IAN TEMPLEMAN, the inaugural director of the Fremantle Arts Centre, died Tuesday November 3, 2015.

The former arts and English teacher ran the centre from 1972 until 1989, and in that time helped establish the Fremantle Arts Centre Press, which later became Fremantle Press.

An established author, artist and publisher in his own right, Templeman served as deputy chair of the Australia Council and assistant director general at the National Library of Australia in Canberra. In 1989 he was made a member of the Order of Australia for services to art and literature.

Templeman fought cancer for several years and died in a hospice in Canberra.

He is survived by wife Romola and three children.