Brisbane Festival has appointed Ebony Bott, currently the Head of Contemporary Performance at Sydney Opera House, as its next Artistic Director.
Bott, whose initial contract is for the 2026, 2027 and 2028 Brisbane Festivals, is a well-respected industry figure whose career spans two decades across several of the country’s major cultural institutions.
Prior to starting at Sydney Opera House in October 2020 she worked as Creative Director, Cabaret and Commercial at Adelaide Festival Centre and has also worked at Arts Centre Melbourne as Creative Producer, Families and Young People.
Additionally, Bott has worked for major companies, in the small-to-medium performing arts sector, and with independent artists as well as serving on the Board of Festival City Adelaide.
In her current role as Head of Contemporary Performance at the Sydney Opera House, where her programming has attracted over 120,000 paid attendees annually, Bott’s astute curation spans theatre, cabaret, circus, comedy and large-scale events.
Highlights of her tenure include Amadeus starring Michael Sheen and costumed by cult fashion label Romance Was Born, the hip hop dance production Message in a Bottle, set to the music of Sting, and the Netflix-filmed world premiere of Hannah Gadsby’s Body of Work.
Curatorially, Bott describes her philosophy as deeply attuned to people and place: ‘Festivals aren’t just programs, they’re civic rituals. They reflect us back to ourselves and open us up to the world. That’s what drew me to Brisbane Festival. It has a pulse that’s distinctly local and a platform that resonates far beyond. For me, the most powerful festivals grow from the identity of their city, not simply land upon it. They listen, connect, and leave a lasting imprint.’
Brisbane Festival: taking the reins
Bott takes over the reins from Artistic Director Louise Bezzina, whose sixth and final Brisbane Festival ‘is achieving and delivering a few things that I’ve been wanting to do for many years,’ according to an interview she gave ArtsHub earlier this year.
Read: ‘A love letter to Brisbane’: Louise Bezzina’s 2025 Brisbane Festival program revealed
Preparing for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics
Brisbane Festival Chair Anna Reynolds said of Bott’s appointment: ‘Ebony has a rare ability to think expansively while listening deeply. Her work is grounded, generous and unafraid to ask big questions. She understands the moment Brisbane is in – a city on the cusp of positioning itself on the global stage – and brings both the boldness and the rigour to shape a festival that speaks to this.’
Brisbane Festival CEO Charlie Cush added: ‘Ebony has the track record, the networks and the creative leadership to drive Brisbane Festival’s next evolution. Her combination of artistic integrity and commercial acumen is second to none, and her work is consistently audience-driven without compromising ambition.’
Brisbane is currently gearing up to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Bott’s appointment signals a timely alignment between artistic confidence and civic opportunity. She is set to commence in mid-September 2025, and will work alongside the festival’s current leadership to deliver a transition into the 2026 program and beyond.
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek welcomed the news of Bott’s appointment and thanked outgoing Artistic Director Louise Bezzina for her extraordinary contributions: ‘Brisbane Festival is a true highlight on our calendar of events which creates new and exciting experiences for Queenslanders of all ages and interests to enjoy.
‘I’m confident Ebony’s reputation for innovation and artistic collaborations will take Brisbane Festival to the next level allowing it to reach new and global audiences.’
‘The Crisafulli Government is proud to support Brisbane Festival and showcase our state’s talented artists, creatives, and arts companies in the lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond.’
Throughout her career, Bott has championed underrepresented voices and fostered pathways for artists to tour nationally and internationally. Her approach to leadership is collaborative and clear-eyed: one that foregrounds First Nations perspectives, supports emerging practitioners, and understands the power of participation.
Bott said: ‘Brisbane Festival has always felt alive to possibility. It’s a festival that listens to its city while looking outwards. I’m honoured to be part of its next chapter and to help shape a future that is imaginative, inclusive and unmistakably Brisbane.’
The 2025 Brisbane Festival runs 5-27 September. Visit the Festival website for full program details.
