Vivienne Binns OAM is recognised as a leading figure at the forefront of feminist and community-based arts practice. Her work transformed the way artists, audiences and communities engage with creativity and culture.

Born in New South Wales and trained at Sydney’s National Art School, Vivienne built an extraordinary career that began with her early paintings and expanded across printmaking, performance, sculpture, drawing and collaborative projects. Her early work challenged social and artistic conventions, opening new conversations about representation, gender and the body in Australian art.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Vivienne became a leading figure in the development of community arts practice in Australia. She worked alongside communities in regional and urban settings, creating projects that placed participation, shared authorship and lived experience at their centre. Her advocacy for women artists and her role in the emerging feminist art movement helped create greater opportunities and visibility for women across the visual arts sector.

Vivienne’s relationship with Creative Australia (formerly the Australia Council for the Arts), spanned decades and reflected her deep commitment to nurturing Australia’s cultural ecosystem. From the 1970s onwards, she received support for community arts projects, research, residencies and professional development. She was awarded the Ros Bower Award for Community Arts Advocacy in 1986 and an Australian Arts Creative Fellowship in 1990. Her contributions also extended beyond her own practice. She served as a mentor, contributed to arts sector development and publications, participated in forums and advocacy initiatives, served on peer assessment registers and panels, and generously shared her expertise with fellow artists and organisations across the country.

In 2021, Vivienne was recognised with the Australia Council Award for Visual Arts, acknowledging her outstanding and sustained contribution to Australian art and her significant impact as both an artist and educator. Her landmark retrospective On and Through the Surface, presented in 2022, brought together decades of work and reaffirmed her significance as one of Australia’s most important contemporary artists.

Vivienne’s legacy can be seen not only in galleries and collections, but in the countless peers she influenced.

Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia, said:

“Vivienne leaves an enduring legacy as an artist, feminist, educator and cultural leader. Her vision, courage and commitment to creativity have left an indelible mark on Australian art and will continue to inspire future generations.”

Creative Australia extends its sincere condolences to Vivienne’s family, friends, colleagues and the many communities, artists and audiences whose lives she touched.

Vivienne Binns OAM
1940–2026