St Kilda Arts Community Inc. was formed by a group of independent creatives and local business identities. It was initially established in 2017 as a non for profit to auspice and administrate an ambitious independent event in the St Kilda Art Crawl. started by local producer/ publisher Mick Pacholli.

During September 2017 – September 2018 three St Kilda Art Crawls were produced by a small and dedicated team assisted by an army of volunteer artists with the added support from local businesses, City of Port Phillip and Creative Victoria.

During late 2018 – 2019 there were no art crawls produced, however many dynamic initiatives developed and took flight within the St Kilda arts community. These include Open Media, St Kilda Art Tours,  BIG Sculpture @ Veg Out and Hola Festival. 

All of the above events were supported pro bono by Open Media for the St Kilda Arts Community, providing filmed promos, photographs and written pieces and online distribution.

Executive Committee Members

Simon Barnett – Secretary (2017 – 2026)

Simon Barnett has worked in the film and television industry for more than 40 years commencing at Channel 7 Melbourne. Since then he has travelled through the film and television industry directing, writing and producing TVC‘s, television series/specials, documentaries, dramas, corporate video’s, network promotions, training and promotional projects. He has also developed and managed several production and event companies in Australia including a subsidiary of a public company developing new media. As a producer and scriptwriter, he has received recognition in Australia and overseas with a number of awards including the Mobius Award in New York. Simon is currently creating an entertainment platform in film and podcasting called Studioemedia focusing on the business of the arts.

Suzanne Norton – (2019 – 2026) Current Chair

Committee Members

Kerrie Pacholli – Committee Member (2019 -2026)

Kerrie Pacholli has worked as a creative producer in the arts, print and online publishing for many decades and has been an online content producer in photography, film and the written word since 2010. In the 1990’s Kerrie worked alongside Robert Mate Mate with Woorabinda Berrigaba Dreamtime Aboriginal Productions to produce three Indigenous theatre productions in “Tirlpa the Messenger” (Theatreworks), “Barndana Passing on the Message” (Universal Theatre) also featuring Tom E Lewis, Ruby Hunter & Archie Roach and “Bundaiyan Seven Sisters Ceremony” (Epicentre Byron Bay). Between 2004 – 2010 Kerrie worked as Sales Manager for Metro News which was a hard copy tabloid newspaper distributed in Melbourne. In 2017 – 2018 Kerrie co-ordinated a dynamic group consisting of 25 collaborative artists to establish several pop up Galleries featured in the three St Kilda Art Crawls as well as producing media coverage of the 3 events under the titles Grid Art Space, Open Media and pationpics.com

Pevious committee members include:

Tim Barnett – Chair (2018 – 2026)

Tim Barnett is a veteran of the entertainment industry with deep roots in production and business domains. With over 35 years production and management experience in the industry, his entrepreneurial skills have seen the creation of successful businesses influencing many aspects of entertainment including film, television, new media, technology, advertising and marketing. Tim is a pioneer with a diverse ability for getting things done as the company’s visionary. Being a hands on personality, Tim has always maintained a big picture overview based on well placed long term strategies. He was founder and chief executive for two of the industries major production and facility companies, the COMCOPY Group and Central City Studio (now Docklands Studios Melbourne).

Victor Holder – Committee Member (2019)

Victor Holder is a multidisciplinary visual artist with a particular interest in environmental sustainability. He actively explores ideas relating to preservation through the creation and facilitation of interactive installations, animations, sculptures and large painted works both publicly and at his community arts centre 4DVERSE in St Kilda East. Over the years he has directed and produced a number of visual art projects in a range of mediums for a number of organisations. His work has taken him as far as, Australia, Europe, Cambodia, Central and South America and Malaysia. He has been commissioned by the City of Port Phillip, the City of Melbourne, Multicultural Arts Victoria, the World Wildlife Foundation and the Melbourne Zoo.

Adrian Spurr – Committee Member (2019)

Adrian has worked as an artist and educator in both Europe and Australia. Until the end of 2017 Adrian had been, for twelve years, the Head of Arts, Performing Arts and Technology at a Government Secondary College in S.E Melbourne. Adrian is a Sculptor and Master Printmaker. He has won numerous awards as an artist including the Toorak Sculpture Prize in 2012. He is currently a member (and the Artist’s representative) of the Shakespeare Grove Art Studios in St Kilda. Adrian is also a founding member of Sunshine Print Artspace in West Melbourne, a not for profit open access print studio for emerging and professional artists. Adrian was one of the curators and founders of a new event held in St kilda every two years “BIG Sculptor.

Kate Karaula – Committee Member (2019)

Creating is like breathing – or eating – to me. It’s part of my life-sustaining sustenance. Coupled with an insatiable appetite for learning and fascination with human nature, my creativity has seen me explore many mediums, subjects and techniques over the years most of which play a cameo role at some point in my textile and fibre pieces. While I still like to experiment with the ‘how’, my current explorations are leading me into pure emotion, less “What did it look like?” than “What did it feel like?” Living in Bayside Melbourne for over ten years, I find myself constantly fascinated by the ever-evolving play between the urban environment and nature – harmonious, violent, symbiotic, at odds, beautiful, ugly, breathy and cramped – sometimes all at once. My current exploration, “Shorelines” is an expression of that beautiful space where different elements meet each other and interact; where they meet and create a whole new form together. Liquid and fluid yet still bound by the tick tock clock, forms and laws of Mother Nature and the impact of human existence.

Violet Brown – Vice Chair (2019)

Violet Browne is Director of St Kilda Art Tours and ran her own marketing and PR business Viacom Marketing Services for 15 years. Violet has undertaken a number of contract marketing and consulting roles across a range of industries including PR campaigns for State and Federal Elections for Candidates. She has a strong background in Sales & Marketing and has worked in hospitality and tourism industries for over 25 years. Violet has been on the Board of the Bendigo Bank, was Secretary of the Yarraville Traders Association and managed two years of marketing for the Yarraville Festival. Violet started St Kilda Art Tours – curated tours of galleries and studios in St Kilda. As part of her desire to support local artists, she then became involved with the St Kilda Arts Community.

Pietro (Colonel) Iodice – Former Chair – (2017)

Pietro’s world was destined to escalate into a colourful cascade of never-ending adventures and self-discoveries. Pietro can speak 3 languages, has a natural connection with people, a passion for adventure along with a respect and appreciation for diversity. A founding member of St Kilda Arts Community Inc., his experience includes; 4 years as management and trouble-shooter with a multi-national company, 2 years as a youth counsellor, 9 years as a Cabaret/Burlesque performer, 4 years travelling o/s, 2 years with Melbourne tourism and 13 years as a local St Kilda business owner creating, producing and hosting over 2500 events. Thrown in amongst the years, he has also consulted and held cameo roles on Film/TV projects such a The Extra, Strange Bedfellows, Trojan Warrior, Matrix 2 & 3, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Ghost Rider, The Knowing, The Dream Children, Secret Life Of Us, Marshal Law, Satisfaction, Underbelly and many more. Other credits Executive Producer on the feature ‘Submerge’.

Emily Humphries – Former Secretary (2017)

Emily is a Melbourne based poet, painter and entrepreneur with a rich global perspective. She was a key contributor in the original formation of St Kilda Arts Community Inc.

Mick Pacholli – Former Treasurer (2017 – 2018)

Mick Pacholli is a second generation media man who worked for many years in his family’s print media newspaper chain.  In the early 1980’s he went on to create and publish TAGG MAGAZINE Melbourne’s first, pocket sized, print media, live music gig guide. Melbourne in the 1980’s was the country’s epicentre of live music and the idea took flight.

Always the entrepreneur, in 2010 Mick moved his enterprises online and currently drives Toorak Times and TAGG.com.au both are media hotspots for citizen journalism and entertainment.

Mick was a founding member of the St Kilda Arts Community Inc and the original driving force in actualising the St Kilda Art Crawl.

Filitsa Giannopoulos – Committee Member (2017)

Filitsa Giannopoulos has had a life-long passion for contemporary art and design, which culminated in the evolution of her own creative agency– Nina & Pequito. Filitsa uses Nina & Pequito as a platform for all her artistic endeavours, which range from: project management, arts educator and advocate, event management to name a few.

Significantly for Filitsa, her passion is fuelled by a desire to assist and represent emerging Australian Artists in both the Domestic and International Art markets. This translated into facilitation work with The Heide Museum of Modern Art, schools, co-ordinating art projects and instilling an appreciation for creativity and expression in young minds.

As a freelance Creative Consultant, Filitsa has utilised her varied academic credentials and experience in the workplace, such as her work with the Menzies Art Brands, Young Philosophers Series in education, and the Port Phillip City Council to forge a successful career path in both the commercial and private sector. She also enjoys organising and curating independent art shows, educational endeavours and exhibitions, and was one of the founders and managers of the Ground Floor St Kilda Arts Space.

As a General Committee Representative member of the St Kilda Arts Community my goal was to work with the committee, local artists, traders, educational experts and businesses to create projects that elevate the creative esteem in St Kilda and the City of Port Phillip by recognizing opportunities that foster the creative living and learning in our local community of all ages.

Doug Hartmann – Former Treasurer (2018)

Doug Hartmann is a serial entrepreneur with an obsessive passion for making an impact in turning negative challenges into positive business outcomes that produce positive change in individuals, community and the environment. A tactical relationship builder, Doug is hard-wired to see big picture, abilities and mutual benefit bringing together the right people at the right time. He lives and breathes ideas, change and how to strategically use resources. Doug is passionate about creating a world that makes the most of every resource applying entrepreneurial thinking and lean methodology to achieve more with less over a 25-year professional journey including working, sharing economy and social engagement. Currently Doug is CEO of Organic Bio-Power, Founder Blank Canvas Co-working and Vice President of Brunswick Tool Library.

Drasko Boljevic – Committee Member (2017)

Drasko Boljevic is an urban artist living in Melbourne, Australia. He began his career in Zagreb at the Academy of Fine Art. Since his arrival in Australia in the early 90’s, he has completed a VCA Fine Arts degree majoring in Sculpture (1997), a Postgraduate Diploma in Visual Arts (painting) in 2011 and a Masters in Contemporary Art (2012) and he has been dedicated to exploring different techniques in his endeavour to produce exciting and vibrant works. Drasko’s artistic involvement expanded to the co-ownership of Azibi Gallery, St Kilda, an art space for non-established artist (1997-2001). His aspirations also have seen his work extended to theatre, as set designer and props and puppet maker for several theatre companies, including the Institute of Pataphysical Studies, More than Opera, and Malthouse Theatre.

Tobias Sherson – Committee Member (2018)

Tobias Sherson’s involvement in the arts started at the tender age of 8 when he was first introduced to the magic of live theatre. He spent his formative years training and working as an actor in London where his love for live performance and sharing of language came to the fore. Since returning to his beloved Australia. Tobias has been involved with setting up two theatre companies one of which was solely created to be a platform for new writers and actors to share their works with a wider audience. People are Tobia’s passion and he is inspired to help   people find their voice and share their views on the world through art.