Gareth Hart works across organsiational leadership, festival curation, event design, and socially-engagement practice to dream, plan and implement ambitious creative projects.
This body of work often involves amplifying under-heard voices, social participation, urban renewal, and critical thinking that engages communities in their own futures.
A very select few of these projects & experiences are listed below.
This body of work often involves amplifying under-heard voices, social participation, urban renewal, and critical thinking that engages communities in their own futures.
A very select few of these projects & experiences are listed below.
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Burrinja Cultural Centre - CEO
Between 2020 - 2024 I was the CEO / Creative Director of Burrinja Cultural Centre - a thriving contemporary-community arts organisation in the Dandenong Ranges of Victoria. During my tenure, I oversaw the development of the annual program (300+ events), a team of 12 permanent employees, strategic initiatives (Creative recovery, commissions for new work, partnerships development and strategic planning), as well as the development of major new programming initiatives. Highlight projects include holding pattern (commissioning of new digital artworks), Live on the Lawn (outdoor live music festival with local and gola;l flavours), Live in the Lyre (ongoing programming of local and Victorian independent musicians), Queer Arts Collective (a multi-year programming and public art initiactive co-designed by a young cohort of LGBTQIA+ youth, and more www.burrinja.org.au Arts Mildura - Executive Director
Between 2019-2020 I was the ED of Arts Mildura - a significant locally engaged community arts organisation in the far North-West of regional Victoria.. At Arts Mildura I steered the organisation through a period of recovery and growth. Through an expansive annual program and venue activation, I working tirelessly to centre ambitious creative ideas within the Gallery, Festival, Event and Engagement focus' of the organisation. Keynote projects included the place-based SALTbody project, Mildura Fringe / Summer Thrills event (supporting the LGBTQIA+ community), But Will (a contemporary practice exhibition exploring feminism/t practices) and a suite of programs collaborating with local First Nations artists. www.artsmildura.com.au hillsceneLIVE
In 2014, in partnership with Burrinja Cultural Centre, Hart launched hillsceneLIVE - a mini festival supporting the development of Theatre, Dance and Live Artists in the Dandenong Ranges. Over the subsequent 4 years, Hart accepted the leadership of the festival, and strategically grew the program from a three hour event, into a fully fledged ten-month development program including professional development, presentation platforms, skills development, commissions and the establishment/mentorship of an emerging cultural leadership committee. hillsceneLIVE now sits as a premeire Cultural organisation in the Dandenong Ranges |
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Lilydale Pop-Up Theatre
In 2016, with funding from Yarra Ranges Council, Hart managed the conversion of a semi-disused warehouse into a functioning theatre space in the outer eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. The pop-up theatre ran a full five week program, and 5 local artists were commissioned to create new work for the space. Artist subsequently received production support, all venue management, ticketing and marketing. |
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Trolls
Hart produced writer/director Neil Triffett's TROLLS, an innovative piece of verbatim theatre, which explored the online phenomenon of trolling. A major piece of new writing for Triffett, two years in the making, the work premiered to a sold out season at La Mama Theatre, Melbourne. |
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LIFT - London International Festival of Theatre
In 2013, Hart was fortunate enough to secure professional development funding to second at LIFT in London. Hart spent three months on immersion in Europe, supporting the producer team to design and deliver the major 2014 international festival. This included support, marketing, and producing for an array of significant international artists including the Dimytry Krymov Company, Lola Arias, Belarus Free Theatre and more. |
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Blindscape
Between 2012 and 2013 Hart produced Skye Gellmann's Blindscape, which premiered at the 2012 Next Wave Festival. Blindscape used innovate iPhone technology to explore a work of performance art, theatre and circus, that was devoid of light. Within the construct of a smartphone app game, audiences members discovered gifts of light in a digital world, which allowed visibility and access to a physical one. Hart subsequently produced a national tour of this work, throughout three venues and states along the East Coast of Australia, picking up a nomination for a 2012 Green Room Award for 'Innovation and Excellence in Circus". |
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CRACK Theatre Festival
Between 2009 and 2012 Hart was the Co-Artistic Director of CRACK Theatre Festival, part of This Is Not Art in Newcastle, NSW. Under the co-directorship, Hart led CRACK Theatre Festival into the next strategic stage of it's development, including a number of key initiatives and pilots. These included the establishment of an accessible arts stream, producing a major Cultural Development project with local youth, securing increased funding and partnerships with wider industry and peak bodies. |
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Self
An independent producing project from 2011, which saw 20 local resident explore their connections with physical environments, through photography and recorded histories. Resulting in a major community exhibition, Self explored the psychological and emotional connections with land. |
Australian Youth Dance Festival
In 2006, Hart's love of festival management was born, through a secondment with AusDance Victoria, on the 2006 Australian YOuth Dance Festival. Here, hart supported the festival team to administer, program, coordinate and evaluate a major regional arts festival.
In 2006, Hart's love of festival management was born, through a secondment with AusDance Victoria, on the 2006 Australian YOuth Dance Festival. Here, hart supported the festival team to administer, program, coordinate and evaluate a major regional arts festival.
