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DACS Chair Andrew Potter with Joanna Cave.
© Pressmen 2008
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After eight years of dynamic leadership, DACS bids farewell to Chief Executive Joanna Cave. In January 2009, Jo heads down under to spearhead the campaign for the Artist's Resale Right in Australia and New Zealand. But before she departs, we've grabbed some quality time with Jo to find out the best bits of her life at DACS.
My greatest achievement has been persuading the government to do the right thing, change its mind and implement the Artist's Resale Right in a way that delivers genuine benefits for artists.
Every letter and email we receive from artists telling us how much they appreciate the work we do on their behalf makes me hugely proud.
Funniest moment? There've been quite a few of those. Often, they involve clothing malfunction, such as the time when I was making an address to 800 people at Grosvenor House. I was instructed to make a graceful entrance down a sweeping staircase. My stiletto heel broke mid-flight and I had to deliver the speech standing on one leg.
The best piece of advice I've been given is to resist the temptation to fill the silence.
DACS' 20th anniversary exhibition attended by Paul McCartney and Anthea Turner (you heard it here first) is up there but best event goes to... the first night of the Proms in 2005 when Bill Nighy kissed my hand. He never called, mind. Do you think he lost my number?
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DACS has taught me to work hard and play harder and remember to be the first to leave the staff Christmas party so that they can enjoy themselves properly.
It's been much more challenging, much more fun and much more fulfilling that I could have ever hoped. The big surprise for me has been copyright's addictive properties… Who knew?
If I could go back, I would have interfered less.
I am anticipating serious separation anxiety from DACS. I know I will sorely miss the staff team who are such a talented bunch of individuals... and the Board of Directors who have been so visionary and ambitious.
I'll miss lots about the UK too... including the Sunday newspapers, the Yorkshire Dales and the cocktail bar in Claridges.
Marmite or Vegemite? I fail to comprehend how any human being can voluntarily consume either of these unspeakable products and especially not for that most sacred of meals, breakfast. Instead, I grace my toast with slightly salted Lurpack butter, thickly applied and smudged with a gossamer glaze of grapefruit marmalade from Fortnum & Mason. If I cannot get these ingredients in Sydney, the move is off.
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