Melissa Loughnan is the Fair Director of Melbourne Art Fair, Australasia’s annual platform for progressive contemporary art and ideas. With over 20 years of experience across curatorial practice, gallery management, and public art consultancy, she brings a unique perspective to fostering ambitious and critically engaged art programming in the region.
In 2007, Melissa founded Utopian Slumps, a non-profit, curator-run gallery in Melbourne. The space transitioned to a commercial model in 2010 and ran until 2014, participating in prominent national and international art fairs. In 2010, she evolved Utopian Slumps into a consultancy, through which she continues to advise on both public and private art commissions.
Her public art consultancy spans a wide range of large-scale projects for clients including government, architects and developers. From site-specific commissions in transport hubs and shopping centres to integrated art strategies for urban developments, Melissa’s work bridges creative vision with architectural and civic frameworks.
She is the author of Australiana to Zeitgeist: An A to Z of New Australian Contemporary Art (Thames & Hudson, 2017), and self-published Utopian Slumps: The Collingwood Years in 2011. Her writing, speaking, and curatorial contributions have featured in national and international symposia, panel discussions, and publications.
Melissa has held governance roles, including six years on the board of West Space (as Co-Chair and Chair of Marketing and Development), and has worked within institutions including Melbourne Museum, Australian Commercial Galleries Association, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and Queensland Art Gallery.
She holds an MA in Art Curatorship, a Postgraduate Diploma in Art History, and a BA in Creative Arts from the University of Melbourne.