OUR
VALUES

Sarah has over 25 years experience in delivering projects, productions, festivals, and programs. She has worked in the non-profit sector, the Australian Public Service, in

publishing at a policy, strategy and advocacy level, and throughout the arts sector. She has worked in the film industry in three countries (UK, US, and Australia). She has programmed and managed writers festivals (Brisbane Writers Festival, NSW Writers’ Centre Autumn Writers Festival) and film festivals (WOW Film Festival, Red Carpet Night). 

 

Highlights of Sarah's career include founding the Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative, a world-first in the print disability space, delivering best practice regulatory compliance policy and services in National Trade Measurement, and managing the Australian Parliamentary Book Club and Parliamentary Friends of Australian Books and Writers.

 

Recently, over an extraordinarily challenging two and a half years (think pandemic, border closures and a Brisbane flood) Sarah, as CEO, restructured and artistically reinvigorated the Brisbane Writers Festival. She delivered three ambitious and highly diverse programs, bringing in new sponsors, funding, benefactors, and initiating new program elements, such as 'Country of Focus', 'Brisbane as a Storied City', and 'tent-pole' events such as the Marion Taylor Gala and the Mother's Day High Tea. She curated the inaugural Cross-Arts Program, 'The Art of the Book' and launched the BWF app. In doing so, she brought the Festival to a host of new audiences and set the template for future sustainability.

 

Her most recent role, as Government Relations Manager for the Copyright Agency, involved navigating the complex issues and challenges presented by GenAI to the creative industries and delivering stakeholder analysis and high-level policy advice.