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Arts sector: Leadership for new Circus Centre Melbourne appointed
Last month, the Victorian Government announced that Flying Fruit Fly Circus, one of Australia’s most successful regional arts training and performance companies, had been chosen as the new head tenant of the 50 Perry Street site in Collingwood.
The company’s vision is to reimagine this state-of-the-art facility as a world-class hub for circus and physical theatre training, making and performing.
Following a highly competitive recruitment process, Flying Fruit Fly Circus have appointed Steph Cox as the inaugural Circus Centre Manager, the venue’s key leadership position.
Steph Cox (she/her) is an arts leader, producer and advocate with a deep love of circus and more than 15 years’ experience across the Australian performing arts sector.
Cox has worked with many of the country’s leading circus organisations, including CIRCA, NICA, Legs on the Wall, Na Djinang Circus and the sector’s peak body, Theatre Network Australia. Most recently, Cox served as Executive Director/CEO of Women’s Circus, where she led a transformational period of growth and impact.
Her work spans community and professional programming, venue and operations management and sector strategy. Cox holds a Master of Fine Arts in Cultural Leadership and a Master of Business in Arts & Cultural Management, with research focused on the wellbeing of circus artists and artworkers.
She is deeply committed to inclusive, sustainable practice and is passionate about building a thriving, connected circus and physical theatre sector in Australia.
Richard Hull, Flying Fruit Fly Circus CEO said: ‘I am delighted that Steph will be stepping into this key role. Circus Centre Melbourne is a huge project for our company with multiple opportunities and challenges. I have every confidence that Steph’s experience, skills and passion will help drive our ambitious vision for circus in Victoria.’
Cox said of her new role: ‘I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Flying Fruit Fly Circus to lead the launch of Circus Centre Melbourne. As a long-time advocate for the circus and physical theatre sector, it’s a privilege to help bring new life to the Perry Street building and shape a space that is accessible, affordable and inclusive. I can’t wait to open the doors this October and create new opportunities for circus artists and companies to thrive.’
ArtsHub: Flying Fruit Fly Circus appointed head tenant of state-of-the-art circus centre in Melbourne
The response from the circus and physical theatre sector has been overwhelmingly positive.
Cox started in her new position on 21 July. Several additional positions, including safety, administration and circus training at Circus Centre Melbourne, are yet to be advertised/announced.
Arts sector: State Library Victoria CEO announces retirement
State Library Victoria has announced that Chief Executive Officer Paul Duldig will retire at the end of his current contract, to focus on family responsibilities interstate. He started at the Library in August 2022.
Under Duldig’s leadership, State Library Victoria has achieved record and growing annual visitation to become the world’s third busiest library.
The Library’s award-winning exhibitions have introduced a new generation of visitors to the extraordinary State Collection. New and deeper partnerships across the cultural and education sectors have positioned the Library as one of Australia’s leading cultural institutions.
Also under Dulgig’s watch, last year State Library Victoria was at the centre of controversy over the cancellation of the Teen Writing Boot Camps workshops by writers including Ariel Slamet Ries, Omar Sakr, Alison Evans and Jinghua Qian.
Duldig is on the record as stating that the workshops were cancelled because the Library wasn’t ‘ready to face the challenges of dealing with hate speech and other things that related to Gaza’, and not because of any of the writers’ personal or political views. The very public fracas resulted in a number of high-profile writers boycotting events and activities at State Library Victoria at the time in solidarity with Sakr and colleagues.
The process to appoint a new Chief Executive Officer will begin shortly.
Duldig said: ‘It has been the honour of a lifetime serving as CEO of this extraordinary institution, and I leave with many fond memories and much pride at what we have achieved.
I am confident State Library Victoria is well positioned for even greater success in the future.’
Duldig’s last day at State Library Victoria will be 14 August 2025.
Arts sector: Award-winning director joins Arena Theatre Company Board
The Bendigo-based Arena Theatre Company has announced the appointment of acclaimed director, writer and creator Guy Edmonds to its Board of Directors, as the organisation embarks on an ambitious new phase of development and growth.
Edmonds brings exceptional creative leadership credentials to Arena at a pivotal moment in the company’s evolution. As co-creator, writer, actor and director of ABC’s International Emmy® award-winning series Hardball, he has created boundary-pushing Australian content that resonates globally while maintaining genuine entertainment value for young audiences.
‘Guy’s track record of creating innovative, award-winning Australian stories for children and young people aligns perfectly with Arena’s vision for engagement through artistic excellence,’ said Chair Anne Henshall.
‘His experience spans the full spectrum of creative development, from conception through to international distribution, which will be invaluable as we expand our impact beyond traditional theatre.’
ArtsHub: When the ‘War of the Worlds’ lands in three places at once …
Edmonds’ portfolio showcases a deep commitment to Australian storytelling for young people: co-creating BBC/ABC’s AACTA-nominated Spooky Files, writing two critically acclaimed book series, Zoo Crew (Scholastic) and Zombie Diaries (Hardie Grant) – the latter translated into ten languages to date – and developing his feature film debut Nest. His work has earned recognition at the Prix Jeunesse International Awards, BANFF Rockies, and Japan Prize, along with two Australian Director’s Guild nominations.
Edmonds said: ‘Arena’s commitment to proving creativity’s developmental value while ensuring children have access to Australian stories and culture is exactly the kind of forward-thinking approach our industry needs.
‘I’m excited to contribute to an organisation that understands transformative impact requires artistic innovation, educational insight, and genuine entertainment value working in harmony – all while celebrating our uniquely Australian voice.’
Both Arena and Edmonds share a fundamental belief that Australian children deserve to see their own stories, culture, and experiences reflected in the creative content they encounter. This alignment strengthens Arena’s mission as it prepares to establish a physical centre of excellence in Bendigo and launches The Creativerse, an annual festival celebrating the intersection of creativity, technology, and childhood development.
Arts sector: Monkey Baa appoints two new Board members
Monkey Baa Theatre Company, based in The Rocks, Sydney, has welcomed two new Board members to: Kai Kasad and Bridgette Van Leuven.
Both bring valuable leadership and fresh perspectives from Victoria, strengthening Monkey Baa’s national outlook and connection to Melbourne’s creative and education communities. Their appointment supports the company’s ongoing mission to create outstanding theatre experiences for young people across Australia.
Kai Kasad is an MBA-qualified, CPA Associate with more than 25 years’ experience leading finance, operations and corporate services across the professional services sector. He has delivered large-scale projects in systems implementation, restructuring and profitability modelling, and is recognised for his heart-centred leadership and commitment to operational excellence.
Kasad is also an active volunteer. He has served on the Victorian Executive Committee of the Australian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA), is a sight guide for Achilles Club – a charity supporting people with disability to engage in physical activity – and regularly runs long-distance events to raise funds for Australian and international causes.
Bridgette Van Leuven is Head of Learning Experiences at the University of Melbourne’s Museums and Collections Department, where she leads public and secondary school programs across the Potter Museum of Art, Buxton Contemporary, Science Gallery Melbourne and the STEM Centre of Excellence.
Van Leuven’s past roles include Associate Director at Asia Education Foundation and over a decade as Head of Children, Families and Creative Learning at the Sydney Opera House. Van Leuven has also worked with Arts NSW, Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Festival, and co-founded Toy Diplomacy. Her work centres on equity, creativity and young people’s right to meaningful, high-quality arts learning. She currently serves on the Board of Erth.
Professor Judith McLean, Chair of Monkey Baa, said: ‘We’re delighted to welcome Kai and Bridgette. Their insights and experience will enrich our governance and help strengthen Monkey Baa’s role as a truly national company that puts young people at the heart of everything we do.’
Kevin du Preez, Executive Director of Monkey Baa, added: ‘Having Kai and Bridgette join the Board expands both our thinking and our reach. Their shared commitment to young people and belief in the power of the arts is deeply aligned with Monkey Baa’s purpose.’
Arts sector: Dundee Rep Theatre and Scottish Dance Theatre announce new Executive Director
Kath M Mainland OBE – most recently the Chief Executive of Adelaide Festival – is returning to Scotland to take up the reigns at Dundee Rep Theatre and Scottish Dance Theatre.
An internationally respected and passionate arts leader with over 20 years’ experience leading arts organisations in the UK and Australia, Mainland is known for her collaborative style and transformational leadership and will take up the post later this year.
She succeeds outgoing Executive Director Liam Sinclair, who will take up the post of Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive with the National Theatre of Scotland.
Originally from Orkney, Mainland’s arts career began in 1991 when she first joined the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society as administrative assistant. She has spent the last decade in Australia, where she worked at some of the world’s most iconic festivals.
Prior to her time at Adelaide Festival – which recorded its highest-ever attendance last year, but also posted a loss despite receiving an additional $2.3 million from the State Government six months earlier – Mainland was Executive Director and Co-CEO of RISING and Chief Executive of Melbourne Festival. She has extensive prior experience working in the creative sector in Scotland, serving as Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and Administrative Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Mainland has held multiple board positions including chairing Festivals Edinburgh in Scotland and Country Arts South Australia in Australia and was awarded a CBE for services to culture in Scotland in 2014.
Her appointment comes as Dundee Rep prepares to open its sell-out run of Make It Happen, directed by Rep Artistic Director, Andrew Panton, at the Edinburgh International Festival. The production sees established actor Brian Cox returning to the Scottish stage for the first time in a decade, and is currently previewing in Dundee before heading to Edinburgh to open the 2025 Edinburgh Festival.
‘I’m so delighted to be returning to Scotland to take the helm at Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre, one of the most dynamic cultural institutions in the UK, at this exciting time. The combination of world-class theatre, an internationally acclaimed dance company and a community engagement programme that goes right to the heart of the community is a dream come true for me.
Andrew Panton, CEO and Artistic Director of Dundee Rep Theatre said: ‘Kath’s appointment comes at a pivotal point for Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre. Coming from a multi-arts and festivals background, Kath’s extensive experience could not be a better fit for our unique organisation, as we continue to produce world-class theatre and dance. I look forward to working with Kath, leading Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre into its next chapter.’
Dr Susan Hetrick, Chair of the Board, added: ‘We are delighted to welcome Kath Mainland CBE as the new Executive Director of Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre. Her appointment marks a significant new chapter as we launch a bold new season of theatre and dance, beginning with the world premiere of Make it Happen, this is a pivotal moment in our journey — one that will strengthen our artistic storytelling, deepen our engagement with communities, and build a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable future.’
More recent appointments in the Australian arts sector
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