Nurturing creativity across generations

Dr Terrence (Terry) Austin Cutler (BA Hons 1970) was a thinker of remarkable depth, curiosity and principle whose influence reached far beyond a single field.

After completing an Honours degree in History at the University of Melbourne, followed by a PhD, Terry spent 15 years shaping strategic direction at Telecom Australia, then founded his own advisory firm in 1991.

Meanwhile he was also enormously passionate about the arts, believing they “provide a safe place for personal and collective exploration, speculation and questioning as well as, of course, their role in affirming human values and holding up a mirror for us to understand who and what we are, or might become.”

Terry helped shape Australia’s cultural landscape through decades of service to the arts sector, bringing his business acumen to governance roles at the Australia Council, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Opera Australia, Film Victoria, Chunky Move, the Library Board of Victoria and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

A scholarship offers people like me a message, that our community believes in our passion too.

Learning she had been accepted into the VCA Acting course was “surreal… a pinch‑me moment.” Arriving straight from high school, Charlee found her fears were eased by the warmth of the VCA community and by the stability the Cutler Scholarship provided. “It relieved pressure and helped me feel like my spot at VCA is solidified and supported. It gave me the confidence to dedicate myself to my studies.”

Charlee sees philanthropic support as profoundly encouraging for students preparing to enter a profession that offers little stability. “People who pursue a career in the arts do it because they have passion. A scholarship offers people like me a message, that our community believes in our passion too.”

As she looks ahead to a career in Australia’s vibrant arts sector, Charlee carries Terry’s legacy with her. His generosity continues to open doors for young performers, strengthening a creative community he cared for deeply, and ensuring that his values resonate across generations.