Emilya Colliver is an art strategist, entrepreneur and founder of Art Pharmacy, a B Corp-certified art consultancy working at the intersection of art, culture and the built environment.

Through her work, Emilya collaborates with developers, architects and organisations to integrate art into cities, workplaces and communities. Her practice is grounded in the belief that art has the power to shape meaningful places, strengthen communities and bring creativity into everyday life.

Emilya founded Art Pharmacy to bridge the gap between the art world and the built environment. The consultancy works with developers, architects and organisations to develop art strategies, curate collections and commission artists for public spaces, workplaces and urban developments. By supporting artists while working alongside industry partners, Emilya’s work contributes to a stronger and more sustainable creative ecosystem.

Before founding Art Pharmacy, Emilya worked internationally in London with leading cultural organisations, including The British Museum, as well as private collectors such as James Birch and commercial galleries, including Hauser & Wirth London and Lisson Gallery.

Since returning to Australia, Emilya has become an active contributor to the national arts and culture sector. She has served on a number of advisory panels and committees and currently contributes through roles including Create NSW Funding Assessor, supporting the evaluation of multi-year arts funding applications across the state.

Founder of Art Pharmacy

As the founder of Art Pharmacy, Emilya has worked with developers, architects and organisations across Australia to integrate art into buildings, workplaces and public environments. Her work ranges from curating corporate collections to developing public art strategies and commissioning artists for large-scale projects.

Art Pharmacy was established with the intention of bringing art into the spaces where people live, work and gather, while also creating meaningful opportunities for artists.

Author

Emilya is also an author exploring the role of art and creativity in contemporary life.

Her book The Art Project examines how art can bring inspiration and creativity into homes and workplaces. Her second book, Making Art Matter, expands on the cultural and social impact of art and the importance of supporting creative communities.

She is currently developing a third guide, Art for Master Planning Developments, which explores how art can be embedded into large-scale urban and master-planned developments.

Speaking and Thought Leadership

Emilya regularly speaks at conferences and industry events about public art, creative leadership and the role of culture in shaping cities.

Her talks explore how artists, developers, architects and organisations can collaborate to create places that are culturally meaningful and socially engaging.

She has presented at events including CoreNet Global, SXSW Sydney and industry gatherings across the property and cultural sectors.

Community and Creative Networks

Emilya is the founder of Flourish Women’s Networking, a community initiative that brings together women across business, arts and leadership through events, conversations and shared learning.

Originally formed through a book club inspired by The Artist’s Way, the community has grown into a wider network that hosts events, workshops and collaborative opportunities across Australia. Flourish reflects Emilya’s belief that strong communities and authentic leadership are essential for both personal and professional growth.

Education

Bachelor of Arts (Art History and Archaeology)
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London

Thesis: Chinese and Thai Contemporary Art in the 1990s

Professional Background

Founder & CEO, Sugar Glider Digital (2021 – present)
Founder & CEO, Art Pharmacy (2015 – present)
Founder & CEO, Culture Scouts (2016 – 2019)
Director, The Other Art Fair, Sydney (2015)
Private Collection Manager, James Birch, London (2009)
Gallery Assistant, Eskenazi Chinese Art Dealer, London (2007)
Partnerships and Events Manager, The British Museum, London (2005)

Committees, Advisory Panels & Industry Roles

National Art School – Board of Directors (2025 – present)
Create NSW – Multi-Year Funding Assessor (2025 – present)
Biennale of Sydney – Benefaction Committee (2019 – 2021)
Lendlease – Public Art Advisory Panel, Darling Square (2019)

City of Sydney – Art & About Evaluation Panel (2020 – 2021)
City of Sydney – Night-time Economy Panel (2018)
City of Randwick – Night-time Economy Panel (2018 – 2019)

Museum of Contemporary Art – Young Ambassador Committee (2015 – 2020)
EO Sydney – Women of EO Australia and New Zealand & Co-Membership Chair (2019 – 2022)

Awards & Recognition

Named “Arts Rising Star in Australia”, Harper’s Bazaar (2022)
Finalist – Business News Young Entrepreneurs Award (2019)
Finalist – NSW Business Chamber Leader Award (2017)
Finalist – Audi Women of Style Award (2015)
Finalist – NSW Business Chamber Young Entrepreneurs Award (2014)
Winner – Tessa Brennan Scholarship, SOAS (2004)

Contact

For speaking engagements, media enquiries or collaborations:
info@artpharmacy.com.au