Andy Vagg 

Andy Vagg is an artist, writer, and performer exploring contemporary existence through social contexts, ritual, and history. His work investigates religion’s role in secular life and environmental change, while researching colonial and geological histories. Andy creates platforms for dialogue, encouraging positive social evolution and is currently compiling a poetry anthology.

Brianna Shahin

Brianna Shahin is an Egyptian Australian movement artist in Nipaluna/Hobart. Blending dance, martial arts, and bodywork, her practice explores connection, communication, and embodiment. With a background in anthropology and massage, she choreographs, performs, and collaborates on projects like DRILL and Silikil, integrating physicality, inquiry, and accessibility into her evolving artistic language.

Clare Spillman

Clare Spillman is a Tasmanian-based producer, storyteller, and performer with 20+ years’ experience across Australia and the UK. Known for her collaborative, impact-driven approach, she creates accessible, resonant theatre. After producing with Mudlark Theatre, Clare is returning to writing, exploring regional life and complex relationships with warmth and humour.

Elly Hoyt

Elly Hoyt is a Tasmanian-born composer, vocalist, and educator celebrated for her emotive jazz and contemporary music. With international performances, acclaimed albums, and awards, she blends storytelling with lived experience. Her recent work explores motherhood, neurodiversity, and sensory life. Elly currently lectures in voice at the University of Tasmania.

Sarah Groth

Sarah Groth, born and raised on Tiwa homelands in New Mexico, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work weaves improvisation, choreography, writing, and mixed-media art. Now based in Lutruwita/Tasmania, she teaches with Assembly 197 and Tasdance, creating work rooted in place, community, and social justice, informed by global and regional experiences.

Ian Chia

Ian Chia composer and maker of performing arts and new media – works across film, theatre, dance, gaming, and interactive installations. Credits include collaborations with Björk and Moby for MTV VMAs, Nucleodanza at Melbourne International Festival, Junction Arts Festival’s 200m³ kinetic sculpture Breath and takila milaythina-ti, a Tasmanian Aboriginal planetarium film. 

Julie Waddington

Julie Waddington is a VCA-trained theatre maker, director, and producer with over 25 years’ experience. She has worked nationally with leading companies and was Artistic Director of Riverland Youth Theatre. Now based in Lutruwita/Tasmania, her credits include The Motherload, e-baby, and work with TTC, DRILL, Ten Days, and Performing Lines TAS.

Luke Cruddas

Luke Cruddas is a Nipaluna/Hobart based multidisciplinary artist, producer, and performer. With a film background, he’s evolved into a creative force in drag, cabaret, poetry, and immersive arts. Through personas Leelyn Double Chin and Luke Warm, he curates bold, queer-focused events blending theatricality, intimacy, and interdisciplinary storytelling.

Rosemary Cann

Rosemary Cann is a third-culture actor, writer, and musician based in Nipaluna/Hobart. She’s toured children’s theatre across Aotearoa and Australia and participated in national residencies. A recipient of the Erin Thomas Playwriting Fund, Rosie creates inclusive, queer, femme-centred work, with recent roles in Sunday Roast (Bad Theatre Company) and Emma (Bijou Theatre).

Special National Mentor
RHODA ROBERTS AO 

A Widjabul  Wiyabal woman from the Bundjalung territories. 

Rhoda Roberts AO, is the Creative Director for Parrtjima Festival (NT) Boomerang Dreaming (NSW)and Shine on Gimuy (Cairns) and the first Nations Advisor for Vivid Sydney. An experienced motivated and versatile arts executive, with a diverse range of international and national industry practice within commercial, community and non-profit organisations.  She is currently the Elder in Residence for SBS Television network, Creative Director First Nations NORPA, and is a consultant with the National Institute of Dramatic Arts -NIDA. She was recently appointed cultural lead to the National Indigenous newspaper the Koori Mail. 

A practicing weaver an actor/producer and director, she continues to work across the Creative industries and is a sought-after consultant, speaker and performer in theatre, film, television, and radio.  

The former Head of First Nations Programming, Sydney Opera House Rhoda was the founder and Festival Director of the Dreaming Festivals (1995-2009) and Co-Founder of the Aboriginal National Theatre Trust. A practicing weaver, actor, independent producer and director, she continues to work as a consultant across diverse disciplines and is a sought-after speaker and performer and programmer across theatre, film, television and radio. The First Aboriginal to host a Prime-Time Current Affairs with Vox Populi (SBS) Her regular podcasts Deadly Voices, continue her broadcast history with the radio show Deadly Sounds (1992-2012) 

Susie Dee 

Susie Dee has worked extensively in theatre as a performer, devisor and director both in Australia and overseas for the past forty years. She has a long history of directing plays by Patricia Cornelius- most recently Truth (Malthouse Theatre) and last year Bad Boy and RUNT (fortyfivedownstairs, La Boite Theatre and Sydney Opera House) also SHIT and Love, both toured to the Venice Biennale Theatre Festival. Other directing highlights include Animal (Theatreworks & Dark Mofo) Anthem, (Performing Lines/Melbourne, Sydney & Perth Festivals. She often works with Fat Fruit: Fuck Fabulous, Fart Fabulous, Queen Kong and the Homosapiens and Fuck Christmas. She was the recipient of the Ewa Czajor Memorial Award for female directors (with a residency with Theatre Du Soleil, Paris) and in 2022 she received the prestigious Australia Council Award for Theatre. Susie has won numerous Green Room Awards for Directing, most recently for My Sister Jill (Melbourne Theatre Company) winning the Green Room Award for ‘Best Director’ and ‘Outstanding Production’ in 2023. 

Aidan Rowlingson

Aidan Rowlingson is a Writer and Director based on Gadigal country. He is a proud Queer Butchulla man. Aidan has worked extensively within the performing arts sector, creating, devising and producing new works in roles at Digi Youth Arts, Jungle Love Festival, Queensland Music Festival, La Boite Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Clancestry Festival, and Sydney Festival. In 2023 Aidan debuted his theatrical work Capricorn at La Boite supported by the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. This work was developed across multiple programs such as PlayLab & QPAC’s Sparks and Moogahlin Performing Art’s Yellamundie Festival and Queer Blak. Aidan then stepped into co-direct Capricorn with Nadine McDonald-Dowd, bringing this “deeply moving” story and “visually stunning” work to life. 

Marnie Karmelita

Marnie Karmelita is an international arts curator and producer with 25 years’ experience working in venues and festivals in Australia, the United States and New Zealand. As the new Artistic Director of Ten Days on the Island, Marnie will oversee the 2025 and 2027 festivals. She relocated to Lutruwita Tasmania from Aotearoa New Zealand in 2023 to take up the role. In New Zealand, Marnie was appointed to the role of Creative Director of the New Zealand Festival Trust (since renamed Tāwhiri) in 2018 overseeing the organisation’s creative vision and strategy including the biennial Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts and the annual Wellington Jazz Festival. Prior to this, Marnie was Programming Director at Brisbane Powerhouse leading major special projects and festivals. In the United States, she developed an annual multi-artform contemporary arts program at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as Director of Programming of Carolina Performing Arts. With a passion for working together with artists to nurture new works and stretch the boundaries of performance, she particularly strives to bring audiences closer to the artistic process, so we can all tap into our creativity.

Elle Macleman

Elle MacLeman is Event Producer at Junction Arts Festival. Elle has had the pleasure of working in collaboration with many artists in Lutruwita’s creative sector, supporting innovative artistic practice and platforming. With experience in festival programming, grant writing, and stakeholder management, she is committed to connecting artists with communities and expanding access to transformative arts experiences. Elle brings a collaborative approach to strategic development and creative programming.