Brad Franks, the Arts Centre Manager of the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre officially opened Upstairs Art on Sunday 9th December 2007.

Brad Franks made his first serious attempt at creating an art work in 1970 after seeing reproductions of the American abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock’s work. Since that time he has attended art school, played the drums in post punk band The Insect, held seven solo art shows in Sydney, contributed to over thirty five group shows and entered in over forty five art competitions, winning a number of prizes along the way.

After working at the Mitchell Library, Rex Irwin Gallery, Nicholson Street Gallery and as a photographer Brad found himself in the late 1980’s in the Upper Hunter working in the community sector with disadvantaged people including teaching art and illustrating and editing a comic book on drug awareness.

By the 1990’s he was involved with the Muswellbrook Regional Gallery as a volunteer and regular contributor to group shows and since 2003 he has been employed at what is now the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre currently as the Arts Centre Manager.

Brad has exhibited work in a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, video and installations. His most recent work was exhibited in the 2007 Maitland Art Prize exhibition and he is currently developing a travelling show with two other artists based on their photographs of the inner Sydney punk/art scene of the late 1970’s.