Kath Papas Appointed Senior Producer of Performing Lines VIC (parental leave cover)

We are thrilled to announce Kath Papas as the new Senior Producer of Performing Lines Vic, as we say a temporary farewell the wonderful Samantha Butterworth as she heads off on maternity leave. Kath will be leading our projects and programs in Victoria from Naarm/Melbourne.  

Kath is a leading independent producer bringing over 20+ years of experience, with extensive history in supporting the creation, realisation and touring of contemporary performance work by highly respected artists and companies. Kath has also done significant work at sector level, most recently over 4.5 years at ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and APAM as Senior Producer mentoring emerging First Nations producers in international engagement.  

Kath has developed a highly respected producing practice of diverse aesthetics, cross-cultural exchange and collaboration. She has worked extensively on collaborations, tours and festivals in Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea and China, and grounds her practice in Australia’s geographic location within the Asia-Pacific. Through Kath Papas Productions (KPP), she works collaboratively with a group of outstanding established artists, collectives & companies whose work intersects with the burning issues of representation, self-determination, gender, spirituality, climate and environment.  

 “Kath is a longstanding colleague whose work I have always admired and who clearly aligns with our ambition for independent artists in Victoria. Her contribution will be a great asset to Performing Lines and I look forward to working with her more directly.” says Performing Lines Executive Producer Marion Potts. We are delighted to have Kath join the Performing Lines team, with her wealth of knowledge, community engagement and razor-sharp producing skills.  

On her appointment as Senior Producer Kath states:

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of the incredible team at Performing Lines, and to support the work of a diverse and exciting group of Victorian artists who are telling vital stories and creating change.” 

Performing Lines supports independent artists and the independent arts ecology, working across Australia and internationally, providing opportunities and giving support to artists at all stages of their careers in the realisation of their visions.  

Performing Lines Vic is currently working with Adena Jacobs, BEAT entertainment, Cass Fumi, Fat Fruit, Joe Paradise Lui, Liesel Zink, Nazaree Dickson, Sarah Austin & Co., The Rabble, and Vidya Rajan, with a number of key projects launching next year.  

In 2023 Performing Lines Vic produced World Premiere seasons of WAKE by The Rabble, in partnership with Melbourne Fringe and Substation, and of Lisel Zink’s Us and All of This in partnership with Arts Centre Melbourne, Geelong Arts Centre and Bunjil Place; it toured Far Fruit’s The Rainbow Tree across the Eastern sea board including a presentation as part of Sydney World Pride and has supported a number of creative development and sector development projects. Through its work it employed 100 artists and arts workers from across Victoria.

 Kath joins our excellent team of Senior Producers including Vanessa Wright (NSW), Sinsa Jo Mansell (TAS), and Jeremy Smith (WA). Kath will be with us until December 2024.  

Kath Papas Biography

Kath is a leading independent producer with extensive history in supporting the creation, realisation and touring of contemporary performance work by highly respected artists and companies. She is especially known for her work on projects which cross artforms and cross cultures, and for her focus in the Asia-Pacific region. Kath has also done significant work at sector level, most recently over 4.5 years at ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and APAM as Senior Producer mentoring emerging First Nations producers in international engagement. Over the course of her 20+ year career in the arts, Kath has produced dozens of seasons of acclaimed original work, international co-productions and tours in Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea and China; events, festivals and initiatives. Kath is delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Performing Lines team and artists in this role. 

Performing Lines

Performing Lines produces the work of independent artists across Australia, from concept to premiere and beyond. We champion this sector as a powerful force of contemporary cultural expression, demonstrating the value of artist-led practice. We share this work with others through collaboration, mobility, and reciprocity, bringing people together in a collective quest to make deeper sense of our world.

Performing Lines is the powerbase that fuels the work of our most innovative performing arts sector. We work in step with artists whose practice is constantly evolving and who are changing the way new Australian work is being made and shared. By supporting new ways of thinking, practicing, and experiencing the arts, we are a leading and formidable national producing force.