Dr Marilyn Darling AC
Dr Marilyn Darling AC graduated with a Bachelor of Science at University of Queensland in 1964. Relocating to Melbourne she secured a position at the Microbiology Department at The University of Melbourne from 1965 to 1968, and subsequently at Monash University Medical School at the Alfred Hospital from 1973 to 1978.
During the 1980’s, her interests and energy focused on a wide variety of boards, supporting social and cultural concerns.
In 1989 Dr Darling married Gordon Darling and thus began a productive partnership of 27 years until his death in 2015. Mr Darling had a project in mind – to create a National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in Canberra.
In 1991 to 1992, they assembled a collection of 116 borrowed portraits of interesting Australians. ‘Uncommon Australians – Towards an Australian Portrait Gallery’ toured for a year to the State Galleries of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and the National Gallery of Australia. The intention was to show the public what a National Portrait Gallery could be in Australia.
Lobbying successive Prime Ministers, Paul Keating and John Howard, Dr Darling secured the use of areas of the Old Parliament House (OPH). At the 2004 Federal Election, funding was granted for a purpose-built NPG, right beside the High Court of Australia. Mission accomplished.
The building, designed by Sydney architect Richard Johnson, was opened by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in December 2008. From 2000 to 2008 Dr Darling chaired the board of the NPG and concurrently sat on the OPH Governing Council.
Dr Darling is the Chair of the Gordon Darling Foundation (GDF), established in 1991 to assist the visual arts throughout Australia. GDF funds publications, seminars and exhibition costs in galleries and museums. In addition, the very popular Darling Travel Grants allow staff to visit locations relevant to future projects.
Assisting the professional development of senior museum personnel has been a major aim of GDF. Since 1997, 17 residential courses for 30 participants have been held at Melbourne Business School and Macquarie Business School Sydney. Faculty were drawn from high level peers, both nationally and internationally and alumni frequently attest to the ongoing benefit the programs delivered.
Over its 32 years, GDF has made around 1,300 grants, spread across all states and territories.
In 2007, Dr Darling shared with Mr Gordon, the Saab Melbourne Art Fair Foundation Visionary Award. In 2013 they shared the British Museum medal and both received the Australian Centenary Medal in 2001.
In 2009 Dr Darling was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service to the development, advancement and growth of visual arts in Australia and internationally, particularly through the National Portrait Gallery, and to the community through a range of philanthropic endeavours.