Jess Scully is a curator who uses creativity to engage people in the knowledge economy and with urban life in the 21st century, working to shape a sustainable and inclusive future. In 2019 she was elected as Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney.
Jess has charted a unique career over 20 years: founding ground-breaking festival Vivid Ideas, Australia’s largest creative-industries event; supporting emerging talent through projects such as the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards; sparking new thinking through TEDxSydney; and transforming public spaces as a public art curator. She has also been a policy advisor, radio host and magazine editor.
As a councillor, Jess advocates for new models to address the housing crisis and support workforces of the future, is championing the revival of nightlife and expanding access to culture, and protecting digital rights in the public realm. A strong believer in citizen participation, Jess is committed to opening up politics, especially to younger and more diverse people.
Jess Scully’s first book, Glimpses of Utopia, will be published by Pantera Press in August 2020.
Photo credit: Walter Maurice
