Cara Kirkwood is a national advocate and influencer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, art, culture and creative industries. Having worked across diverse geographical and industry contexts Cara has honed her skills as a cultural strategist. Currently the Head of Combined Arts with the Australia Council, Cara has previously worked with the Department of Parliamentary Services, National Gallery of Australia, AGSA’s Tarnanthi Festival and Desart in Mparntwe (Alice Springs).

Cara is a diplomat and an instigator for change through her interest in transforming existing western ways of thinking into contemporary and responsive initiatives, strategies and structures.

The culmination of this work saw Cara become the first, First Nations person appointed to the board of the Art Gallery of South Australia and even more recently be awarded a Churchill Fellowship.