Brenda L Croft

Brenda L Croft is one of Australia’s most celebrated multi-disciplinary artists, with a specialist interest Indigenous issues. She is an artist, a researcher, educator, and independent curator. Her mixed heritage provides a deep basis of understanding from which to explore issues faced by contemporary Indigenous people and the ongoing challenges of colonization to communities, culture, and society.

Croft is a member of the Gurindji/Malngin/Mudpurra peoples from the Northern Territory of Australia on her father’s side, and of Anglo-Australian/German/Irish heritage on her mother’s side. She has been involved in the contemporary arts and cultural sectors for more than three decades.   

Croft is a founding member of Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative, established in 1987, where she was the general manager from 1990 - 96. In 1997, with long-term colleague Hetti Perkins (Eastern Arrernte/Kalkadoon peoples), Croft co-curated Australia's representation at the 47th Venice Biennale. From 1999 to 2001 Croft was Curator of Indigenous Art at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. In 2000 she curated Beyond the pale: Contemporary Indigenous Art for the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art. From 2002 to 2009 Croft was Senior Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the National Gallery of Australia.

Croft was awarded a Master of Art Administration from UNSW Art & Design in 1995 and received an Alumni Award from UNSW Art & Design in 2001. In 2011, Croft was awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Indigenous Award. She is currently undertaking her PhD at the National Institute for Experimental Art, based at UNSW Art & Design, where she holds the role of Senior Research Fellow.

In 2017, Croft participated in the prestigious National Indigenous Art Triennial at the National Gallery of Australia and the collaborative exhibition Still in My Mind with Karungkarni Art and Culture Aboriginal Corporation, which showed at UNSW Galleries and toured Australia.