iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 4h

Today’s enews includes an extract from my essay on Australia’s lost literary sector, some thoughts on decolonising a bookshelf and the fight to save the arts in Aus, and another thing about the governance industrial complex, and more. Read/subscribe at katelarsenkeys.substack.com/p/australias...

katelarsenkeys.substack.com

Australia’s lost literary sector | Decolonising a bookshelf | The fight to save the arts in Australia

And another thing about the governance industrial complex, a new webinar for WA arts orgs, my September reading recs and more

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 23h

Massive enews dropping tomorrow. Subscribe for free at katelarsenkeys.substack.com.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

But it wasn’t until I started work within Australia’s literary sector that I realised how narrow this reading really was. So I was pleased to be asked to share how I’ve started decolonising my bookshelf in this piece for @enoughtrope.com (link in bio). #WeNeedDiverseBooks

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Over the last decade, I’ve read an average of 3 books a week, or more than 150 books every year. From romance and fantasy, YA and literary fiction, poetry and political manifestos, my reading is perhaps best characterised as ‘eclectic AF.’

Enough trope website

18 Sept
Kate Larsen
Reading is my only competitive sport (though one in which I only compete with myself).

Over the last decade, I’ve read an average of 3 books a week, or more than 150 books every year. From romance and fantasy, YA and literary fiction, poetry and political manifestos, my reading is perhaps best characterised as ‘eclectic AF.’ But it wasn’t until I started work within Australia’s literary sector that I realised how narrow this reading really was

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Thanks to the Australian Cultural Fund, all grants, donations or publishing partnerships over $2 are fully tax-deductible (artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2...).

artists.australianculturalfund.org.au

Artist Portal

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Not sure if it’s fearlessness, frustration or fury, but I’m so grateful for all those sharing or supporting the crowd funding campaign for my new governance book, Beyond Best Practice Boards.

Keep the good fight going! Very appreciative of your ongoing commentary and fearlessness !

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

More lovely encouragement about my new governance book. Grateful for all those sharing or supporting the crowd funding campaign to share it with the world. All donations or publishing partnerships over $2 are fully tax-deductible at artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2...

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

If you can make it, Fuck Your Funding’s dark humour and excoriating satire provides a collective therapy session and deeply-needed primal scream, while holding a fair but unflattering mirror up to Australian arts, politics and protest. www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/eve...

melbournefringe.com.au

Fuck Your Funding

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I started yesterday being interviewed about arts funding and ended it at Fuck Your Funding at Melbourne Fringe, a furious new play about Australia’s failing cultural infrastructure. The state and sustainability of Australian arts and culture is clearly a preoccupation – and so much is at stake.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Thanks to the Australian Cultural Fund, all grants, donations or publishing partnerships over $2 are fully tax-deductible at artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2... #BeyondBestPracticeBoards #KateLarsen #Governance #ArtsGovernance #MakingCultureHappe

artists.australianculturalfund.org.au

Artist Portal

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

HUGE thanks to all those sharing or supporting the crowd funding campaign to publish my new governance book. Now 1/3 of the way to my fundraising target!

"We need this book.. yesterday."
"An utterly necessary and urgent publication."
"Precisely the kind of thinking we need right now."
"Can't wait to read this desperately needed book."

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The arts and culture in Victoria are in crisis. But arts and culture are not warm-fuzzy optional extras. Don’t Break Our Arts is a new campaign to restore cultural funding in Victoria. Get involved!

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Reposted by Kate Larsen

Enough Trope @enoughtrope.com · 18/09/2026

New on Enough Trope: Decolonising Your Bookshop by @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social Read it here: www.enoughtrope.com/journal

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Today's enews includes a plea to don't break our arts at the Victorian election, an introduction to Artist Corporations, and AMaGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly report, plus a book fundraising update, my August reading recs, and more... katelarsenkeys.substack.com/p/dont-break...

katelarsenkeys.substack.com

Don’t break our arts at the Victorian election | Introducing Artist Corporations | Speaking Plainly report

Plus a book fundraising update, my August reading recs, and more...

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Did you know that you don’t need to incorporate as a not-for-profit organisation for your work to serve a purpose? My latest ‘and another thing’ vlog is about an exciting new governance innovation that’s come out of the US this year: Artist Corporations or A-Corps. www.instagram.com/p/DdVnfQGPhmV/

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Choosing only ten of my favourite Aussie books is TOO HARD. But here’s my attempt. You have 15 days to vote for yours in ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Australian Books. top100books.abc.net.au/browse/autho...

RADIO® NATIONAL
TOP 100
AUSTRALIAN BOOKS
My Votes
Living on Stolen Land (2020) - Ambelin Kwaymullina
Lies, Damned Lies (2021) - Claire G. Coleman
Another Day in the Colony (2021) - Chelsea Watego
My People: A Kath Walker Collection (1970) - Oodgeroo Noonuccal
Drop Bear (2021) - Evelyn Araluen
The Hate Race (2016) - Maxine Beneba Clarke
White Tears/Brown Scars - Ruby Hamad
Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens (2022) - Shankari Chandran
The Airways (2021) - Jennifer Mills
The Relationship is the Project: a guide to working with communities - Jade
Lillie, Kate Larsen, Cara Kirkwood and Jax Brown eds

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

LAST CHANCE! Some final reflections from my draft response to the Joint Select Committee on AI in Australia. Feel free to copy, paste and edit anything you find useful. Due TODAY, Monday 14/9 (larsenkeys.com.au/2026/09/08/h...).

I do not oppose ethical, transparent and fair AI in principle. I recognise its extraordinary potential in improving disability access, supporting literacy, and reducing inequalities, for example. However, the application of existing platforms has and continues to fail in terms of productivity, workforce development, economic competitiveness, wellbeing, ethics and environmental impact thus far.

This is not just another tech disruption that will begrudgingly-but-inevitably be adopted. Just as it’s not just a tool or raw material for us to innocently experiment with – without those experiments causing harm. Nor is it a future we can imagine without putting that future at risk – especially for those more vulnerable than ourselves, and those not in the room where these conversations are held.

Instead, it is a capitalist technological product built to the lowest possible logistical and ethical standards, which uses colonising, culturally violent and extractive business models that only work to entrench existing wealth, while creating deep collateral damage.

It is imperative that the development and use of AI is carefully regulated, and the interests of the AI industry not prioritised or safeguarded over the rights of Australians, businesses or copyright holders, or the environment of this place we call home.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The Joint Select Committee on AI is calling for submissions to a broad parliamentary inquiry about the opportunities, impacts and regulation of AI in Australia. You are welcome to copy, paste and edit anything you find useful from my draft response: larsenkeys.com.au/2026/09/08/h...

Computer server plugged with multiple orange cables

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

“It’s well past time to be doing governance better.” So grateful for all those sharing or supporting the crowd funding campaign to publish my new governance book (artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2...). All donations over $2 are fully tax-deductible.

This is precisely the kind of thinking we need right now. It's well past time to be doing governance better. Great big thanks to Kate for putting in the hard work.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Thanks to the Australian Cultural Fund, all grants, donations or publishing partnerships over $2 are fully tax-deductible (artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2...) #KateLarsen #Governance #ArtsGovernance #Censorship #ArtsCensorship

artists.australianculturalfund.org.au

Artist Portal

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

If my work, writing or rabble-rousing on arts, cultural and non-profit governance has been helpful to you over the last couple of years, I am grateful to all those in a position to share or support the fundraising campaign to help publish my new governance book this year.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

By my count, more than 80% of the 80+ Australian arts and cultural orgs accused of censoring, threatening or otherwise harming their own artists, cultural workers or audiences were motivated by local responses to Israel’s genocide in Palestine.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

New enews just dropped asking for your help, and including some thoughts on Board Chairs and Treasurers, and on saying the hard stuff out loud, plus all of my resources on Palestine as a governance issue, July reading recs, and more... katelarsenkeys.substack.com/p/asking-for...

katelarsenkeys.substack.com

Asking for help | Board Chairs and Treasurers: who needs them? | Saying the hard stuff out loud

Plus all of my resources on Palestine as a governance issue, July reading recs, and more...

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Arts boards, did you know that you don’t need a Chairperson? And that you don’t need a Treasurer either? My latest ‘and another thing’ vlog is about how most arts, cultural and non-profit board office-holders are a choice, not a compliance requirement. larsenkeys.com.au/2026/08/11/a...

larsenkeys.com.au

And another thing: board officeholders

Arts boards, did you know that you don’t need a Chairperson? And that you don’t need a Treasurer either?

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

So grateful for all those sharing or supporting my “utterly necessary and urgent publication to lift the lid on current arts governance practice”. 🙏🙏🙏 Thanks to the Australian Cultural Fund, all donations over $2 are fully tax-deductible at artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2....

An utterly necessary and urgent publication to lift the lid on current arts governance practice, and, most importantly, guide board directors towards effective stewardship. Can't wait to see it come to fruition - potentially transformative!

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

I can’t get over the kindness and impact of these words of support. So grateful for all those sharing or supporting the Australian Cultural Fund campaign to help publish my new book on arts, cultural and non-profit governance (artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2...).

Thank you for your valuable and meaningful work supporting our sector.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

So grateful for all those sharing or supporting the Aus Cultural Fund campaign to help publish my new book on arts, cultural and non-profit governance (artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2...). All grants, donations or publishing partnerships over $2 are fully tax-deductible.

Can't wait to read this. Your wisdom and guidance over the last few years has been invaluable. Looking forward to it all being in one place!

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Being ‘disruptive’ has started to be wielded as an accusation or slur. But disruption is fundamental to art and artists. Here’s the fourth and final part of my Art Gallery of Ballarat Association commission on disrupting the arts. Read the full version at larsenkeys.com.au/2026/07/08/d....

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Proud to facilitate the Case Studies: Transition in Practice panel with Katrina Nitschke from Sovereign Hill, Ineke Dane from Lismore Regional Gallery and Sophie Kahl from KAHLGRUPPE at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum today.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Collaboration is one of the easiest words and one of the hardest things to realise, Regional Arts Victoria’s Jo Porter says at AMAGA Victoria’s Speaking Plainly forum. Finding the path to collaborate can take quite a long time. A lot of unpaid work goes in to getting to the starting line.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Organisations are caught in a cycle of being asked to do and sustain themselves with less, says AMAGA Victoria’s Ash Robertson says at today’s Speaking Plainly forum. This is destroying pathways into the sector and depriving us of the next generation of artists and cultural workers.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Where does the choice come to behave in a competitive over a collaborative way, Emily Sexton asks The Bigger Picture at today’s Speaking Plainly forum with Theatre Network Australia’s Amrit Gill, Regional Arts Victoria’s Jo Porter, AMaGA Victoria’s Ash Robertson and NETS Victoria’s Kent Wilson.

Panel of five people sitting on stage
In front of. Projection screen that reads

PANEL | The Bigger Picture
With their names and photos

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Decisions don't have to come from a place of defeat. They an come from a place of care, Sophie Kahl says at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum. It's not glamorous, but important work. Making it okay to get teary and take breaks is as much a part of good museum practice as collection management.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Organisations need to ask the difficult questions when they still have time, Sophie Kahl says at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum. Listen before you start planning. Allow space for grief. You're not just losing a chapter, you're shaping a new future.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

When organisations start to talk about winding up, our first reaction is that something has gone wildly wrong, Sophie Kahl says on the Case Studies: Transition in Practice panel at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum. But that's often not the case.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Every emergency response requires that emergency plans change, Lismore Regional Gallery's Ineke Dane says on the Case Studies: Transition in Practice panel at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum. Recovery can also include program responses - art that helps make friends with water after floods.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Sovereign Hill's Katrina Nitschke says at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum that the key to the success of Sovereign Hill's transition was: bringing people with us, making sure they felt heard, managing our legacy, incredible courage from the board, and holding space for loss.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Governments change. Funding environments change. Every year the money is shrinking and getting more competitive. Even amazing people doing amazing work in amazing organisations can become no longer financially sustainable - Sovereign Hill's Katrina Nitschke at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Love The Decelerator's Iona Lawrence talking about the use of hope as an actionable stance at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum. The challenge comes when hope becomes the strategy during a time of multiple intersecting crises.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Peak bodies need to be funded to support organisations going through these kind of transitions, says The Decelerator's Iona Lawrence at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Endings should be a strategic choice, rather than the point of last resort, says The Decelerator's Iona Lawrence at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum.

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Kate Larsen @katelarsenkeys.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

The Decelerator's Iona Lawrence asks at AMAGA Victoria's Speaking Plainly forum... Can your org tell the difference between protecting your mission and acting on behalf of the communities or causes or serve vs protecting the structures and jobs intended to support that mission?

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