Guide to the Papers of Jean Battersby, 1966-1985

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Summary

Collection number:
MS Acc04.301, MS Acc13.149
Extent:
6.0 metres and (40 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Jean Battersby, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file/box number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

MS Acc04.301 comprises 31 boxes of: personal copies of correspondence, including letters for the signature of the Prime Minister, 1972-1983 (12 boxes); papers relating to general arts activities, including invitations, programs and material concerning the Adelaide Arts Festival, 1974-1978 (4 boxes); material relating to Battersby's international negotiations in North America, Greece, France and elsewhere, including the South Pacific Festival of Arts (10 boxes); papers and analysis on government policy and support for the arts, both in Australia and overseas (4 boxes); and papers relating to the National Cultural Heritage Committee which Battersby chaired (1 box).

The Acc13.149 consignment comprises 9 boxes of: material collected by Dr Battersby during her period as founding chief executive officer of the Australian Council for the Arts - letters, invitations, speeches, budgets, photographs, press clippings, minutes, conference papers, itineraries, reports on overseas visits and international negotiations, papers relating to cultural exchanges with China, arts policy and programs and other printed items relating to festivals, exhibition openings and other arts events.

Biographical Note:

Arts executive and adviser. Born Jean Robinson in Drouin, Victoria, Battersby gained a PhD in French literature at the University of Melbourne with a thesis on nineteenth century poet Charles Baudelaire, and undertook postgraduate studies at the Sorbonne. In 1950 she married Charles Battersby, whom she met as a university student. In 1968 H.C. "Nugget" Coombs, chairman of the Council for the Arts, appointed Battersby its inaugural chief executive. As the Council's Executive Officer Battersby oversaw the development of the advocacy and funding of Australian arts until 1983. In 1987 she established an arts consultancy business, advising Rupert Murdoch on the News Corporation collection and taking on the management of the art collection of Telstra's head office. She was adviser to the Federal Airports Commission and helped set up the precursor to Art Exhibitions Australia. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1986. Battersby died on 24 February, 2009, in Sydney.

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Politics and government
Arts

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn3356633).
Conditions Governing Use:
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Jean Battersby, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file/box number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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