Courtney Johnston (born 1978 or 1979) is a New Zealand museum professional, a national radio correspondent, and the chief executive of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Courtney Johnston | |
|---|---|
 Johnston in 2019 | |
| Born | 1978 or 1979 (age 45–46) Taranaki, New Zealand |
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
| Occupation(s) | Museum professional Radio correspondent |
Early life and education
editBorn in about 1979, Johnston grew up on dairy farm on Mangorei Road in Taranaki. She attended Mangorei School and New Plymouth Girls' High School before moving south, initially to Otago, then to Wellington to study and work as a visitor host at Te Papa. In 2004 she earned a master's degree in art history from Victoria University of Wellington, with a thesis on art historian Peter Tomory.[1][2][3][4][5]
Career
editJohnston has lived and worked in Wellington with roles at a variety of galleries and cultural institutions, including the Adam Art Gallery, City Gallery Wellington, and from 2012 to 2018 was the director of the Dowse Art Museum after roles at the National Library of New Zealand and Boost New Media where she worked in communications and web roles.[6][7]
In 2019, Johnston became the youngest chief executive to head The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa where in 2024 she introduced a $35 entry fee for international visitors.[1][2][8] She is also a board member of Arts Wellington and the Wellington Performing Arts Trust and the immediate past chair of the umbrella group Museums Aotearoa.[1][2]
She has worked as an arts correspondent for Radio New Zealand's "Nine to Noon" programme since 2010.[9]
Awards
editJohnston was the 2015 recipient of a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust travel grant for researching contemporary museum practices in the U.S.[1][2][10]
Personal life
editIn 2022 Johnston was living in inner city Wellington apartment with her husband Reuben Friend.[11] She has a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Long, Jessica (13 December 2019). "Te Papa appoints youngest chief executive to head national museum". Stuff. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Youngest ever CEO plans some TLC for disillusioned Te Papa staff". Radio New Zealand. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ Johnston, Courtney (2004). Peter Tomory : the New Zealand years, 1956-1968 (Masters thesis). Open Access Repository Victoria University of Wellington, Victoria University of Wellington. doi:10.26686/wgtn.17012402.
- ^ "Stuff". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Top notes". Architecture Now. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ Simon Edwards (11 September 2012). "Courtney Johnston can't wait to start at Dowse". Stuff. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
- ^ "Leadership appointments bring new expertise to Te Papa". Scoop. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ "New Chief Executive Courtney Johnston will lead Te Papa into a new era". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ "Arts commentator Courtney Johnston to judge Rotorua Museum Art Awards". www.rotorualakescouncil.nz. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^ "Winston Churchill Memorial Trust 2015 Fellows and their research reports » Community Matters". www.communitymatters.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "Stuff". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Top notes". Architecture Now. Retrieved 19 December 2024.