Sexton appointed head of programming at the Wheeler Centre

The Wheeler Centre has announced the appointment of Emily Sexton as head of programming.

Sexton has been creative producer and co-CEO of Melbourne’s contemporary art festival Next Wave for the past four years, and is responsible for the festival’s Breakfast Club series, which is held at the Wheeler Centre. Previously, she was creative producer of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

In September Sexton was announced as a recipient of a Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship.

‘[Emily’s] experience, her enthusiasm and her creative talents will make her an invaluable addition to the team,’ said Wheeler Centre director Michael Williams in a statement. ‘Part of the Wheeler Centre’s success over its short life has been that as well as attracting the best guest speakers and the best audience, we’ve always been lucky to attract the best staff. With Emily joining the team as head of programming, we continue that tradition.’

Sexton said she was ‘thrilled to be joining the passionate team at the Wheeler Centre’. ‘Over the past four years I have closely observed the extraordinary way the organisation has wound itself deeply into Melbourne’s cultural heart, and its sense of civic self. I am so excited to now work alongside this ambitious team and flex my passion for writers, readers and provocative ideas.’

Sexton begins in the role on 20 October. She replaces Simon Abrahams, who will move to the newly created role of creative producer.

The Wheeler Centre will launch its fifth birthday celebrations in February 2015.