Meagan Loader Announced as NFSA’s New Chief Curator

At the NFSA, Loader will lead a team of curators in the ongoing development of the national audiovisual collection. Based in the NFSA’s Sydney office, she will direct the NFSA’s collecting activities and advance the institution’s strategy for collection interpretation, programming and research.

Loader’s extensive broadcasting experience includes more than a decade at the ABC, where her work encompassed editorial leadership, content strategy, talent management and development. Loader’s most recent role as Head of Music & Young Audiences saw her overseeing digital, radio, podcast and TV content across networks including triple j, Double J, rage, ABC Classic, ABC Country, and ABC Jazz. Loader was also the founding Station Director of independent youth broadcaster FBI Radio when the network launched in 2003.

Australia’s audiovisual archive, a treasure trove of cultural heritage, encompasses a wide range of content. The collection spans various formats from podcasts, virtual reality, web and social content to recorded music, television, cinema, news and current affairs, home movies, and sporting, scientific and artistic recordings. It also includes physical artefacts such as costumes, posters and ephemera. The items in this vast collection date back to the 1890s and continue to grow with materials created as recently as last week.

‘Replacing outgoing Chief Curator Gayle Lake, who retires in June, was always going to be a tall order,’ says NFSA CEO Patrick McIntyre. ‘Megan’s extensive career in executive leadership, program direction and content creation in cross-platform audiovisual environments makes her exceptionally suited to the role. I’m really excited to work with Meagan as the institution continues to adapt to the ever-evolving changes in audiovisual production and consumption driven by digital innovation while maintaining our long-established strengths in analogue and physical preservation.’

Says Loader, ‘Joining the talented, passionate team of curators, hunters and collectors at the NFSA is such a privilege. Contributing to the world-leading work being done to preserve, digitise and make accessible the stories, ideas and always evolving expressions of Australian identity is a great honour, and I can't wait to get in there.'

‘The NFSA is a truly dynamic cultural leader, and the opportunity to bring my passion for Australian audiences, community-building, culture, music, podcasts, radio, gaming, video, film and TV together in the role of Chief Curator is beyond exciting.’

Meagan Loader commences at the NFSA on 14 May 2024.