Gap In The Fence - Frances Butler

Tintype image by Phillip England

Producer

Frances (she/they) is a queer, autistic arts manager born in Aotearoa/New Zealand of Irish descent. They have with 30+ years’ experience in non-profit and government arts sector – in management and production roles in NSW, Victoria, and in lutruwita/Tasmania (since 2006).

As an independent producer and writer, they specialise in interdisciplinary creative collaborations and consultation.

Frances has extensive experience in arts management and production in visual and performing arts sectors and is a published arts writer.

Frances' experience in production includes:

  • Executive Producer and co-founder of the Lutruwita Art Orchestra Inc.

  • Artistic Director/CEO of GASP! Glenorchy Art & Sculpture Park

  • community producer for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

  • creative producer for Salamanca Arts Centre

  • Sunday Cabaret coordinator for the Cygnet Folk Festival

  • coordinator of the City of Hobart Art Prize

  • lead researcher for the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery exhibition John Glover & the Colonial Picturesque

  • Administrator of the 5th Australian Sculpture Triennial

  • Public Affairs Officer for the Australia Council

  • Administrator at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre

  • Administrator Fifth Australian Sculpture Triennial

  • initiator/project manager for the Casula Weaving Garden

​Frances has curated multiple exhibitions including:

  • Irene Briant: A Survey at the Long Gallery, Hobart

  • Rossmore Steel (the sculpture of Jan King & Paul Hopmeier) at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Liverpool, NSW

Frances has also undertaken roles as:

  • Chair of the NAVA NSW State Management Committee

  • NAVA National Board

  • board member of the Story Island Project

  • selecting judge for the inaugural Tasmanian Women's Art Prize

  • judge for the Glamorgan/Spring Bay Art Prize

  • board member of Huon Folk Inc (Cygnet Folk Festival)

Currently Frances produces the Floating Scores project and administers the Art Folx of Lutruwita Facebook group.

Image by Caleb Miller, Mac40 Media

Artist

Music:

Sings with the Hobart VoiceLab and is an ensemble member of the Lutruwita Art Orchestra. Sang in QTas and Swansong choirs.

Played bass guitar in 80s inner city Sydney in a band that will remain nameless, and years later second fiddle in the Huon Valley Society Orchestra. Makes stuff up on multiple instruments now.

Writing:

Co-writer of A Tasmanian Requiem. Articles published in Craft Arts International, Artlink and numerous catalogue essays including Tasmanian woodturning, graffiti in Western Sydney, group exhibitions and a monograph on Tasmanian sculptor, Irene Briant.

Visual Art:

Completed a degree in Fine Arts majoring in sculpture, hasn’t exhibited since the 90s and continues to create with textiles, photography, audio and drawing.

Screen:

Editing / co-direction of A Tasmanian Requiem video with Michael Gissing, Digital City Studios.