Next Wave welcomes Elyse Goldfinch, who will lead the organisation through a pivotal period of its ongoing development.

Elyse is an arts leader, curator and writer with a career focus on advocacy, collaboration, exchange and support for artists across generations.

Formerly co-Chair and co-Director at Firstdraft (Sydney), Associate Curator at Artspace (Sydney), and, most recently, Curator at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA, Melbourne)—Elyse brings with her more than a decade of experience working with artists to develop ambitious and ground-breaking projects.

Her writing on contemporary art has been published widely Ocula, Art & Australia, un Magazine and Art Collector, as well as written and edited print publications for institutions including National Gallery of Australia, Artspace, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, and Manly Art Gallery & Museum, among others.

Elyse said she is honoured to be leading Next Wave under our new Strategic Plan 2025–28. The plan introduces a number of new initiatives to support early-career creative practitioners with a focus on Merri-bek, Narrm/Melbourne and greater Victoria.

“Next Wave is a vital part of the arts community and I’m excited for the opportunity to guide the organisation through this pivotal period as it grounds itself in its long-term home at Brunswick Mechanics Institute in Naarm/Melbourne,” Elyse said.

“I look forward to continuing Next Wave’s important commitment to collaboration and mentorship—and to strengthening their values of justice, friendship and care in supporting early-career creative practitioners across Merri-bek and beyond.”

In 2025—between an ongoing program of artist-led events—Next Wave will roll out EOIs for the new Brunswick Mechanics Institute Residency and Winter Windows commissions, as well as initiate a local programming advisory group.

Elyse will be starting her position at Next Wave in April following the opening of her upcoming curatorial project at ACCA Tina Stefanou, You Can’t See Speed.

She joins a small but mighty core team, made up of Lead Program Producer Frances Robinson, Communications Manager Maddie Lakos and Venue Producer and Operations Coordinator Natalia Sledz.