Brand X Tenants | 2024-2025 Level 3 | Arts Business - City of Sydney Creative Studios Nardi Simpson | L3.2 Nardi Simpson Nardi Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay storyteller from the NSW northwest freshwater plains and is a musician, composer, performer, and novelist. A songwriter and performer with vocal duo Stiff Gins for twenty-five years, Nardi was a winner of the 2018 Black & Write! Fellowship. Her first novel, Song of the Crocodile, was published in 2020 with Hachette Australia and went on to win the 2021 ASAL Gold Medal and be longlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize and Miles Franklin Awards. In 2024, Nardi will release her second novel, The Belburd, with Hachette Australia, compose music for three new First Nations Operas, complete a PhD in composition at the ANU School of Music, and write and record Stiff Gins' fourth studio album, Crossingskin Rd. In-Between Pictures | L3.3 Vonne Patiag Maren SmithIn-Between Pictures is an Australian Production Company splashing colour on Australian screens. The creative partnership of Vonne Patiag and Maren Smith, we tell fresh and unexpected scripted stories for the big and small screen, with joy and heart. Our work includes Halal Gurls, a world-first Hijabi comedy series for ABC Australia, nominated for an AACTA, AWGIE, and SPA award, and winner of the Prix du Public (Audience Award) at Marseille Webfest. Our short film Tomgirl was broadcast on SBS Viceland for the 40th Anniversary of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras. Vonne Patiag - Co-founder, Director, CreativeVonne is an AACTA, AWGIE, Logie, and SPA Award-nominated Filmmaker and Actor based in Western Sydney. His credits include Significant Others (ABC), The Unusual Suspects (SBS), Here Out West (ABC), Too Many Ethnics, Tomgirl (SBS), and Halal Gurls (ABC). He was a participant in the prestigious TIFF Filmmaker Lab 2021 in support of the feature adaptation of Tomgirl and was part of the Talent USA Delegate 2022 sponsored by Screen Australia. In 2020, he produced and co-wrote The Unusual Suspects alongside Oscar-nominated Producer Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford at Aquarius Films, and the feature film anthology Here Out West with Co-Curious and Emerald Productions. Maren Smith - Co-founder, Director, StrategyMaren is a Producer of Film, Television, and Radio from the Central Coast of NSW, Australia. Her work includes One Less God (dir. Lliam Worthington), which won the Grand Jury Prize and Industry Choice Awards at Los Angeles' Dance With Films 2017 and was awarded Best Film at Byron Bay Film Festival 2017. The film would go on to be theatrically released in the UK, USA, India, Japan, Korea, and Australia. Her short films Hook Up (dir. Laura Nagy), Qupid (dir. Jessica Flood), Tomgirl, and Too Many Ethnics (dir. Vonne Patiag) have screened across Australia and internationally at festivals. Maren also produces children's television and animation, including the original short-form series Alphabet Street (dir. Harrison Woodhead) for Disney Junior Australia and New Zealand. Heaps Decent | L3.4 Nerida Woods - General Manager/CEO Heaps Decent is an Australian organisation empowering young people to express their creativity through music and multi-media. Heaps Decent increases arts access and opportunity, providing mobile and online production resources and collaboration with professional artists, supporting the development of exciting new work with a unique identity. Nerida joined the team at Heaps Decent in 2012 with a rich history in arts management. Prior to her former role as General Manager for Shopfront Contemporary Arts and Performance, she spent several years in the UK as a Company and Tour Manager, and in Australia as a stage manager at the Sydney Opera House, freelance production manager, event coordinator, and management consultant. Music NSW | L3.4 Joe Muller - Managing DirectorLaura Murdoch - Executive Producer MusicNSW is the state music body in NSW. We are a not-for-profit organisation, funded by Create NSW. MusicNSW empowers and connects artists and industry. They do this through a range of programs and services, including FEEDBACK, Levels, and Sound Advice. MusicNSW’s programs and services empower and develop our music communities so that diverse NSW artists and industry can thrive locally, across Australia, and internationally. Joe Muller - Managing Director Joe Muller joined MusicNSW in November 2023 with over 15 years of experience as a festival curator, creative producer, venue programmer, artist manager, independent label owner, and artist. From 2021, he was the Music Curator for Vivid Sydney and has also curated music programs for Queensland Music Festival, Taste of Tasmania, Newtown Festival, and Melbourne’s CHANGES festival. Laura Murdoch - Executive Producer Laura is MusicNSW’s Executive Producer and works across all MusicNSW metro, regional, Western Sydney, and all-ages programs as well as managing MusicNSW’s funding rounds. Laura is a ten-year veteran of the creative event and entertainment media industries with a strong focus on audience engagement and relationship building. Level 6 | Digital Media - City of Sydney Creative Studios Electronic Music Conference | L6.1 EMC offers leadership, inspiration, and connection through its innovative events, programs, storytelling, supportive day-to-day actions, research, and advocacy. EMC hosts a flagship day and festival program in Eora/Sydney, providing a platform for both emerging and established artists and professionals to come together and inspire, educate, connect, and diversify electronic music communities not just in Australia, but around the world. With a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and integrity, EMC stays true to the fun and spirit of electronic music culture, making it an annual destination for those looking to be part of a vibrant and dynamic global community. Jane Slingo (credit: Dean Hammer) Jane Slingo - DirectorAn electronic music professional with over 25 years of experience, including artist management, programming, media and government relations, events, and touring, Jane Slingo is the Director and Executive Producer of EMC (Electronic Music Conference). She is also the Deputy Chair for MusicNSW, an Advisory Board Member for Sound NSW (NSW Government), and a panel member for the City of Sydney’s Cultural and Creative Sector Advisory Panel. Jane has been acknowledged as one of the fifty most influential people in Australian music in the ‘Power 50’ (TheMusic.com.au). In 2023, she received the Community Engagement Award at the national Association of Artist Managers awards. Pip Dalton (credit: Sarah Christensen) Pip Dalton - Events, Marketing, and Communications ManagerPip Dalton is a seasoned marketing and events professional with over a decade of experience in the music industry. Her journey began as a DJ in the Sydney scene, collaborating with local promoters, collectives, venues, and artists. With 12 years of expertise in marketing, Pip is currently completing a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communications. In 2017, she joined the EMC team, taking the lead in marketing, brand management, and event communications. Driven by her passion for the electronic music community, Pip is dedicated to curating meaningful events and experiences that resonate with audiences. Her unique blend of industry experience, marketing acumen, and creative vision positions her as a valued team member and asset in the ever-evolving music landscape. Kerry Johnson | L6.5 Kerry Johnson Burrundi Theatre for Performing Arts was established in 2020. Burrundi translates to "black" in Southern Yiradyuri dialect and is inspired by the vision and spirit of the Black Theatre (1972-1977). Executive Founder and Artistic Executive Director, Wiradjuri descendant Kerry Johnson, trained at the Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern from 1988 to 1990. On the historical site of Black Theatre is the site of the Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern. Kerry Johnson completed her training at the National Aboriginal and Islander Dance Theatre Glebe from 1991 to 1993. Burrundi Theatre for Performing Arts, established in 2020, is inspired by the vision and spirit of Black Theatre (1972-1977). Founder and Artistic Director Kerry Johnson trained at ADTR from 1988 to 1990. The historical site of Black Theatre is on the block of the Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern. Kerry's introduction to Gadigal country has been through the black arts, rooted in ideals synonymous with Black Theatre: sovereignty, self-determination, justice, equality, and survival. The fight for black rights and freedoms is expressed through the political expression of black arts. Burrundi's vision is intrinsic to our tribal arts, dance, songlines, and stories. It represents a modern-day arts revolution, fired by a collective of perspectives and platforms of black activism within the arts. Burrundi is a futuristic expression of multidisciplinary art practice, rooted in tribal customs and philosophies. Arts to Burrundi are spiritual, inspired by our experiences, thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It stirs the inner depth of our creativity to act, believe, and do the impossible. Burrundi Theatre's mantra is life, hope, truth, and love. Burrundi Theatre respectfully acknowledges the trailblazers, founders, and artists associated with Black Theatre (1972-1977). Baro Lee & Joel Ludemann | L6.6 Baro Lee (credit: Gerard Cabellon) Baro LeeBaro Lee is a Korean Australian writer and director whose work focuses on themes of sacrifice and tenacity, deeply influenced by his immigrant family and community. He wrote and directed the personal documentary "Hiruaerak," which was selected for the Antenna Documentary Film Festival. His recent narrative short, "Bi-Mok," was chosen for both the Beijing International Short Film Festival and the Pendance Film Festival. Additionally, Baro directed the mini-documentary series "IYAGI," which explores Australia's unique relationship with Korea through the stories of underrepresented Koreans in Australia and Australians in Korea. Joel Ludemann (credit: Thomas Merryweather) Joel LudemannJoel Ludemann is a Screenwriter and ADG-nominated Director with career experience across narrative films, music videos, and commercial content. He has a unique sense of humour and a proven ability to balance strong talent performances with eye-catching images. "Tales From 88," his latest project, is currently streaming free on 9NOW. Level 7 | Visual Arts - City of Sydney Creative Studios NAVA | L7.1 Penelope Benton - Executive Director The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) is a membership organisation established in 1983. NAVA brings together the many voices of the contemporary arts sector to improve fundamental conditions of work and practice. They achieve this through advocacy, education, and their code of practice. Penelope Benton has been NAVA's Executive Director since early 2021, following her role as General Manager from 2015 to 2020. Currently living on Gadigal land, she is also an artist with a collaborative practice and recently became a mum. She has previously worked as the Manager of Arc @ UNSW Art & Design, General Manager of the College of Fine Arts Students' Association, and was Co-Artistic Director of Art Month Sydney 2013. Penelope was a Co-Director at Firstdraft from 2007 to 2008 and a Co-Founder/Director of The Red Rattler, an artist and activist-run performance space in Sydney's inner west from 2008 to 2013. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) from the University of Newcastle, a Masters in Art Administration from UNSW, a Graduate Diploma in Arts Management from UTS, and completed a Masters of Fine Arts at UNSW in 2017. Diane Busuttil | L7.2 Diane Busuttil (credit: Shane Rozario) Diane Busuttil is a dance artist, educator, and filmmaker whose work is recognized in Australia and internationally. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from The University of Western Sydney and a Master's Research Degree from Macquarie University, Sydney. She has worked as an independent curator, choreographer, and performer for many years throughout Australia, Europe, and Asia. In 2000, after studying BODY at the International Women’s University in Germany, she relocated to Berlin and toured major dance and theatre festivals in Germany, Asia, the USA, and Europe with various leading dance and theatre companies. In Australia, she has collaborated with Rosalind Crisp, Igneous Inc, Circus Monoxide, and The Farm. She believes in fostering an ongoing discussion and debate about the arts and its importance to cultural life and community, as well as inspiring creativity and a more expansive sense of what our lives can be. As an artist, she is drawn to working with mixed mediums, such as music, theatre, visual arts, and digital technology. In 2018, she initiated Creative Caring, which uses dance and theatre programs that focus on the union of arts and health to remedy personal and social ills. The team of artists is dedicated to implementing programs at the intersection of arts and health through inclusive social engagement and creative explorations. These programs are regularly delivered to various aged care facilities across Sydney, including dementia support units. Abby Murray | L7.3 Abby Murray (credit: David O'Connor) Abby Marie Murray is an emerging artist working on Gadigal land across painting, textiles, sculpture, and installation. Her vibrant work is motivated by the borders we place around personal and familial silences within a practice that engages a circular and restorative notion of memory and material. Often referencing Magical Realism, Murray’s practice is a reckoning of the obsessive and laborious traditions of art and craft as she aims to highlight the absence and disappearance of the forgotten. Abby has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design from Columbia College Chicago and recently graduated from UNSW Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours). She has exhibited consistently in NSW, including UNSW Galleries, ADSpace, DrawSpace, GoodSpace Gallery, Live in Art, AirSpace Projects, and Sydenham International, and was recently awarded Highly Commended at the Jenny Birt Painting Prize. Abby was born and raised in Michigan, USA, and immigrated to Australia in late 2019. Antonia Pesenti | L7.5 Antonia Pesenti Antonia is a Sydney-based architect and illustrator/book creator. She was awarded the Sydney University Medal and moved to Paris after finishing her degree in architecture. Antonia worked in Paris for 8 years with Ateliers Jean Nouvel and Agence Philippe Starck. Parallel to her work as an architect, Antonia spent her time documenting Paris through drawing, developing a passion for illustration and picture books. Today, she combines directing the multidisciplinary design practice Studio Fable with illustrating, designing, and making beautiful books, including the bestselling Alphabetical Sydney. She is known for her cross-disciplinary and imaginative approach to a diverse range of projects, spanning from interior design to graphic design, placemaking, and public art projects. Simon Greiner | L7.6 Simon Greiner Simon Greiner is a cardboard artist and illustrator. He has exhibited his cardboard sculptures in a solo show at the Chrissie Cotter Gallery and most recently created an installation for the Newtown Art Seat. In 2023, a private commission built as the centrepiece for a wedding was featured in Vogue Australia. Simon is also the inaugural winner of the Officeworks Create-a-thon, where he was locked in an Officeworks store overnight to build a creation of his choice exclusively from store materials in six hours. His illustration work includes several children’s books as well as the front cover of the New Yorker Magazine. Felix Jackson | L7.7 Felix Jackson Felix Jackson (they/them) is an emerging artist and arts worker from Western Sydney. In 2023, they completed their Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts at NADC. Their work is rooted in autobiography, drawing upon lived experience and communicated through sculpture, installation, and performance. Felix is one of the recipients of this year’s Magnetic Places Grants from Penrith City Council, with their community art project involving local trans youth. This project is the basis of their upcoming solo exhibition at Penrith Regional Gallery. Felix is also the co-founder of Riff Raff ARI, an artist-run initiative based in Penrith. Helen Morgan | L7.8 Helen Morgan Helen Morgan is an emerging artist working in the fields of printmaking, photography, and installation. She often uses found objects and employs printmaking as an experimental process, responding to urban and domestic spaces through abstraction. Helen holds a Master of Fine Arts from the National Art School, Sydney, where she was the recipient of the Jenour Foundation Master of Fine Arts Scholarship and the Mark Henry Cain Memorial Travel Scholarship. She has completed residencies including at Gallery Lane Cove Creative Studios (2022-23), Sydney Catholic Schools (2022), and Cill Rialaig, Ireland (2020), and received the Australian Print Workshop Access Assistance Scholarship (2023). Her work has been shown in solo exhibitions, including Makeshift Arrangements, Gallery Lane Cove (2023) and Shapes in Motion, Airspace Projects (2022), and in group shows, including Slow Passages, PARI (2024); Aesthetics of Silence, Broadhurst Gallery, Hazelhurst Arts Centre (2023); Edition Three, Bankstown Arts Centre (2022); and EMANATE!, New England Regional Art Museum (2019). Manage Cookie Preferences