Heide has announced that Kirsty Grant has been appointed the new Director and CEO of Heide Museum of Modern Art. Kirsty Grant is currently the Senior Curator of Australian Painting, Sculpture and Decorative Arts to 1980 at the NGV. She recently curated the very successful Mid-Century Modern: Australian Furniture Design and the current retrospective of the work of Robert Jacks. She will take up her new role in January 2015.

From Heide

Chair of the Board, Jennifer Darbyshire, said that Ms Grant’s expertise in modern Australian art and significant curatorial experience made her the stand-out candidate in an exceptionally strong field: “Heide’s Board is delighted to welcome Kirsty and is excited by the depth of experience, intellectual rigour and leadership that she brings.” She added: “We are confident that Kirsty will honour Heide’s history while making a significant contribution in bringing to life Heide’s vision of a national and international reputation for artistic excellence and for the scholarship of its exhibitions, publications and programs.”

With more than 20 years experience working in major State galleries, Kirsty Grant has published widely in the field of Australian art and curated numerous exhibitions of important Australian artists, including Fred Williams, Yvonne Audette and John Brack.

Ms Grant said: “Heide Museum of Modern Art holds a unique place within Melbourne’s cultural sector, presenting modern and contemporary art against the backdrop of a beautiful environment and the rich personal histories of its founders, John and Sunday Reed. This is a very exciting opportunity and I am looking forward to working with the museum’s Board and staff on this next ambitious phase of its history.”