NSW Mentorship Program

As part of the suite of NSW Regional Producers Initiative programs, Performing Lines is proud to pilot the Mentorship Program, available for regionally based producers at any stage of their career.

Six successful applicants will each be paired up with an experienced industry leader and allocated two one-hour sessions.

These mentorship sessions are designed to provide producers with tailored one-on-one mentorship to connect producers and colleagues across the state. Importantly, this program is free for participants and is designed to remove barriers to participation.

This is an opportunity to workshop an idea you’ve had, talk about how to tour your work, discuss the specifics of payroll or super, problem solve a budget or production question you have or just get some advice.

KEY DATES

Applications open: Wednesday 5 August 2026
Online Information Session: Tuesday 18 August, 5:30pm (AEST)
Applications close: Monday 7 September 2026, 11:59pm AEST
Successful applicants notified by: Friday 25 September 2026
Mentorship sessions must be completed by: Thursday 31 December 2026

MEN-TORS

Sandi Woo
Producing Support: Budgets, Contracts, Arts Strategy & More

Sandi Woo is creative producer, community development facilitator, and teaching artist with over 30 years experience working as both as an independent and within established organisations in WA, NSW and Queensland.

As a Producer, Sandi applies collaborative engagement strategies when working closely with community, colleagues, artists and stakeholders. Her deep understanding of community engagement practice enables her to manage relationships and partnerships with diverse range of key stakeholders. Sandi applies these practices across all her work context be it organizational, touring teams, creative development, artist development and/or sector advocacy.

In 2026, Sandi takes on the role of Sales Manager of indigenous and intercultural performing arts company – Marrugeku.

Su Goldfish
Arts Finance: Tax, Payroll & Super

Su is a freelance arts worker, financial wrangler and filmmaker. She has worked as a performer, writer, set maker, carpenter, builder, arts manager and producer. Su is currently Critical Path and Performing Lines’ accounts person and the treasurer at PACT Centre for Emerging Artists.

Her feature documentary The Last Goldfish (2017), premiered at Sydney Film Festival and is currently streaming on Stan and Prime.

Su led the UNSW Esme Timbery Creative Practice Lab for twenty years, until 2021.

Su is the producer of CREATION, a queer, insurrectionary, climate change, science fiction religion as an artwork, instigated by artist Deborah Kelly. CREATION has appeared at the MCA, Sydney Opera House, New Annual Festival, Sydney Biennale and regional art galleries in NSW and Victoria.

Sara Richardson
Arts Touring

Joining the Arts on Tour team in 2015, Sara is an Arts Manager with broad industry experience and a passion for the performing arts.

During her time at Arts on Tour, she has overseen the delivery of more than 150 tours spanning a diverse range of genres, scales, and communities across metropolitan, regional, and remote Australia.

Before joining Arts on Tour, Sara worked at the City Recital Hall, collaborating with a wide range of artists and companies on the planning and delivery of productions, concerts, and events.

With a background in visual arts, she has also worked across the visual arts sector on festivals, gallery exhibitions, and site-specific projects.

Alethea Beetson
First Nations Producing

Dr Alethea Beetson is a Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi and Wiradjuri producer, writer and director with more than a decade of experience creating and producing First Nations work across theatre, music, festivals and screen.

She is the Founder and Creative Director of Blak Social and previously founded Digi Youth Arts, leading nationally recognised artist development and cultural programs.

Alethea has produced major works, festivals and commissions, and is passionate about supporting emerging producers to build sustainable creative careers.

Her mentorship focuses on First Nations producing, creative development, funding, partnerships, leadership and turning ambitious ideas into impactful projects.

Lily Shearer
First Nations Cultural & Community Development

Lily Shearer is a proud citizen of the Murrawarri Republic & Ngemba Nation (north-west NSW/south-east QLD) woman with 40+ years experience in First Peoples Cultural Arts & Community Development, Arts Management, and in Theatre and performance making.

In co-founding Moogahlin Performing Arts, a First Peoples company in Redfern, Sydney NSW, Lily’s vision was to put in to practice the principle of ownership for First Peoples Australian communities by facilitating the handover of the final Gathering Ground project from Pact Youth Theatre to Moogahlin Performing Arts in 2010.

Currently Lily is the Artistic Director of Moogahlin Performing Arts, and is also a freelance-performing artist, a land based storyteller and works as a cultural collaborator/consultant/educator.

WHO CAN APPLY

This program is designed for regionally based producers (or arts workers in similar type roles) looking to develop or hone their skills in producing.

For example, you may identify as:

A producer who has delivered projects with artists or done event management
An artist who self produces their own work
An arts administrator or project co-ordinator working in local council, or within a venue or arts organisation
A community organiser with experience coordinating local events

Successful applicants must be physically based or reside in one of the nine regions below as identified by Create NSW’s Plan for Regional NSW Arts, Culture and Creative Industries:

North Coast
Hunter
New England and North West
Central West and Orana
Central Coast
Illawarra Shoalhaven
South East and Tablelands
Riverina Murray
Far West

You can find more information regarding Create NSW’s plan HERE

We strongly encourage First Nations, POC, and people with disability to apply. We also encourage people from a variety of producing backgrounds to apply, whether you’re an independent producer, self-producing artist, project co-ordinator, or a community organiser.

Should you have any questions regarding your application or are unsure if this program is right for you, please get in touch to discuss.

APPLI-CATION PROCESS

In a short application form, we’d like to hear about you, your practice, what you’re looking to learn and which mentor you’d like to learn from. Specifically:

Tell us about you and your practice or experience
Who are you looking to book in a session with?
What would you like to learn from them?

You may choose to submit text answers or a video speaking to the above questions.

Applications will be assessed by a panel of Performing Lines staff who will consider the above factors alongside the mix of successful applicants to ensure equity and representation amongst the NSW regions.

Alongside your application, the panel will also consider the mix of successful applicants to ensure equity in support and representation.

TO APPLY

Applications have now closed.

Please note: you are welcome to apply for multiple programs within the NSW Regional Producers Initiative and will be considered for each program you apply for. However, to ensure equity in support, successful applicants will be offered an opportunity for only one of the programs.

INFO SESSION

The general information session was held online on Tuesday 18 August 2026 at 5:30PM (AEST) via Zoom.

This session covered the full suite of programs, the application process and what to expect, with an opportunity to ask questions and hear from past participants in Performing Lines development programs, including the National Producers Platform.

Below is the recording.

This session was captioned and AUSLAN interpreted.

Download PDF copy of the presentation

BRAVE SPACES & ACCESSI-BILITY

Performing Lines is committed to providing an inclusive space for all to be involved. Please let us know in your application if you require additional support, or please reach out prior to applying to discuss any access or equity barriers around your participation.

There is budget available to support access and cultural needs to make your participation in each program possible should your application be successful.

For example, this can look like (but is not limited to) providing:

An AUSLAN interpreter
A Closed Captioning service
A language translations service
Subsidies to support care for children, elderly, people with Disability, or other dependents to support your travel away from home.

For people who need to communicate accessibility requirements, there is an option to upload an Access Rider to your application.

Access Riders can come in many different formats. If you’re unsure of what this looks like or where to start, please feel free to check out this template from our friends at Auspicious Arts Projects here:

Auspicious Arts Access Rider Template

If you’re unsure about any of the above or would like further assistance submitting your application, please contact Performing Lines Associate Producer (NSW) Nelson Lee:

E: nelson@performinglines.org.au
P: 02-9319-0066

CONTACTS

If you’re unsure about any of the above or would like further assistance submitting your application, please contact Performing Lines Associate Producer (NSW) Nelson Lee:

E: nelson@performinglines.org.au
P: 02-9319-0066