Writer | Playwright

Claire Christian is an award-winning writer and playwright. Her debut novel Beautiful Mess won the Text Prize and has been translated internationally. Claire has written and directed acclaimed theatre works and brings over fifteen years’ experience working with young people and communities. She is a skilled interviewer, known for thoughtful conversations that centre the subject and let their stories shine.

Producer | First Nations Artist

Producer

Meanjin/Brisbane “dehydrated disco” producer Laura Hill draws from a persuasive mood-board of cubist synth-pop, and disaster fascination. Her synthesis of raw rhythms, sequencer intuition, and echo-soaked storytelling hone and decay- heatwaving between low-lidded new wave, woozy acid ballads, and alienated karaoke. Keep it steady, come into the world of SCRAPS.

Vocalist | Inclusion Advocate

Tim McCallum is a celebrated vocalist and passionate advocate for inclusion in the arts. After a spinal injury at 18, he adapted his technique and returned to the stage, later gaining national recognition as a finalist on The Voice Australia.
Tim uses his platform to champion accessibility and support emerging artists, helping to shape a creative sector that values diversity, resilience and opportunity for all, both on stage and behind the scenes.

Visual Artist | Arts Worker

Andrea Baumert Howard is an award-winning multidisciplinary visual artist. Her practice is driven by the belief that the story shapes the medium, leading to innovative work using handmade recycled paper made from discarded office and junk mail. With more than a decade in the arts sector, Andrea works with Ceramic Arts Queensland, is an active member of Bremer Forum, and leads the professional collective IPSARI Inc., championing community engagement, exhibitions and artist advocacy.

Image credit: Amanda Waschevski

4-piece Alt-Rock/Punk DIY Band

Daylight Vandal are a four-piece alt-rock and punk DIY band. Rooted in grunge DIY ethics, they travel by public transport, organise their own gigs and are teaching themselves how to navigate venue bookings.

Tabletop and Gaming Community Advocate

Mark Higgins is passionate about the power of games to bring people together.
He explores how tabletop gaming, from board games to role-playing, is shaping pop culture and emerging as a contemporary creative practice.

Founder, Artists in Common | Consultant | Producer

Mandi bridges policy, practice and culture. A strategic consultant and producer, she's led cross-sector partnerships for government, cultural organisations and international agencies. Through co-kinetic, she builds capacity where mission meets creativity. She serves on the board of Green Music Australia and is launching Artists in Common, a space connecting artists with causes that match their creative hearts.

Visual Artists | Illustrator

Benitta is an Ipswich-based creative working across fine art and design. For more than a decade, she created sets and characters for international children’s stage productions through Pen2Stage. Her work has reached audiences across Asia, the Middle East and Australia.
Alongside this, her practice includes lifelike portraiture, figurative works and cinematic cityscapes, as well as digital illustration projects for schools and licensing clients.

Musician | Local Live Music Advocate

Damien J. Johnson is an Ipswich-based country, folk and blues artist known for heartfelt storytelling and a deep connection to regional Australian life. He has shared the stage with artists including James Blundell, Daryl Braithwaite and David McCormack, and has featured on ABC Country and ABC Local Radio. A passionate advocate for local live music, Damien is recognised nationally for his contribution to grassroots arts and community-led creative culture.

President, ArtsConnect Ipswich

Glen Smith is a self-taught, award-winning multimedia artist whose work is held in private collections in Australia and overseas. A long-time contributor to Ipswich’s arts community,
Glen has been recognised with the 2018 Ipswich Cultural Award and named Ipswich Citizen of the Year in 2021. He has presented multiple solo exhibitions, including at Ipswich Art Gallery, and taken part in more than 200 group exhibitions across Southeast Queensland. A finalist in the 2024 Flying Arts Queensland Regional Arts Awards, Glen lives and works in Ipswich and is President of ArtsConnect Ipswich.

Creator, Red Lanyard

Sally Porteous is an event creator, producer and coach with over 20 years’ experience designing and delivering live experiences across corporate and creative industries. Known for helping creators focus on what really matters, the audience experience, Sally shares practical frameworks and tools that simplify logistics without killing creativity. She continues to actively produce events for clients and her own projects, keeping her work grounded, current and deeply practical.

Visual Artist | Traditional Custodian

Erica is a Traditional Custodian from the Yugambeh Language Region of the Gold Coast, with ancestral connections to Wollumbin, Mount Warning.
She is passionate about connecting with community and strengthening understanding and respect for culture. Through weaving, painting, language and performance-based projects, Erica works alongside Indigenous artists and craftspeople and brings a strong, practical understanding of cultural protocols grounded in lived experience.

Founder, Hey Mate

Aimee is the founder of Hey Mate, which provides mental health support and education for the music, entertainment, performing arts and creative industries. Combining therapeutic expertise with lived creative industry experience, Aimee established Hey Mate to address long-standing gaps in accessible, preventative and industry-informed mental health care for creatives.

Museum Development Officer, Queensland Museum

Josh Tarrant is a Senior Museum Development Officer with Queensland Museum, supporting regional museums and collections through capacity building, professional development, and sector advocacy.
With over 25 years experience in the sector, his work sits at the intersection of heritage and community practice, focusing on practical skills, storytelling, and collaboration.

Flying Arts is an arts and cultural development organisation which has been delivering visual arts projects and services to regional and remote Queensland since 1971.
The organisation has played a significant role in inspiring artists and communities, as well as helping to overcome the impacts of regional isolation and remote living. They run the very popular Queensland Regional Art Awards

Ipswich Central Partnership (ICP) is a volunteer-led group driving community-led placemaking in Ipswich Central. Working alongside all levels of government, local businesses and residents, ICP supports Ipswich City Council’s vision for the city centre as Ipswich’s cultural hub and beating heart.

The Ipswich Arts Advisory Group (IAAG) is a volunteer collective of community leaders dedicated to nurturing and advancing Ipswich’s creative sector. Established as a key initiative of the Creative Industries Action Plan, the IAAG promotes arts and culture across the city, provides strategic advice to Ipswich City Council on cultural priorities, strengthens networks that create opportunities for creative professionals, and amplifies the voice of the local arts community within council discussions. Together, the group works to ensure that creativity remains a vibrant and valued part of Ipswich’s future.