Ashleigh Ralph is a newcomer to the Lismore LGA, but her role as the Lismore Regional Gallery Director is important for the community. Lismore and the Northern Rivers has always been home to many varied artists as people move to our friendly, inclusive community. Maive McKenzie sat down with Ashleigh to capture her life story and learn more about her role at the art gallery.

I grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, in kind of a split family. So, half the time with my mum, half the time with my dad, and we would spend our weekends camping with the family. We lived a really kind of active lifestyle in nature. My mum is a creative writer, so I get my creative brain from her. And from my dad, he's an engineer, I got more of that technical side from him.

I have a family of about five siblings: two sisters and two step-brothers, or five in total, including me. My younger sister has a doctorate of Philosophy in Masculinity Studies. My older sister is a hairdresser, my older brother is a plumber, and my younger brother is a manager at Centrelink.

I grew up playing basketball and also making art, so, drawing, painting, that type of thing. I was quite a shy child, so drawing was something that I think was something special to me. But even so, I played basketball on the representative level, which was a bit different. However, when I was younger, I always thought I wanted to work in galleries and that interest has stayed with me ever since. 

High school wasn’t the easiest time for me, but things turned around when I started studying visual art at TAFE in Brisbane. That’s when I realised that my real interest wasn’t in becoming an artist myself but in helping artists around me bring their work to life. From there, I went on to study art history and philosophy at university and eventually got my honours degree. 

During those years, I worked in all kinds of gallery spaces—commercial galleries, uni galleries, museums—and volunteered at the Institute of Modern Art (IMA). I was always part of the gallery world, getting involved with artists and supporting artist-run initiatives. Being around art and artists became a huge part of my life. I’ve always believed in the power of art to connect people, and that’s driven everything I’ve done since.

At IMA, I got to work alongside people who were engaging with international artists. I wasn’t working directly with the artists yet, but seeing how the people running the organisation navigated those relationships and delivered their programs was inspiring. It was a pivotal time in my early career as a student, and I still think back to those experiences when I work.

After that, I ran an artist-run space with my best friend for several years. We would pop up small exhibitions around the Brisbane CBD in unused spaces, supporting emerging artists. It was a special time because I got to work with my best friend and do what I loved all at once.

While I was running the artist space, I was also working as the assistant director at the IMA. That role was challenging, especially since we were working through COVID. It was my first leadership position, and managing through the pandemic was tough for our team and for everyone globally because no one knew what was going to happen. I was fortunate to have an amazing leader at the time, and I learned a lot from them through that experience, which really prepared me for my role here and for handling the challenges that came with it. I actually started at the IMA as a volunteer, then moved up to an intern, and later became a casual staff member. I held many different roles over the years and ended up spending about a decade of my career with the organisation.

I’ve always been a coastal person, so moving here felt like the right fit. Some of my hobbies are surfing and bushwalking, and the Lismore region offers all of that, which really drew me in. I think my lifestyle has really improved since making the move down here.

What initially drew me here was actually a job—the gallery director role. A number of people messaged me about it, saying, “Isn’t this your dream job?” and I had to agree. So I applied, and I was really lucky they considered me. I moved down around mid-2021, about seven months before the flood. I relocated my life, left my partner, and brought my cat down with me.

The biggest challenges I faced at work were, of course, the floods, but I think the real challenge came during the recovery period. We had to work with what we had and what we knew at the time, which made things even more difficult. It was a tough time, but I’m so grateful for the community, the staff, and the team around me. We all came together, supported each other, and managed to get through it. 

Another significant challenge was reopening the gallery. There was a lot of pressure around that, and it felt like a major moment. But it was also such a wonderful experience to celebrate with the community. We saw so many people from all over, even from places like the Sunshine Coast and Harvey Bay, come to celebrate with us. Despite the challenges, it was a really wholesome and rewarding experience and one that I’ll always remember.

Some of the biggest lessons I've learned in my career are that if you treat others with respect, they'll treat you with respect in return. I also believe that being kind is incredibly important. At the end of the day, we work with other people, especially in the gallery world, and there’s a real value in listening and being present. Another key lesson is just showing up. Being consistent, staying optimistic, and being available to others makes a difference in how things unfold.

What’s been most rewarding for me in my career, or in this role, has definitely been taking the leap and moving to Lismore. Leaving my life in Brisbane wasn’t just about a job—it turned out to be about much more than that.

When I arrived here, I was able to build really beautiful relationships and friendships with people in the community. I connected with others around my age who were doing some truly incredible things, not just in the creative field but in the environmental field as well. It was refreshing to find people I had so much in common with, and it gave me a deep sense of belonging. 

I’m really grateful for that, as it was much more than just a career move. Those connections helped me navigate the flood period and the tough recovery that followed, and they’re also the reason I’ve stayed. I absolutely love my job—I'm passionate about it and take it very seriously—but it’s the people who have kept me here, and I feel incredibly lucky to have found such a supportive and inspiring community.

Looking back at my career path so far, I’m most proud of reopening this gallery. I think that’s the biggest achievement I’ve had, and it’s also the most rewarding one too. It was such a significant moment, and seeing everything come together made it one of the most rewarding achievements. 

I haven’t really focused too much on the future yet, as I’ve been so immersed in the day-to-day work of getting this building open and running. But I’m really excited about what we can create with the resources we have here—both with the gallery and the broader creative industry. I’m eager to see it grow and evolve because I truly believe creativity plays such an important role in recovery.

Lismore has been in a period of recovery for a long time, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the gallery play a leading role in that process. It feels like there’s so much potential here, and I’m proud to be part of that. So, yeah, I’m here, I’m committed, and I’m excited to keep pushing forward and see where we can take it all.