Frank Van Straten AM
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Frank Van Straten AM
Frank Van Straten is a writer and researcher specialising in Australian performing arts history. He was founding curator of Arts Centre Melbourne’s Performing Arts Museum and later became its director.
For 15 years he presented ABC Radio’s Nostalgia Show and has published six books on Australian theatre history. In 2007 he was appointed Live Performance Australia’s Official Historian, and researched and wrote LPA’s Hall of Fame. He also compiles the ‘In Memoriam’ segments for the annual Helpmann Awards.
Frank is a patron of the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society (Victoria) and the John Truscott Design Foundation Inc. He is a member of the Royal Historical Society, a Life Member of the National Trust (Victoria), and a founding member of Theatre Heritage Australia. He has also served on the judging panels of the Green Room and Helpmann Awards.
Frank was made a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to performing arts heritage and conservation as a theatre historian, as an author, and to the broadcast media.
In recognition of his outstanding service to the Australia performing arts and entertainment industry, Frank was awarded a 2017 Centenary Sue Nattrass Award by Live Performance Australia.