Colin Walker - Director, AGWA (Art Gallery of Western Australia)

Prior to commencing at AGWA Colin was the Executive Director, Culture and the Arts at the West Australian State Government’s Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. In this role he was the DLGSC’s representative on the boards of AGWA, Western Australian Museum, State Library of Western Australia, the Perth Theatre Trust and Healthway. He is a member of the Advisory Council of the Centre for Social Impact at the University of Western Australia. Colin is currently the chair of The Council of Australian Art Museum Directors (CAAMD).

Michael Chappell - CEO, Culture Counts

Michael is the CEO of Culture Counts (TM). A Chartered Management Consultant with a B.Econ (Hons) from UWA, Michael spent five years working in market and property research before beginning a career in Management Consulting in 1991.

Michael has an extensive association in the Arts sector. He is the former Chairman of PVI Collective, a West Australian Contemporary Arts organisation. Prior to this, Michael served as Chairman and Board Member for West Australian Ballet.

In 2011, Michael developed Culture Counts, a system for evaluating any investment or activity that has an economic or social impact for individuals and the community including cultural centres, arts events or festivals and business precincts. The metrics have undergone extensive research, consultation and academic validation in Australia and the UK.

Michael has over 20 years of economic policy and strategy consulting experience, augmented with formal training in Corporate Strategy Development through Stanford University and postgraduate qualifications from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is the founder and Managing Director of Pracsys Economics, a national firm or urban economists represented in Western Australia and Victoria.