What drew you to pursue a career in public art, and what was your path to becoming Public Art Division Manager at Tilt Industrial Design?
Throughout my schooling and uni days I’ve always had an interest in the arts. Although I studied design, I’ve circled around the arts world and I’m really interested in how an artistic process and design thinking intersect.
As my confidence and skills at Tilt grew within the architectural and landscape sectors, I was interested in how Tilt could carve out a niche within the public art space. I was fortunate enough to be supported by Tilt’s Director, Tim Phillips, to test ideas and develop strong relationships with artists. Gradually over time we’ve built a fantastic public art team and cemented our position in the market.
Throughout your career in public art and design, who have been your most inspiring role models and how have they influenced your approach to leadership?
I look to women who have carved out a unique path and way of doing things and have stayed the course. I’m really inspired by those who have a strong sense of themselves, their values and speak with clarity.
I find so many of my collaborators find clever and unique ways of handling complex and challenging situations – I often lean into their experiences to overcome my own challenges.
Can you share your thoughts on the importance of mentorship in the public art sector, and how do you approach mentoring emerging talent at Tilt and beyond?
Mentoring is crucial in public art and requires a considered approach. Artists need support in taking their work from concept through to completion.
At Tilt, we support artists with project management, material selection, and logistics, but most importantly, we handle the contractual obligations and administrative burden of art making, freeing the artists to focus on their work.
We foster a culture of knowledge-sharing, collaborating across teams and passing on insights. We’re actively involved with Women in Design and Construction (WIDAC), which has had really good traction over the past few years. We also focus on giving women in our team opportunities to promote their profiles through panel events, helping them cement their place in the industry. Several team members are tutoring at UNSW and UTS, spreading their knowledge and taking on leadership with the next generation. Beyond Tilt, we share our expertise through podcasts and thought-leadership articles, believing that educating others helps drive best practice in the industry. Our team is always looking for ways to nurture and inspire future talent.
Have you encountered any barriers in your career progression within the public art and design industry, and if so how did you overcome them?
As a mum to two young children, balancing the pace of construction, public art programs, and team management is challenging. Even with Tilt’s supportive environment, broader systemic issues exist. While workplaces increasingly offer flexibility, systems like childcare remain rigid – for example there’s no casual childcare that would allow me to attend spontaneous site meetings. These structural limitations counteract the professional flexibility we’re aiming for – that require broader systemic changes.
However, I overcome these challenges through careful planning and teamwork – it’s very much a collective effort. The more I lean into collaborative approaches, the more we achieve together. I feel fortunate to have found ways to balance my responsibilities at Tilt.
Looking to the future, I’m focused on developing a research program that demonstrates Tilt’s unique approach to industrial design in the built environment. I’m considering further study, perhaps a PhD, to formalise our decade of learnings, as I work to position myself and the practice as not just sector experts and visionaries.
Looking ahead, what changes would you like to see in the public art and design sectors to create more equitable opportunities for women?
I’d like to see more equal representation and opportunities for women in public art and design, particularly in leadership, access to funding and exposure. There’s also a need to support artists during maternity leave when they may not be able to produce art.
The current competition-based procurement model in public art needs rethinking. Artists invest enormous time and conceptual energy into pitch packs, often facing repeated rejection that can be emotionally draining, especially for individual practitioners. While competitions have their place, we should explore alternatives like direct commissions and deeper engagement with artists’ practices. Rather than having clients dictate briefs that require direct responses, we could focus more on understanding an artist’s body of work and conceptual approach.
Interestingly, my observation is that there are more women working as public artists generally, with even stronger representation among First Nations artists, where traditional craft-based practices like weaving have influenced contemporary public art.
About Tilt Industrial Design
Tilt Industrial Design is an award-winning industrial design practice that works with architects, artists, landscape architects and developers to help them realise their creative vision. Working nationally, Tilt is recognised for giving clients and project partners the creative freedom to deliver truly innovative, design-led outcomes within the built environment. Comprised of a team of specialised designers and engineers, Tilt’s multi-disciplinary team works collaboratively with clients to ‘bridge the gap’ between concept and construction; pushing the boundaries to deliver complex projects that utilise the latest technologies. With a mission underpinned by creative collaboration, technical audacity and unparalleled craft, Tilt’s unique perspective and expert process adds value to architecture, public art and landscape projects to redefine what’s possible and create the exceptional.
