With 20+ years in the Australian Music Industry, Alice Jones is Head of Event Experience at Queensland Music Festival. With extensive experience curating exciting music programmes and booking Artists across multiple venues, events, festivals and unique locations, Alice has built a reputation that allows her access to the best of Australia’s talent. Alice specialises in programming diverse, inclusive events, fostering artist relationships, and achieving key community, audience and commercial outcomes.

Ari Palani is a passionate producer, director, community engagement specialist and dramaturg. He has worked across many communities in Australia facilitating creative outcomes that advocate for youth voice, accessibility, and social cohesion. Ari is internationally focused on building cultural economies, humanitarian responses and increasing the discussion around regional and displaced communities. He has worked internationally developing innovative programs highlighting the interconnectedness of the Arts in contemporary STEAM education and translating these into hybrid models of cultural engagement in the vast Australian landscape. He is currently a Senior Producer at Queensland Theatre Company, and has worked across programming, youth and education, and artist development at La Boite Theatre, Empire Theatres and the University of Southern Queensland. It is his desire to build the capacity of industries and promote the joy of collaborative practice.

Get in touch → apalani@queenslandtheatre.com.au

Bradley brings more than 38 years of experience in the performing arts industry.

On graduating from The Australian Ballet School, Bradley joined the Hong Kong Ballet before his long career as a Principal Dancer and subsequently Dance Director with Sydney Dance Company. In addition to restaging many of Graeme Murphy’s works, he has been a Guest Repetiteur with many companies including The Australian Ballet.

Bradley currently curates First Nations Programming at Queensland Performing Arts Centre and “Clancestry” - a celebration of arts and culture at QPAC. A descendant of the Kamilaroi people, Bradley has forged strong bonds with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, ensuring First Nations arts and culture are cherished.

Bradley’s other executive roles include Head of Dance at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts in Brisbane, Head of Contemporary Development and Course Director at Transit Dance in Melbourne, and Rehearsal Director/Community & Education at Dance North His non-executive roles include the boards of Blakdance, Australasian Dance Collective, Supercell Dance Festival, Ausdance Queensland and peer assessment for The Australian Council for the Arts.

Bradley has experience as an artist, executive, educator and arts advisor. His commitment to the advancement of Australian dance and theatre scene and the broader arts sector has helped drive strategy in contemporary Australia.

Get in touch → bradley.chatfield@qpac.com.au

Brett Howe is a highly regarded arts executive, producer, and creative leader with a career spanning festivals, contemporary performance, cultural institutions, and community‑focused programming. He is currently Programming Manager at Redland Performing Arts Centre and brings extensive experience from senior leadership roles at Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Circa Contemporary Circus, and State Library of Queensland. Brett has directed and produced major festivals, commissioned and delivered new Australian works, overseen national and international touring programs, and led large, multidisciplinary teams across complex organisations.

His work is characterised by a strong commitment to artistic excellence, access and participation, and the delivery of cultural experiences that create lasting public impact. He has a particular interest in arts literacy, audience development, and embedding community engagement within ambitious creative practice.

Alongside his executive work, Brett is a Helpmann Awards panelist, board member, and mentor, and is widely connected across the Australian arts sector. He brings a practical, strategic, and values‑driven perspective to conversations about the future of cultural organisations and creative leadership. Outside the boardroom, Brett is a devoted D&D player, an unapologetic Star Wars tragic with over 300 T‑shirts, and someone who walks boldly—and knowingly—into a dad joke.

Get in touch → brett.howe@redland.qld.gov.au

Christa Powell is a founding member and the Creative Director of Topology. With over 29 years in the organisation, Christa has been a steadying influence and a driving creative force behind the organisation’s evolution and impact, both nationally and internationally.

Christa has led the development and delivery of Topology’s Growing Creative Communities Strategy and Creative Academy programs, initiatives that reflect her long-standing commitment to building creative capacity in regional and remote communities. Through these programs, Topology continues to champion collaborative new work and long-term legacy projects that empower communities through the arts.

An accomplished performance artist, session musician and violinist, Christa is equally at home in the theatre pit, on stage in costume, or performing choreographed violin solos for dance companies across the country. Christa also performs a wide range of contemporary chamber music, her long held passion.

For the past decade, Christa and Topology pianist Therese Milanovic have been dedicated to championing music by women. Establishing Muses Piano Trio in 2013, Christa and Therese source, commission and perform music by women from across the globe.

Having been North Queensland and interim Statewide Service provider of the Regional Arts Services Network, Topology continues to advocate for grassroots artists and creative communities, amplifying regional voices, driving local collaboration, and building lasting artistic legacies across Queensland.

Get in touch → christa@topologymusic.com

Clint Bolster is a Clown, Physical Actor, Creative Producer and Teaching Artist based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. With over 22 years of professional experience, Clint has dedicated his career to proudly creating original theatrical works and training artists across multiple disciplines.

His original creations —HIGH TEA with BOOFF, BOLSTER & LEE: The Knock Em Downs, The Lost Balloon, and The Bubble Canteen—alongside ensemble projects such as The Mask Family, Manoeuvre, and Homunculus Theatre, are programmed widely across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. These works feature prominently at major arts festivals and in community, cultural, and educational settings, having reached a live global audience in the millions.

Clint has performed extensively throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan—including over 900 solo shows in Japanese at Universal Studios Japan, Osaka. He has toured over 500 primary and secondary schools across Australia. Most recently, he performed in the 2025 & 2023 Spain & Australian Tours of Slava's Snow Show and was accepted into the Cirque du Soleil database of Clowns.

As a dedicated Teaching Artist, Clint has delivered training and masterclasses for actor training institutions and universities worldwide, including the Queensland University of Technology (QLD) - (8 Years), Griffith University (QLD), Drama Australia (AUS), Pontio University Wales (UK), and Shakespeare4All (Hong Kong), to name a few.

A proud Queensland member and mentor for the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Clint also serves as a Board Member for Indel-Ability Arts and is the Creative Director for Blue Roo Theatre Company. His extensive touring and producing credits include collaborations with Queensland Theatre Company, Brisbane Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Woodford Folk Festival (20 Years), Cairns Festival, NAFA Townsville, Cluster Arts Global, Awesome Festival, and Live Nation, among many others.

Get in touch → clint@homunculustheatre.com.au

Deidre Grace is the Artistic Director of PIP Theatre, an independent Brisbane venue and production company dedicated to championing diverse voices and socially resonant storytelling. With more than 30 years’ experience in logistics and business leadership, she brings a rare fusion of operational rigour and artistic vision to the cultural sector.

Holding an undergraduate degree in Arts and Leisure Management and a Master of Business Administration, Deidre has built PIP Theatre into a vital platform for emerging and mid-career artists. Under her leadership, the company has delivered hundreds of productions annually, prioritising new Australian work and creating paid opportunities for thousands of creatives. Her approach combines strong governance, sustainable systems and community partnership with a deep belief in the transformative power of live performance.

Deidre is particularly committed to ensuring the stage reflects the breadth of contemporary Australia, with a focus on inclusion across Queensland’s First Nations communities, artists living with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse artists and the LGBTIQA+ community. She is known for designing structures that allow artists to take creative risks within a professionally supported environment.

Strategic yet deeply people-centred, Deidre leads with clarity, integrity and ambition. Her work positions independent theatre not only as a stepping stone, but as a driving force within the cultural ecology — a place where new stories are developed, careers are launched, and audiences encounter work that lingers long after the curtain falls.

Get in touch → deidre@piptheatre.org

Jeanette Wedmaier is the Programs and Engagement Manager at The Empire in Toowoomba, Queensland—Australia’s largest regional theatre and a cultural cornerstone of the Darling Downs. In her role, Jeanette is responsible for curating and delivering a diverse range of performing arts programs and community engagement initiatives that reflect the theatre’s commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and creativity.

With a strong background in arts management and community engagement, Jeanette plays a pivotal role in shaping the theatre’s artistic direction and fostering meaningful connections between artists, audiences, and the broader community. Her work ensures that The Empire remains a vibrant hub for cultural expression, offering world-class performances across genres including drama, dance, music, comedy, and multimedia arts.

Jeanette is known for her collaborative approach, working closely with local and national artists, touring companies, and community groups to bring enriching and accessible arts experiences to the region. Her leadership supports the theatre’s mission to inspire imagination, celebrate storytelling, and nurture a thriving arts ecosystem in Southern Queensland.

Get in touch → jeanette@empiretheatre.com.au

Isabel Hart (she/her) is an arts professional with over a decade of experience delivering festivals, concerts, and major cultural events across Queensland. She is currently Program Manager at Brisbane Powerhouse, where her and her brilliant team deliver the venue’s year-round performance program alongside major festivals at the venue including Brisbane Festival, Brisbane Comedy Festival, and Brisbane Writers Festival to name a few.

Prior to joining Brisbane Powerhouse, Isabel worked extensively with Indigenous communities on community-led arts projects and helped coordinate large-scale events across the State - from remote regions to major cities - including the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Ceremonies. Passionate about championing Queenslanders, Isabel has previously worked with Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Brisbane Festival, Queensland Music Festival, and Circa Contemporary Circus.

Isabel is half Australian and half Filipino, and was raised on PNG.

Get in touch → isabelh@brisbanepowerhouse.org

Kate Malone is the Executive Producer of Cluster Arts and a dynamic producer with over 20 years’ experience in Queensland’s performing arts sector. Cluster Arts is a Meanjin/Brisbane based producing and touring company specialising in contemporary circus and physical theatre, supporting artists through development, touring, market strategy and long term business growth across Australia and internationally.

Kate supports building sustainable pathways for artists and connecting their work to national and global stages. Her portfolio includes collaborations with Casus Circus, Briefs Factory, Woodford Folk Festival, reflecting both breadth and impact across independent companies and major festivals.

Kate is recognised as a respected sector leader, contributing to funding panels and international circus platforms. She is a skilled navigator of festival circuits and export markets, brokering partnerships, securing investment and delivering audience development strategies that strengthen touring outcomes.

Fiercely committed to the growth of Australian circus, Kate combines artistic insight with strong producing acumen - balancing complex budgets while positioning work ambitiously and sustainably. Through Cluster Arts, she continues to elevate contemporary circus and physical theatre, expanding its reach, resilience and global profile.

Get in touch → kate@clusterarts.com

Growing up in regional Queensland, Michael knows what its like to be starved of access to art and culture. Since 2009, Michael has dedicated his time to building a career in the arts. Starting as a touring Sound Engineer and Tour Manager and followed by production managing venues and tours, he joined the team at Brisbane Powerhouse as a Production Manager in 2017. This opened his eyes more broadly to the world of theatre, art installations and cultural experiences to add to his production, sound and touring knowledge. Currently Michael is the Technical Director of the Brisbane Powerhouse but keeps one foot in the touring world to keep his skills and connections sharp.

Get in touch → michaelh@brisbanepowerhouse.org

Moale James-Proud is a second-generation migrant with ancestry to Papua New Guinea and Scotland. In her work Moale has worn many hats—Artist, Writer, Journalist, Curator, Producer—but at her core, she is a storyteller, sharing her own narrative or amplifying the voices of others.

Raised in a community of Educators and Artists, including musicians, dancers, weavers, performers, and storytellers, she developed a deep passion for storytelling across various mediums such as live events, theatre, podcasts, print media, photography, spoken word, and community workshops. Her experience spans community arts projects, non-profit organizations, grassroots initiatives, private institutions, and government arts agencies.

Through her work, Moale strives to embody values that uplift community, encourage deep listening, empower others, create safe spaces for women and fostering a better world for our next generation of storytellers.

Get in touch → moalejames.work@gmail.com

Nathan Sibthorpe is a contemporary performance-maker and video designer based in Brisbane, Australia. He is best known as the Artistic Director of Counterpilot – the award-winning collective of transmedia performance artists responsible for: Adrift (Metro Arts, 2022); Pigeon Fool (World Science Festival Brisbane, 2024); C’est Bon Salon (Brisbane Festival, 2022); Avoidable Perils (Brisbane Festival & Darwin Festival, 2020); Truthmachine (Various, 2019-22); Crunch Time (Next Wave Festival & Metro Arts, 2018) and Spectate (Metro Arts, 2017).

Counterpilot received the Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work at the 2018 Matilda Awards, and the Judge’s Award for “pushing artistic boundaries” at the 2022 Matilda Awards. Nathan has been nominated for a further twelve Matilda Awards, receiving the award for Best AV Design for Blue Bones in 2017. In the same year, he was also the recipient of the Dr Don Batchelor Award for Drama Research at QUT. In 2021, Nathan received a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production for Young People, with I’ve Been Meaning to Ask You.

Nathan’s other work as a performance-maker includes: Bunker (Lisa Wilson & Metro Arts, 2022); One Bottle Later (The Good Room, 2020); and Tyrone & Lesley in a Spot (Brisbane Festival, 2019). Between 2022-24, he also directed the annual science-themed game show Night of the Nerds for World Science Festival Brisbane. As a Video Designer, other notable credits include: Horizon (Playlab, 2021); The Holidays (Queensland Theatre, 2020); To Kill a Cassowary (JUTE, 2020); and He Dreamed a Train (Brisbane Powerhouse, 2014).

Nathan was previously Queensland Theatre Company’s Geek-In-Residence in 2012-14; the Festival Director of Short+Sweet Queensland from 2013-16; and the Creative Director for Markwell Presents Cinematic Theatre Company from 2016-18. Nathan sometimes teaches performance studies at QUT, where he holds a Masters Degree in contemporary performance.

Get in touch → trouble@counterpilot.com.au

Phoebe Meredith is a Brisbane-based arts leader and cultural programmer, currently working in the role of Programming Director at Brisbane Powerhouse and Festival Director of the Brisbane Comedy Festival.

With over 20 years’ experience working in Brisbane and Sydney, she has worked extensively in venue programming, operations, and festival delivery, and has toured productions nationally and internationally in both producing and production roles across a wide range of genres.

Get in touch → phoebem@brisbanepowerhouse.org

Tom Oliver Productions is a multi-pronged, award-winning entertainment group transforming dreams into reality. Highlights include: Founding and producing the multi-million dollar Wynnum Fringe Festival in Brisbane's Bayside (which in 4 years has grown by 300%), winning the Gold Matilda Award for outstanding service to Entertainment & The Arts in Queensland, championing early career and established creative workers globally, managing Wright & Grainger's award-winning Australian tour of The Gods The Gods The Gods, creating the circus-variety show Rhonda's After Party with Rhonda Burchmore OAM, the inaugural Bay Pride Fair Day, and our growing network of essential business partners. TOP is supported by Arts Queensland through its Strategic Partnerships Fund, and a proud event partner of Tourism and Events Queensland & Brisbane City Council.

Get in touch → tom@tomoliver.com.au