Laura McBride

Staff Profile

Key Info

  • Position Title
    Creative Producer
  • Branch
    Assistant Director, Public Programs & Operation's Office
    Division
    Public Programs & Operations
  • On Social Media

Email Laura McBride

Profile:

Laura McBride is a member of the Wailwan people of North West NSW and a Creative Producer in the Programming, Collections, and Exhibition branch of the Australian Museum. After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Sydney in 2008, Laura entered the education sector as a tutor and teacher before joining the Museum's team in 2010. Since starting in the education unit, Laura has completed her Masters in Education at UTS in 2012, and developed innovative programs for Museum audiences which has seen her secure a permanent position as a Creative Producer in 2014.

Laura works on multiple platforms in her role as a Creative Producer. She is responsible for the management of events, programs, and projects grounded in Indigenous Cultures and the Natural Sciences. Laura also develops research- and collections-based content for Museum exhibitions. Recently, Laura co-curated Garrigarrang: Sea Country - the Museum's first Indigenous Australian exhibition developed in-house since 1997. Laura has developed education and video conferencing programs, professional development for teachers, and cultural programs across different Museum branches. Laura has also initiated partnerships with many community, not-for-profit, and government agencies including Homeground @ the Opera House, Corroboree Sydney, Reconciliation NSW, and Sydney Regions Aboriginal Education Group, to name a few. Laura's role includes consulting on web-based content, external correspondence and contributes to both strategy development and master planning for the Australian Museum.

Laura takes a holistic and community-centred approach to her exhibition, program, and project development, moving the Museum into an active (versus static) space. Although Laura works with objects, a major focus is the intangible heritage that is embedded in these objects. This is collected and presented through text, audio, visual media, and interactive technologies. In 2016, Laura will project manage the development and installation of the first interactive Gumbayinggirr Marine Seasonal Calendar, and in 2017 develop an exciting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Language project that will be announced early in the year.

Laura was the recipient of the Arts NSW Indigenous Arts Leadership major grant in 2012, and currently sits on Arts NSW peer assessment panel and Aboriginal Curatorial Arts Workers Network (Sydney).

Exhibitions

  • Jake Soewardie: A Retrospective (2010)
  • The Keeping Place Exhibition (2010)
  • Koori Art Expressions (2 annual exhibitions in partnership with Sydney Region Department of Education & Training, 2010 & 2011)
  • Eora College: An Urban Rite of Passage (2011)
  • Wrapped in a Possum Skin Cloak by the Lake (Travelling exhibition in partnership with Lake Macquarie Art Gallery, 2011)
  • Sydney Elders Photographic Exhibition (in partnership with Merv Bishop, 2012)
  • Garrigarrang: Sea Country (2014) 
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor of Arts - Australian Indigenous Studies & Psychology majors, University of Sydney. 
  • Master of Education - University of Technology 
Awards:
  • Arts NSW and Australian Council for the Arts Indigenous Leadership Award (2012 - 2014).