Jeremy Smith (Deputy Chair)  WA

Jeremy studied Lighting Design at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, graduating in 1997. After initially starting a career in the arts sector in the technical production field, Jeremy transitioned to Program Management of Arts and Cultural programs in 2001, following a stint at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival in Canada (assisted by a Young People and the Arts Fellowship grant from ArtsWA). On his return to WA, Jeremy assumed the role of Program Manager of the Creative Challenge with AWESOME Arts Australia.  The Creative Challenge is AWESOME’s state-wide contemporary arts residency program for children and young people, working in 10 regional, rural and remote communities across Western Australia each year.  In 2003, Jeremy commenced work at the WA Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) as Project Officer, Community and Regional Arts Development – continuing his regional and community arts focus across Western Australia, assisting regional and metropolitan-based artists and organisations secure funding and support from DCA.  During his five and a half years at DCA, Jeremy held several positions – including Manager, Resources and Senior Project Officer, Organisations and Contracts, which enabled Jeremy to work closely with DCA’s 46 recurrently funded key arts and cultural organisations.  Between July 2008 and April 2010, Jeremy worked at DADAA (Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts, Australia) Inc, as Manager, Regional and Strategic Development.  He currently works for Rio Tinto in Perth as Senior Advisor, Community Investment – working across the company’s business units in Western Australia.

Claudia Chidiac  NSW

Claudia is a director, community cultural development facilitator, producer and performer. Claudia is currently the Creative Performance Producer at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre in Sydney. From 2005 - 2010 she was the Artistic Director of Powerhouse Youth Theatre (PYT), where she was responsible for directing, and producing the company’s artistic program and developing training opportunities for emerging artists in Western Sydney. For PYT she directed City Quest (2007), was associate director of This Territory with the Australian Theatre for Young People (2007), co-directed Mobile Messenger (2006) and I do… but (2006). From 2006-2008 Claudia was the director of Can You Hear Me?, a legal theatre event with South West Sydney Legal Centre. She  previously worked as a freelance director and performance artist across Western Sydney, making work with young people, migrant and refugee communities. She has worked with companies such as Urban Theatre Projects, Belvoir St Theatre Company, Performance Space, Bankstown Youth Development Service and Information and Cultural Exchange. Projects include Girlz Gaze (2004),  In Our Name (2004), Museum of Fetishised Identities (2001) and Asylum (2001). In 2008 Claudia was one of the Australian delegates in the Next Generation Symposium as part of the 16th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival; in 2006, she was awarded the Australia Council for the Arts Community Cultural Development Young Leaders Award; and in 2004 the Arts NSW Western Sydney Artist Fellowship. In 2002 she was one of ten young Australians selected to attend an international summer school for young change-makers, held in Wales, UK.  

Marline Zaibak  VIC

Marline Zaibak has a Bachelor of Media Studies, Post Grad. Dip. (LaTrobe University) and  Post Grad. Small Companies and Community Theatre (NMIT). She has 10 years experience in youth theatre, previously Chairing the Platform Youth Theatre Board and was a Board Member of the Melbourne Workers Theatre Committee of Management. Before starting with the Anti Racism Action Band (A.R.A.B.), Marline worked in event and project management developing events for Pan Event Entertainment, The Australia Day Committee, Federation Square and the City of Melbourne. Since beginning her role as Program Manager with A.R.A.B. in 2006, Marline has worked across stage management, production, project management and producing on Yallah Hayat! tour, Hurriya! Ahlam, Tammarrud, Conjure, Northern Trax, the Tawasul gigging program and A.R.A.B.’s special projects.

Sally Marsden  TAS

Sally Marsden has been working in the Community Arts and Cultural Development sector for over 25 years. Having studied Dramatic Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Sally began her career in Theatre in a number of performance and producer roles. From 1985 Sally held the position of Community Cultural Development Artist at Arts Access Melbourne for a period of 11 years. During this time, Sally was also the Visual Arts Director and Designer for Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company in Melbourne.  In 1996, Sally established the Artfful Dodgers Studio in Melbourne, a Jesuit Social Services program for at risk young people. As Arts & Culture Program Co-ordinator, Sally managed a number of projects, including In the Can, De-Hinged, Triptych, Nature Vs Culture and Risking Art for Survival. In 2000, Sally received the Australia Council’s prestigious Ros Bower Award for her contribution and achievement in the field of community arts and cultural development. From 2003 – 2006, Sally was Community Cultural Development Projects Officer and Coordinator of the Rudder Project, an arts mentoring program provided to emerging artists interested in working with the Community Arts and Cultural Development model developed within the Artful Dodgers Studio. In 2006, Sally relocated to Tasmania and established the King Island Cultural Centre and Residency Program in partnership with the King Island Council. Sally is currently the Director of the Centre.

Lorna Martin  NT

Lorna Martin is the Director for Injalak Arts and Crafts Association Inc. She has been in this position for almost 2 years. Prior to that Lorna was a Regional Arts Broker for Arts NT, Business Manager for the Arlpwe Aboriginal Artists Association and Executive Officer for Barkly Regional Arts. As a senior operating and management executive with strong experience in community cultural development and capacity building through the arts and education, Lorna has worked towards improving the sustainability of remotely located organisations in particular in remote Indigenous communities. Lorna believes that when the local community is at the centre of any community development the community achieves a future that includes the things they value. Lorna has a solid background in all key aspects of not for profit and commercial businesses and the public sector. Lorna started her career as a teacher in Queensland.