Marily Cintra

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Brazilian-born Marily Cintra has coordinated numerous arts-led community projects that have influenced the development of public art in healthcare throughout Australia.

Marily is the founder and director of Identity, Environment and Art (IEA) – an arts organisation that promotes community participation in the design of public places. In 1999, she established the not-for-profit Health and Arts Research Centre.

As an accomplished visual artist, Marily has participated in more than 60 exhibitions including the Victoria National Gallery (Bias Binding), Canberra Contemporary Art Space (1992, solo) and the International Biennial of Ceramic Art, Vallouris, France (11th, 12th and 14th Biennales).

She has presented her work at various national and international conferences to share her knowledge and assist in furthering research and understanding of arts and health strategies.

Marily's recent projects include developing centres of creativity within aged care facilities, in partnership with the Anglican Retirement Villages. She has also coordinated a program of access to be included in museums and galleries for people with dementia, in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Australia, the National Gallery of Australia and the Hearthstone Alzheimer’s Foundation.

Marily has received an Australia Council Community, Environment, Art and Design Award and a New South Wales Women and the Arts Fellowship. In 2006 Marily was recognised with the Australia Council Ros Bower award for her outstanding achievements in improving community wellbeing through the arts.