Mark Coughlan is a pianist, conductor, artistic director, gallery owner and educator and has been closely involved with many arts and education organisations in Perth and nationally.

Mark is the founder and artistic director of the Government House Ballroom concerts and directs the annual New Year's Eve concerts in the Perth Concert Hall, which for 35 years have been raising funds for Perth Rotary. He is Chair of OpusWA Arts Orchestra and Chorale, recently conducting performances of The Marriage of Figaro and an all-Beethoven concert where he played and directed the Emperor Piano Concerto. In 2012 Mark was Founding Chair of Lost and Found Opera.

Mark continues to mentor and support young people in the arts. He is a member of the WAAPA Advisory Board and a former Head of Music at UWA. For more than 10 years Mark was a board member then CEO of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. He was also a music writer for The Australian newspaper and a member of the judging panel for The Helpmann Awards.

Mark is the founder and director of The Orangery Gallery, a restored arts space showcasing West Australian artists and musicians. Mark maintains a long-term interest in music and health and, in between leadership roles in the cultural sector, he owned and operated a medical centre for 13 years. He is now Musical Director for the En Coda Symphony Orchestra, a sound healing project engaging musicians and neuroscientists. The orchestra’s debut film recording has won 14 international music video awards.

Mark studied in Perth and London and is a three-times finalist for West Australian of the Year in the Arts and Culture category.