Margaret Bland has always been confident and clear-sighted about her goals. In 2025, she made the decision to honour her brother and her family’s love of the arts by expanding the Churchill Fellowship that once carried only his name. The Fellowship, now known as the Gilbert Hugh Spottiswood and Margaret Mary Spottiswood Bland Churchill Fellowship, continues to support theatre practitioners across Australia in pursuing their dreams.
Margaret Mary Bland (née Spottiswood) grew up in a household filled with ideas and kindness. Her parents, Hugh and Cecelia Spottiswood, moved to the Burdekin district in 1947. Hugh was a magistrate, and Cecelia was active in the Red Cross and the Country Women’s Association. Together, they instilled in their five children the importance of creativity and community. “Churchill was a man of giving to his community, as were my parents,” Margaret recalls. “They taught us the art of giving.”
From a young age, Margaret and her brother Gilbert shared a love for the arts. Gilbert, who later started using his first name again after time in France, was a talented pianist and dancer. Margaret fondly recalls when he took her, at 14, to see My Fair Lady at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Brisbane—a moment that ignited her lifelong passion for performance.
At 18, Margaret founded the Burdekin Little Theatre Group. Over the next 25 years, she helped bring professional productions to rural Queensland towns and supported local talent. While managing her hair salons, she also served as Secretary of the Arts Council, helping to fund shows in Ayr and Home Hill. The group she started still stages annual productions today.
Gilbert’s journey took him to Newcastle University, then to Paris, where he earned a PhD in French and a master’s in music. He became Director of Cultural Activities in Queensland and, in 1987, was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study theatrical interpretation in Paris. “Gilbert was always playing the piano, every day for hours on end,” Margaret recalls. “The fellowship does reflect Gilbert’s personality as he is quite similar to Winston Churchill himself. Churchill was a survivor and so was Gilbert.”
Margaret’s professional life kept evolving, guided by her strong business acumen and willingness to embrace new challenges. She spent 20 years building and managing successful hair salons before transitioning into floristry, helping oversee her mother’s busy enterprise of six flower shops and a nursery. Later, she moved to Melbourne and quickly engaged with her new community, serving as Chairman of the Templestowe Red Cross branch. Under her leadership, it raised more funds than any other small branch in Australia. Never afraid to reinvent herself, Margaret entered the real estate industry in 1986 and, by 2000, had established her own agency, Margaret Bland Realty. “If you are given an opportunity, grab it, take it and run with it,” she advises young people.
When asked what giving means to her, Margaret simply replies: “My parents were always very charity-minded and were big givers, and they taught us to always give back to our community, so that is what I will do.” Looking back, she feels most proud of her dedication and hard work. “I am proud of the service I provided to my clients. I used to work 100 hours a week to ensure I went above and beyond in servicing my clients,” she says.
For Margaret, therefore, continuing Gilbert’s wish made sense—a natural step in a life shaped by creativity, service, and the belief that giving back matters. “I hope that this impacts people who receive these grants, and they will be able to learn so many things to assist the arts in Australia,” she says.
Margaret’s story shows that with passion, determination, and generosity, one individual can influence many lives—and preserve a family’s creative spirit for generations to come.
Find out more about the Gilbert Spottiswood and Margaret Bland Sponsorships