Client Summary

The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) is one of Australia’s premier visual arts institutions. With a commitment to showcasing diverse artistic voices, QAGOMA has long championed the inclusion of First Nations artists and perspectives in its programming and collections.

Challenge

Despite growing recognition of the importance of First Nations representation in the arts, systemic barriers continue to limit career progression for First Nations professionals in art museums and collecting institutions. QAGOMA identified a critical gap: the absence of structured, culturally safe career pathways for emerging and established First Nations arts professionals. This lack of opportunity contributes to burnout, underrepresentation, and missed potential across the sector.

Our Approach

To address this, QAGOMA partnered with Giving Connect to lead its internal theory of change and program logic development following the institution’s consultation with its First Nation’s advisory board and a separate workshop that convened leading partners nationally which formally endorsed the idea to scope an Investment Plan for a First Nations Arts Professional Practice Initiative.

Our approach included:

• Facilitated Workshops with QAGOMA’s philanthropy, curatorial, collections, and First Nations teams to co-develop a Theory of Change and program logic.
• Giving Strategy Development, identifying five investable activities aligned with QAGOMA’s mission and the needs of First Nations arts professionals.
• Investment Plan Creation, outlining a blended funding model (70% philanthropy, 20% blended finance, 10% social investment), potential funders, and a phased implementation roadmap.
• Expert Peer Review by Kaylene Rawlings Hunter, a respected First Nations leader in the arts and legal and policy sectors, to ensure cultural integrity and strategic alignment of Giving Connect’s advice.

Impact & Outcomes

The engagement resulted in a validated Program Logic, Giving Strategy and Investment Plan that aligns with QAGOMA’s Reconciliation Action Plan and national cultural policy.

It strengthened internal alignment across QAGOMA’s departments, with increased confidence and clarity among staff to advocate for the initiative.

A key outcome has been the recognition of QAGOMA’s unique position to lead sector-wide change through a First Nations-led, culturally safe professional development model.

“Giving Connect brought clarity, structure, and cultural sensitivity to a complex challenge. Their facilitation helped unify our teams and translate our vision into a compelling case for support internally and externally, in addition to building internal capability to deliver a similar process in the future.”

Dominique Jones, Philanthropy Manager, QAGOMA