has considerable experience in arts administration, notably in senior management roles at the Australia Council responsible for policy, communication and research, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts and the Community Cultural Development Fund. Mr Panucci's most recent appointment was as CEO of Community Cultural Development NSW.

Mr Panucci takes up the new role on 12 December