Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE Breaking barriers

Your first public appearance as Director of the MCA was to launch an exhibition at the Penrith Regional Gallery in 1999. You spoke about making contemporary art accessible. Looking back, what has Western Sydney meant for the MCA?

There’s an untold story about how Western Sydney saved the MCA! In those days, when the Museum was accused of being elitist and irrelevant, I really wanted to challenge that misconception. From my early career taking art on a bus around Scotland, I have been passionate about breaking down the barriers that prevent people from all backgrounds having access to contemporary art. I made lots of contacts in Western Sydney and we began to help Blacktown develop its own arts centre. We developed a partnership which included the Blacktown Festival running buses to the