Board member with limited arts experience takes key Black Swan role

The abrupt announcement that board member Danielle Norrish will replace Natalie Jenkins as Executive Director of Black Swan State Theatre Company has shocked the sector.

Black Swan Chair, Nicola Forrest. Image supplied.

Black Swan State Theatre Company has announced the abrupt replacement of Executive Director Natalie Jenkins with a sitting Board member, Danielle Norrish, promoting questions around transparency and appropriate governance at the company. 

Norrish, whose background is in marketing and advertising, joined Black Swan’s Board in February and has no prior experience running a Major Performing Arts organisation or theatre company.

Unlock Padlock Icon

Unlock this content?

Access this content and more

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts