Sebastian Goldspink is a Sydney based arts administrator, gallerist and artist.
In 2011 he opened Alaska Projects in an abandoned mechanics office in a Kings Cross car park. Since opening, Alaska Projects has held 10 exhibitions of emerging art and was nominated for an FBi SMAC award after just one month of operations.
Sebastian's art practice is street based with a focus on advertising manipulation. He has shown at numerous artist run spaces and internationally at Good Children Gallery in New Orleans. In 2011 he was awarded a Fraser/Queen Street Studio residency.
As an administrator Sebastian has worked for various art organisations including the Biennale of Sydney, MCA, MoNA and in his current role as producer of Art Month Sydney.
He is also a Lecturer at the College of Fine Arts.
What did you want to be when you grew up? To be honest, I really wanted to be a Private Eye.
When did you know you would work in the arts? I guess I knew it was always a possibility. I have always been lucky enough to be surrounded by art and artists.
How would you describe your work to a complete stranger? I’m someone whose job it is to get things done in the arts. As the Producer of Art Month my job is to deliver a busy month of events in March each year. As the Director of ALASKA Projects my job is to help put on around 20 exhibitions per year.
How hard is it to be authentic in the arts nowadays? It’s not hard, people see the arts as being filled with inauthentic people but that’s not true.
Is there a mission to your work? I guess the overriding mission of what I do is to make art accessible to audiences and to develop the audiences for visual arts.
What's your background - are there studies that prepare you for this? I studied literary theory but really on the job training is what prepared me for what I do.
What's the first thing career related you usually do each day? Check my emails and read art blogs on the way to work.
Can you describe an "average" working day for you? I guess it would be at work at 9 meetings through the day then attending art openings at night.
What else do you do to pay the bills? This is all I do.
What's the one thing - piece of equipment, toy, security blanket, – you can't work without? I have a small metal Viking figure that I play with in meetings.
What gets you fired up? Apathy.
Who in the industry most inspires you? Joseph Allen Shea, David Walsh and Proppa Now in Australia and Gavin Brown in New York.
What in the industry do you despair about? Lack of funding support and the fact that the arts seems to be regarded by Government as fat, the first thing to go when times are tough.
What is the best thing about your job? People.
What’s the worst? People.
What are the top three skills you need in this industry? Being able to listen.
Being able to stand up for yourself.
Being able to admit when you are wrong
What advice would you give anyone looking to break into the field? Work hard and meet as many people as you can.
How do you know when you missed the mark? When the people around me are reassuring me and I know they are just being kind.
Which of the below phrases best suits your career development to date and why?
a. "The road to success is always under construction. "
b. "Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor."
c. "Success is best measured by how far you've come with the talents you've been given. "
d. "No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself." None of these. ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’.
When do you know you’ve made it? You never know. You just keep going.