The Art Gallery of South Australia's Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art and Artistic Director of Tarnanthi, Nici Cumpston OAM is departing the AGSA after seventeen years, to take up the position as Director of Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

A proud Barkandji artist, curator, writer and educator, Cumpston was appointed as the inaugural Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at AGSA in 2008, and, since then, has contributed to the curation of sixteen major exhibitions and accompanying publications.

In 2014, Cumpston was appointed as the inaugural Artistic Director of Tarnanthi - AGSA's acclaimed platform for contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, which, in 2025, will celebrate its tenth anniversary when it launches on the 17th of October.

Her leadership and contribution have been recognised with an Order of Australia medal for outstanding service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art (2020), the South Australian Government's Stephen Gadlabarti Goldsmith Memorial Award (2019), and the South Australian Premier's NAIDOC Award (2013).

Nici Cumpston OAM. (Image: Josh Vanner)

"I am deeply honoured to be stepping into the role of Director of Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection at the University of Virginia. I see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to extend the work I have been doing for the past seventeen years at AGSA into an international context" she said.

"I will be forever grateful to all the artists I have worked with who have put their faith in me to support them to deliver their outstanding vision. I am excited to continue the relationships I have built across Australia through Tarnanthi and look forward to showcasing their work to international audiences in the US and beyond."

Tarnanthi 2019 launch, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. (image: John Montesi)

Acting AGSA director Emma Fey said Cumpston's contribution to AGSA has been transformative.

"Under Nici's direction, Tarnanthi has set a benchmark in best practice with its commitment to working with First Nations artists and communities respectfully, ethically and in culturally appropriate ways. Her contribution to AGSA has been transformative; the growth in scope and scale of AGSA's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art collection under Nici's care has positioned AGSA as a leader internationally," she said.

Chair of AGSA's First Nations Advisory Council Dr Ali Gumillya Baker said: "We acknowledge Nici's boundless ambition, passion and commitment to celebrating First Nations art and artists in Australia and to positioning Tarnanthi to be the extraordinary success that it is today, ten years on."

Cumpston will depart for Kluge-Ruhe in March while continuing as Tarnanthi's Artistic Director for the 2025 festival ahead of a nationwide search. Recently appointed as Tarnanthi producer, Tyme Childs will produce the upcoming festival, with Cumpston's artistic direction. A First Nations woman of Bibbulmun, Palyku, Bunuba, Walmajarri and English heritage, Childs joins AGSA from SA Film Corporation where she worked with First Nations filmmakers and the broader screen sector to raise profiles and foster opportunities.

Cumpston will take up the role as Director of Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection - which includes more than 3,600 artworks, and is the only museum outside of Australia dedicated to the exhibition and study of Indigenous Australian art. The result of a seven-year collaboration, Kluge-Ruhe recently toured Maḏayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala, an exhibition of 90 iconic bark paintings from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre.

These newly commissioned barks were first displayed at AGSA as part of Tarnanthi 2019 before travelling to Kluge-Ruhe for this exhibition. Maḏayin toured across the US from 2022 - 2025, with esteemed Yolŋu artist and cultural leader, Djambawa Marawili AM as the lead curator.

Tarnanthi 2019 launch, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. (Image: John Montesi)

Andrea Michaels, South Australia's minister for the arts, shared her congratulations on Cumpston's appointment.

"Tarnanthi's international recognition is the result of the excellent programming and relationships fostered by Nici Cumpston OAM and I congratulate her on her new role. She has done an excellent job supporting AGSA to be a leader in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curatorial space and will do a fantastic job sharing that knowledge with the people of Virginia," she said.

Since its inception, over 2 million people have attended Tarnanthi exhibitions, and 9,373 artists have exhibited their work in Tarnanthi exhibitions across the state, generating $126.5 million in economic expenditure. Tarnanthi Art Fairs have been attended by more than 95,600 people and more than 6,500 artists have been represented, with $8.1 million generated in sales and all proceeds going directly to the artists, art centres and Purple House Foundation.

The name Tarnanthi (pronounced tar-nan-dee) comes from the language of the Kaurna people, the Traditional Owners of the Adelaide Plains. It means to come forth or appear - like the sun and the first emergence of light.

Tarnanthi is a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the country to share important stories through artistic excellence, illuminating the diversity and depth of art and culture in communities nationwide. It encourages new beginnings by providing artists with opportunities to create significant new work and to extend their practice.

Tarnanthi presents exhibitions at AGSA and on tour, an art fair, artist talks, performances, workshops, education programs, and the much-anticipated statewide Tarnanthi Festival which is held every two years with the support of Principal Partner BHP.

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