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VAPAC October Conference
Date: Tuesday 7th & Wednesday 8th, October.
Location: Berninneit (91-97 Thompson Avenue, Cowes, VIC, 3922)
This October, join us for two dynamic days as we explore the future of venues and the evolving role of leadership across the sector.
Presented by VAPAC, the October Conference will dive deep into the opportunities that lie ahead — through the lenses of audience development, stakeholder engagement and cultural leadership.
Expect a powerful lineup of keynote presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and in-depth conversations covering everything from climate-focused advocacy and cultural impact to sector innovation and collaborative leadership.
The full program launches soon — secure your ticket today.
- Members, please check the discussion forum for booking details.
- Travel & Accommodation Information HERE
- Check out the Agenda HERE
Please check the discussion forum for more information.
Speakers
Amy Maiden (Chief Executive, Anthem)
Amy Maiden is one of Australia’s leading voices on audiences, fandom, and the experience economy. As Chief Executive of Anthem — the country’s foremost arts, culture, and entertainment consultancy — she works with the world’s most recognised producers, venues, festivals, and cultural institutions to grow audiences and strengthen connections between art and community.
With two decades of experience across the UK, US, and Australia, Amy brings a global perspective to local challenges, from large-scale musicals and major events to intimate festivals and regional experiences. A sought-after speaker and advisor, she is known for her sharp insights, engaging style, and her ability to cut through complexity to identify what really matters: the audience.
Greg Box (Chief Executive Officer, Bass Coast Shire Council)
Greg Box is the Chief Executive Officer of Bass Coast Shire Council. A well-known and respected leader and advocate in Local Government, for over two decades, Greg has provided leadership to multiple peri-urban and regional Councils. Greg is passionate and driven about the essential role of Culture in our lives and has spent considerable time managing Arts and Culture in both the Local Government and University Sectors. He has led the redevelopment of multiple Performing Arts Venues and is aware of the many challenges facing teams managing and working in cultural facilities. He is a Board member of Destination Gippsland, Destination Phillip Island, the Bass Coast Country Universities Centre and is Chair of the Nature Recovery Foundation. Greg has led international award-winning engagement programs and presented extensively both in Australia and overseas.
Georgia Cooke (Engagement & Partnerships Manager, Green Music Australia)
Georgia Cooke is the Engagement and Partnerships Manager at Green Music Australia, leading initiatives that drive environmental action across the music and arts sector. She also serves as Board Chair of CORENA, a renewable energy charity supporting community-led clean energy projects. With a background spanning communications, media, and fundraising, Georgia has worked with organisations including Parks Victoria and RSPCA Victoria. She holds a Master of Environment and Sustainability and brings extensive expertise in stakeholder engagement, strategic partnerships, and climate-focused advocacy.
Stacey Piggott (Director, Daydream Nation)
Stacey Piggott is an accomplished, creative communications executive with nearly three decades of experience leading high-impact public relations campaigns for grassroots clients and global brands. She has been the driving force behind the creation and execution of nationally recognised PR campaigns for some of the country’s most iconic brands, music festivals, live venues, international and local artists, food and wine events, sports personalities, comedians and arts organisations.
A recognised and authoritative Crisis Communications strategist, Stacey is widely recognised for her strategic leadership and ability to guide organisations and individuals through complex reputational challenges. Stacey has developed and managed comprehensive crisis communications plans and mitigation strategies for major festivals, cultural institutions, venues, high-profile individuals, and leading consumer brands.
Terence O’Brien (Special Counsel, Sanicki Lawyers)
Terence is an experienced litigation and liquor licensing lawyer with over 14 years of practice. His expertise spans contract and commercial disputes, property law, planning litigation, corporate governance, construction, insolvency, product liability, professional negligence, employment issues, and regulatory investigations and prosecutions.
As the founder of Sanicki Lawyers’ Hospitality Division, Terence has extensive experience advising and representing clients in liquor licensing matters, including investigations and prosecutions. His deep understanding of the complexities of liquor licensing law and enforcement, and the challenges faced by licensees in an uncompromising regulatory environment, allows him to provide strategic and practical solutions tailored to his clients’ needs.
Terence regularly appears in all Victorian Courts and Tribunals, as well as in Federal jurisdictions, providing comprehensive legal representation across various levels of the legal system.
Grace Madafferi (Litigation and Hospitality Law Team, Sanicki Lawyers)
Grace Madafferi is a litigation lawyer at Sanicki Lawyers, practising across building disputes, employment law, banking and finance (including fraudulent transfers and irresponsible lending), defamation, probate, and wills and estates.
Grace is a founding member of the firm’s Hospitality Law Team, specialising in liquor licensing matters. She advises licensees on compliance, defends infringement notices, and assists with regulatory investigations and prosecutions. Grace works closely with Special Counsel Terence O’Brien on complex matters under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, Planning and Environment Act 1987, and EPA Noise Regulations. Her experience includes liaising with Victoria Police and Liquor Control Victoria. Grace also provides in-house compliance training to licensees and staff, ensuring they navigate the regulatory environment with confidence.
Grace holds a Bachelor of Laws and Business and was admitted to practice in 2023, while studying she worked at Tiffany & Co., assisting with trademark enforcement and training Australian Border Force officers on counterfeit goods.
Grace is known for her practical legal advice, relationship building, strong communication, and strategic approach. She is an active member of the Victorian Women Lawyers Mentoring Committee and is a die-hard supporter of the Melbourne Football Club.
Emily O’Brien (Elucidate Consulting & Chair Platform Arts)
Emily O’Brien is a Risk and Safety Consultant and Project/Production Manager based in naarm (Melbourne). She has worked extensively across the fields of theatre, dance, cultural events, corporate events, live arts and festivals and has a keen interest in the development of emerging practitioners.
Emily holds a Master of Science in Crowd Safety & Risk Analysis from Manchester Metropolitan University (2022), a Master of Arts Management from the University of Melbourne (2012), an Advanced Diploma in Public Safety – Emergency Management (2019) and a Certified Practising Risk Manager (CRPM). She is the director of Elucidate Consulting.
Emily has delivered risk and safety planning as well as production, event and operations management, for a wide range of clients, including the theatre company Back to Back; venues such as Malthouse Theatre, ACMI, Collingwood Yards, and MAPCo; festivals including RISING, YIRRAMBOI, Mona Foma; city councils such as Melbourne, South Gippsland and Merri-bek; as well as leading live entertainment company, Live Nation.
Freyja Macfarlane (Senior Producer – Programming & Events, Frankston Arts Centre)
Freyja is an experienced arts event, festival, and project producer currently working as a Senior Producer within the Arts & Culture team at Frankston City Council. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of working with amazing creatives and organisations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. She has overseen and produced a broad range of projects ranging from bespoke niche events to large-scale festivals over the past 20 years.
Currently she produces the annual contemporary arts and culture festival, South Side Festival, that takes over Frankston each May. Freyja is passionate about working with and alongside diverse communities to ensure that intercultural voices and stories, inclusive of all gender identities and ethnicities, are heard and take a platform.
As a producer, she strongly believes in artist-led works and is committed to supporting the exploration of new works as self-determined by the artist themselves.
Tammy Ryan (Manager Arts & Culture, Frankston Arts Centre)
Tammy is a highly respected senior leader currently serving as the Manager of Arts and Culture at Frankston City Council. In this role, she oversees a diverse portfolio encompassing more than 130 staff across the Frankston Arts Centre, Major Festivals and Events, Public Art, Tourism, and Libraries.
A strategic and visionary arts leader, Tammy brings extensive expertise in arts management, with a proven track record in curating impactful artistic programs, managing cultural venues, and fostering meaningful community and sector engagement. Her leadership is marked by a deep commitment to cultural development, creative excellence, and long-term sustainability of the sector.
Tammy’s extensive experience in the arts spans State and Local Government, alongside senior roles within independent arts organisations. This diverse background gives her a comprehensive and deeply informed perspective of the sector—ranging from the support and development of emerging artists to strategic collaborations with globally recognised performing arts companies. Her ability to confidently navigate both grassroots initiatives and complex environments enables her to drive creative and strategic outcomes that are both visionary and grounded in sector realities.
Passionate about shaping the future of Australian arts, Tammy actively contributes to the sector through roundtable discussions, industry events, performing arts marketplaces and curatorial panels, focusing on supporting the next generation of artists and arts workers and ensuring the sustainability of the arts industry.
Nancy Milligan (Manager Creative Venues, Events & Tourism, Latrobe City Council)
Nancy Milligan is an experienced cultural leader with a career spanning more than 20 years across arts management, events, community facility planning, sponsorship, and partnerships. She has delivered major regional initiatives, from overseeing the $65 million Red Earth Arts Precinct in Karratha Western Australia to growing the Cossack Art Award into one of the nation’s most significant regional art prizes.
Her work extends across high-profile event management and brand activations for clients including Coca-Cola, Peroni, Lamborghini, and Kennedy, as well as cultural programming with leading companies such as Opera Australia, Bangarra Dance Theatre, and Sydney Dance Company.
She is recognised for her ability to build enduring collaborations, negotiate high-value sponsorships, and deliver complex strategies that strengthen cultural and community outcomes.
Most recently, Nancy is leading transformative change at Latrobe City Council, guiding the management and usage of the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre and Latrobe Regional Gallery with a focus on the visitor economy and destination marketing.