Q&A WITH REGIONAL ARTS ADVISOR,
BELINDA SIMONSEN
Get to know your Regional Arts Advisor (Local Government) from Topology.
Who are you and what is your professional practice?
I’m Belinda and I am an arts and cultural development worker who has worked in local and state government, galleries, artist run spaces and creative small businesses. Quite some time ago, I completed a Visual Arts degree at QUT because I loved expressing myself through creating visual artworks. Realising that being a full time artist is a tough path to follow, I have ended up with a career of working to support the creative outputs of others.
I worked across Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Gympie councils for 14 years in many diverse arts and cultural roles including galleries, festivals and events, community development, public art, heritage programs, grant program management (RADF) and even a bit of disaster recovery. Most recently I worked for State Library in their partnerships with local governments to provide local libraries in regional areas.
Where are you based?
I have lived in Gimuy (Cairns) on Yidinji country for the last two years and before that I was based on Kabi Kabi country in the Noosa Hinterland. I have lived most of my life in coastal areas but have also been able to travel to regional areas which has helped me develop an appreciation for the vastness of Queensland.
What’s something unique to making work in regional or remote areas?
I much prefer to live and work in regional areas. I grew up in a small region south of Brisbane in the 80s and I appreciate the experience I had growing up of being connected to the community and to the environment. I lived in Brisbane for university and as a young adult and then moved to Darwin for adventure and opportunities.
A wonderful six years in Darwin made me realise that I didn’t like big cities anymore and couldn’t move back to Brisbane, so we moved our young family to the Noosa Hinterland to try to provide some of the childhood experiences we had, for our children. The move to Cairns came after a lot of visits to the region. I love the tropical climate, the beautiful natural environment and how it keeps a good balance between being a small town as well as a happening, creative place.
Who or what keeps you connected?
One of the defining characteristics of my career in the arts sector is connection.The people you meet, the networks you build, the experiences you share are so important to the arts sector. We are all very interconnected and if you build good relationships, those same people will come up again and again and bring more opportunities with them.
Making and maintaining relationships has to be one of the most important parts of forging a sustainable career in the arts. Most art forms require some level of collaboration and you can learn so much from other people in the sector. We also have to face challenges from time to time, and working together can achieve so much more than working alone.
I started the RADF officers network in 2021 as a response to being the only cultural development officer at my council and feeling like I needed support and connection with other people in the same situation as me. This group has continued with support from other RADF officers because there is a need for that connection and peer support.
Regional artists, arts and local government workers are welcome to connect or book a meeting with Belinda via our Team page.
Image: Belinda (right) with fellow RASN Regional Arts Advisors Shannon Garson and Charles Wiles at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair.
Q&A WITH REGIONAL ARTS ADVISOR,
SHANNON GARSON
Get to know your Regional Arts Advisor from artisan.
Who are you and what do you make?
I am a ceramic artist, curator, writer and now Regional arts Advisor! I throw porcelain pots on a wheel as well as bowls, jugs, plates and vases. Bound by centrifugal force, these forms emerge as the wheel spins, becoming canvases for drawing, colour and composition that lead the eye around the belly, over the rim and around the foot. The drawing, the form and the beautiful, white porcelain engage in shifting relationships, like a pendulum swinging back and forth. I’m interested in the natural world of leaf litter, clouds, weather, invertebrates and birds. The drawings move between abstraction and representation as familiar objects appear and dissipate, capturing the feel of the ecosystem.
My practice includes making small production runs for museum shops and design markets, exhibiting in galleries and group shows, writing for art magazines, curating exhibitions, assessing grants and leading “Creative Voyage” tours to artistic communities in Australia and overseas.
I’ve also done a few crazy things, including a big public artwork for Maroochydore, and featuring in an advertisement for high end apartments with Mosaic Property Development!
Where are you based, and whose Country are you creating on?
I live on Jinnabarra country in the town of Maleny. Jinnaburra country is characterised by sub-tropical rainforest punctuated by the spiky silhouettes of towering Bunya trees.
What’s something unique to making work in regional or remote areas?
Making work in a regional area means you have to actively build your own networks. You have to go out and create connections with other artists that can be maintained from your own studio. Since working with RASN, I’ve noticed how solitary the life of a visual artist is compared to theatre, music and performing arts. Most visual artists, including myself, love the long solitary hours in the studio, honing our craft and thinking about the nuances of colour, line, composition and materials. Rural life strongly shapes my studio practice through the weather, bird migration and pollination. Many regional artists share this deep connection to the natural world, and it is reflected in their work.
How did your creative path unfold?
I studied painting at art college in the 90s, when all the focus was towards installations. With a recession underway, there were no pathways at all for artists, especially if you wanted to live in the country. During college, sisters Monica Usher and Clairy Laurence set up a gallery and asked four of us from the Painting Department to decorate their pots. This was the start of my lifelong love of clay. I learned so much about business and life as an artist from watching Clairy and Monica. After university I lived overseas before returning to my hometown of Maleny to establish myself as a studio potter. I was surprised to find myself back home – I couldn’t wait to leave when I finished school – but it proved to be the perfect place offering the solitude I needed to work, a beautiful environment and a strong, small community.
Over the years I built a sustainable artistic practice and it wasn’t easy. From 2014-18 I volunteered as President of the Australian Ceramics Association, a national peak body of over 800 members and took this position very seriously. I learned so much about organisations, applying for grants, curating exhibitions and building community. This volunteer position gave me the impetus to become a conduit between my peers and cultural organisations. I became a grants assessor for the Australia Council and Arts Queensland and now I can help other artists interpret the mysteries of grant applications and feedback. I love mentoring artists and I love building my community.
What are you working on right now?
For the last few years I’ve been studying with Korean ceramicists and exploring the form of the Korean Moon Jar. Typically pure white and made from porcelain in two hemispheres, Moon Jars embody Confucian ideals of purity, modesty and simplicity. I’m very excited to be included in the current exhibition of Australian and Korean Moon Jar artists at the Korean Cultural Centre in Sydney, curated by Jin Lee from GalleryLNL. This ties into a tour I’m hosting in October and November in South Korea, where we’ll visit Korean artists’ studios as well as galleries and architect-designed museums, gaining authentic glimpses into Korean culture and history. I can’t wait!
Regional artists and arts workers are welcome to connect or book a meeting with Shannon via our Team page.
Learn more about Shannon’s work via her website.
Images
Top left: Work in “Moon Jar- An Axis” at the KCC, Sydney 2026. Photographer: Shannon Garson.
Bottom left: “Skyways” solo exhibition at USQ Gallery Toowoomba 2025. Photographer: David Martinelli.
Bottom right: Photo of Shannon teaching by Jennifer Hillhouse.
Get to know your Regional Arts Advisor from Ausdance Queensland.
Who are you and what do you make?
I’m Leilani, a teacher and creative producer working across the arts in regional Queensland. My work centres on creating opportunities for people to connect, learn, create and tell stories. Sometimes that looks like teaching a dance class, producing a show or facilitating a workshop; other times it involves mentoring artists, developing projects, building partnerships or helping communities bring creative ideas to life.
Alongside my own work through Arts with Leilani Beth, I support artists, educators, studios and organisations across regional Queensland through my role as a RASN advisor. My goal is to help people access meaningful creative experiences and support creative communities to thrive.
Where are you based, and whose Country are you creating on?
I am based in Toowoomba on Giabal and Jarowair Country in southern Queensland. I recently relocated to Toowoomba after almost a decade living, creating and working in Charleville on Bidjara Country, a place that deeply influenced my understanding of community, creativity and regional life.
As someone who spends a great deal of time travelling throughout regional Queensland, I am fortunate to work on many different Countries and within diverse communities. I recognise the importance of creating respectfully, listening deeply and learning from the people and places that welcome me.
How did your creative path unfold?
My creative path has been anything but traditional.
Like many people, I grew up loving the arts but was encouraged to pursue career pathways that offered more obvious employment opportunities. I trained and worked in early childhood education, developing skills in teaching, leadership and community engagement. When my family arrived in regional Queensland, a very persistent community committee eventually wore down my polite resistance and convinced me to teach dance again.
What started as a few dance classes quickly grew into directing productions, developing arts programs and eventually becoming an Arts Specialist within the school system. Along the way, I realised just how much my background in education and my passion for the arts complemented one another.
Looking back, I can see that a simple philosophy has guided much of that journey: see a need, fill a need. If a community needed a teacher, I taught. If a project needed a producer, I produced. If someone needed support, advice or a sounding board, I did my best to help. That mindset continues to shape the way I work today.
How does your region shape your work?
Regional communities have shaped every aspect of my practice. Having arrived in regional Queensland from a stint in Nepal, I gained a unique perspective on access, distance and the realities of building community far from major centres. It also deepened my appreciation for the importance of connection and creating opportunities close to home.
Living and working in regional communities has taught me to be resourceful, adaptable and collaborative. People often wear multiple hats, share knowledge generously and work together to make things happen. Some of the most creative problem-solvers I know are regional artists and arts workers.
At the same time, distance can create so very many barriers. Much of my work now focuses on helping bridge those gaps so artists and communities can access the support and opportunities they need while remaining connected to the places they call home.
What is an example of how creative work has shaped your community?
One example that stands out is Arts Fest Out West, a community performing arts festival I developed in Charleville. What began as an opportunity for young people to participate in arts workshops grew into a much larger community celebration, bringing together schools, artists, volunteers, businesses, families and organisations.
Young people had the opportunity to learn from professional artists, develop new skills and perform for their community, while local organisations and volunteers worked together behind the scenes to make the event possible.
The performances were important, but what stayed with me was the sense of connection the project created. New partnerships formed, confidence grew, and people came together around a shared goal. Experiences like Arts Fest Out West remind me that creative work isn’t just about making art. It’s about creating opportunities, strengthening connections and seeing what is possible when people come together to create something meaningful.
Regional artists and arts workers are welcome to connect or book a meeting with Leilani via our Team page.
Images
Top right: Leilani facilitating a line dancing workshop at Outback Sounds, Queensland Music Trails, 2025. Photo credit: Queensland Music Trails.
Bottom left: Performer Betty T. rehearses “Out There” during Arts Fest Out West, 2025. Photo credit: Arts with Leilani Beth.
Bottom right: Students in technical rehearsal singing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” for Dare to Dream Jr. as part of Arts Fest Out West, 2025. Photo credit: Arts with Leilani Beth.
Get to know your Regional Arts Advisor for multi-arts, festivals and community engagement from Topology.
Where are you based, and whose Country are you creating on?
For the last 15 years I have been honored to live on Djabuganjdji country on the northern beaches of Cairns, where I am fiercely protecting nine mature and ancient melaleuca trees that call my block home.
Can you share some highlights from your career journey in Australia and overseas?
After completing a BA in Media Studies in the 1990s, I moved to the UK to follow my early dream of working in the West End, securing a role as Deputy Chief Electrician at London’s Criterion Theatre and working across a range of productions.
Returning to Australia, I joined the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) as Head Electrician, and spent six years working across diverse productions which sparked a love for contemporary performance and dance. During this time, I oversaw the lighting fit-out of the Playhouse Theatre’s Stage 5 and led a highly regarded lighting department.
In 1999, I became Head Electrician for Sydney Dance Company, working with Graeme Murphy on major productions including Air and Other Invisible Forces, which I toured through the United States. This culminated in a season at New York’s Joyce Theater, where I received a mention in the New York Times for the lighting quality.The following decade saw me return to Brisbane and move into production management, working on Brisbane Festival, Riverfestival, the Queensland Biennale Festival of Music as well as stints on Adelaide Festival. I also production managed for Force Majeure from its inception with Already Elsewhere, which saw me appear on stage at the Opera House and touring to France. Another highlight of this period was wrangling the installation of the first Spiegeltent in Queensland which was erected directly over the construction site of the busway under King George square.
A long association with Brisbane Powerhouse led to a producing role in the mid 2000s, expanding my focus from technical production to broader event management. Later, as Circa Contemporary Circus’s first producer and production manager, I toured extensively through Europe and the Americas with several of the company’s landmark early works.
Lured back to Cairns after a stint as a snorkel instructor years before, I took up the position of Venue Manager of the Centre of Contemporary Arts Cairns (now Bulmba-ja). This role enabled me to program nationally significant contemporary work while championing regional artists and First Nations creatives. In 2012, I received an Australia Day Medal for Excellence in Public Service Delivery. I later joined Cairns Regional Council to oversee the opening of the Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC).
More recently, I have worked with Dancenorth, Company 2 and Cluster Arts, supporting new work, international touring and presentations at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
In 2022, I joined Topology as RASN Regional Arts Manager for North Queensland, producing major regional projects and artist residencies that support creative development across the region. Highlights include Looking Forward Looking Back, examining Slim Dusty’s relationship with Aboriginal people, and Three Generations Three Songs, exploring the creation story of Palm Island. I also led three artist residencies designed specifically for regional North Queensland artists.
How did your career unfold in regional Queensland?
In 1995 I undertook my first regional tour with Margery Forde‘s Snapshots from Home around South West Queensland. This was my first taste of experiencing the unique stories that can only happen in regional areas.
Later in my career, the Queensland Biennial Festival of Music expanded its brief to encompass the whole state, which saw me managing projects in many regional centres including, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville.
About a decade ago, while I was running the Cairns Centre of Contemporary Arts (now Bulmba-ja), leading dance artists including Marilyn Miller, Monica Stevens and Rita Pryce returned home to live and work closer to Country after careers in the southern capitals. The opportunity to work with these people and others makes me hope I have made a contribution to them, the industry and the nation.
What’s something unique to working and managing arts events in regional or remote areas?
Actively trying to break the well established view that quality arts only emanate from the capital city and work should be sent out to the regions. I have worked hard to some success to support the opposite of this model and build regionally based work and broker it back to Brisbane. More recently it has been great to have contemporary companies based regionally such as Dancenorth to assist in achieving this vision.
Regional artists and arts workers are welcome to connect or book a meeting with Charles via our Team page.
Images: all photos by Tszar
Top right: Local Giants North Queensland Artist Residency 2024.
Bottom left: Zane Saunders.
Bottom right: RASN North Queensland 2025 Artist Residency: Rossville Retreat.
Get to know your Regional Arts Advisors from JUTE Theatre Company
Who are you and what do you make?
JESS: In recent years, I’d say the majority of my time has been spent wearing my producing hat, both for JUTE’s statewide DARTS initiative and new work development projects with Midpoint Theatre Company.
I think the ‘playwright’ label is probably most applicable to me as a text-based theatre artist, though I’m increasingly using that same skillset to dramaturg other works as well. Sometimes I’ll use the broader term ‘theatre maker’, which I find particularly useful in my community-based, applied theatre projects.
CASS: I usually describe myself as a ‘storyteller’, since that’s the simplest way I’ve found to explain the portfolio career I’ve built across theatre.
Creative producing, playwrighting, arts and cultural marketing… they’re all just wonderfully challenging ways of crafting stories that connect audiences with larger ideas.
In terms of what draws me to theatre making…? My happy place is in a creative development or rehearsal room – watching ideas evolve, artists collaborate, and stories slowly find their shape. If my practice can help make that happen, then I feel like I’m on the right path.
JESS: What I love is how theatre (well, all art really, but I think theatre is particularly good at it) uses storytelling to tease out Big, Juicy Problems. Sure, we could use our empirical tools to quantify and respond to real-world issues. But unless we care about those issues – unless they are translated from ‘unfortunate things happening far away’ to ‘urgent things happening to me’ – we’re not likely to bother. As biological supercomputers, it turns out that we don’t actually need all that much help to solve problems… just to care about them.
CASS: It’s not just about the story – it’s about the moment someone connects with it, reflects on it, or sees themselves differently because of it. Whether I’m developing a play, producing a project, or shaping a campaign, I want to make experiences that invite people into conversation with each other and the world around them, where both artists and audiences are listened to and valued.
Where are you based, and whose Country are you creating on?
CASS: I’m based on Yuwi Country in Mackay, which is where I grew up. I returned a few years ago after establishing my professional arts career in South-East Queensland.
JESS: I’m on Darumbal Country in beautiful Yeppoon, which is bordered by the waters of the Woppaburra People. I first came to this Country a little over a decade ago and have been in love with it ever since.
CASS: Coming back has given me a much deeper appreciation for this place and the communities within it. As well as the joy of being close to my family, I feel grounded by the landscape here – from the incredible coastline, celebrating my favourite combo of surf and sand, to the ancient rainforests of Eungella (Land of Clouds). There’s something special about the outdoors here, and those magnificent brain-boosting ions probably deserve some credit too.
How did your creative path unfold?
JESS: My arts career started in schools. Education is a calling for a lot of teachers, but for me, it was more a way to make art by day and still be in bed by 9:30pm. With that said, I adored being a drama teacher! All those gorgeous, squishy brains firing off in a million different directions around an interesting prompt… that’s pretty hard to beat!
After a few years working in regional and remote schools, I was loving my work life, but starting to feel frustrated by the lack of local opportunities to see original, engaging theatre. Eventually, I got so fed up that I decided to do something about it. I got involved in volunteering for a local arts not-for-profit, where I cut my teeth as a producer. I enrolled in UNE’s Master of Applied Theatre Studies, which led me to the Big Juicy Problem of place.
That turned into a script, then a better script, then a full production, then a published play… and the snowballing continued. I think being a greedy audience member really paid off for me in this instance!
CASS: I’ve been fortunate to have my path unfold across two parallel creative lives – one working for artists and within cultural institutions as a marketing specialist, and the other as an independent theatre producer and playwright creating work and opportunities for regional artists and audiences.
I’ve worked alongside some remarkable artists and arts leaders over the years, but my time at HOTA, Home of the Arts, was probably a major turning point in helping me articulate my values as both a theatre maker and artsworker. Collaborating with some incredible colleagues, we were able to really interrogate how people engage with art and performance – visiting galleries after swimming at the beach, ballet in the outdoors, theatre embedded alongside lifestyle, community, and the everyday – all while being unapologetically regional.
This led me on a path as a theatre maker exploring tensions around aspiration, identity, and the communities we build around ourselves.
But working at HOTA also reinforced something I care about deeply: that artists deserve care, sustainability, and support just as much as audiences do. Artists are workers, community-builders, employers, and storytellers – people whose creativity contributes not only economically, but socially and imaginatively to our shared futures.
What’s something unique to making work in regional or remote areas?
CASS: Working across the arts as both a theatre maker and marketer has bolstered my belief that theatre is for everyone, and that the many barriers to participation are based on perception, or are more cultural than practical.
One of the joys of working in a regional area is that we’re very good at reimagining how art fits into everyday life. Boardies or PJs can absolutely be appropriate theatre attire! Dress codes should only exist for safety – or fun.
And the same applies to creative work more broadly. There’s no single way to build a creative career, and artists should be empowered to shape practices and rhythms that genuinely work for them, including being able to work and live in a regional or remote area if that’s where they can be their best selves.
What would you say to someone starting out in your artform?
JESS: Know your style. I’ve decided that most theatre makers fall into one of two camps: the honed blades and the cutting boards. (Stay with me…)
The honed blades spend most of their time and resources sharpening their instruments. They go to every bootcamp and masterclass, travel far and wide to find the mentors and methods that will make them the best artists they can be. This takes enormous diligence, patience and self-knowledge, and it’s what’s needed to be the kind of theatre maker that will always be in demand on others’ projects.
The cutting boards spend most of their time and resources laying the foundations for the work. Fuelled only by the promise of a creative spark, they push through the tedium of planning, gathering support, and creating systems to make projects possible. This takes great endurance, vision, and generosity, and it’s what’s needed to be the kind of theatre maker that will always have a project.
Knowing your style helps you find the most sustainable way forward. Are you a cutting board wanting to refine your skills? Focus as much as possible on connecting the skills you’re developing to real world applications to stay motivated.
Are you a honed blade wanting to realise your own artistic vision? Find trusted collaborators who can steer you towards the bigger picture and away from the path of the vanity project.
Or forget about blades and boards altogether and find the metaphor that resonates with you best. You’re a creative, after all.
Regional artists and arts workers are welcome to connect or book a meeting with Jess and Cass via our Team page.
Images
Top left: Megan Norris and Mark Alston in Rockpocalypse by Jess Lamb. Produced by Arts CQ Inc. at Walter Reid Cultural Centre, Rockhampton, 2019. Photo by Anna Straker.
Middle left: Giselle by Queensland Ballet. Presented at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 2020. Photo by Scott Belzner.
Middle right: GAIA by Luke Jerram. Presented as part of HOTA, Home of the Arts’ WONDER Festival, 2020. Photo by Scott Belzner.
Bottom left: Regional Arts Advisor, Cass Ramsay, at the Pathfinders Independent Producer Intensive, 2026. Photo supplied by QTouring.
Bottom right: Regional Arts Advisor, Jess Lamb, at the DARTS Dramaturgy Skills Building Intensive, 2025. Photo by Paul Furse.
Get to know our Regional Arts Advisor for Music, Alex Henriksson from QMusic
Who are you and what do you make?
I’m Alex Henriksson and I’ve been a producer and songwriter for over 20 years in Queensland. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing talented people in Australia including Matt Corby, Hollow Coves, The Dreggs, Tia Gostelow and Emma Louise.
I’ve always been a huge fan of music and to create a life and lifestyle around this has been a blessing. I really enjoy helping people at crossroads in their careers when they need to figure out what to do next. A lot of this stems from helping them create a deeper philosophy or connection to their project so they can take the next step that aligns closely to what will make them happy. This might be creating an album or writing new songs that suit the audience they have grown over the years they’ve been a part of the music industry.
Where are you based, and whose Country are you creating on?
I’m based on the Sunshine Coast Gubbi Gubbi land. I’ve always felt a huge connection to the Sunshine Coast although I spent over 15 years in Brisbane as well. Place has a huge impact on the music you make and the company you keep that will start to form the person or band you become.
How did your creative path unfold?
Listening to my mother’s records when I was a kid. I was instantly hooked in the mystery of music and wanted to dedicate my life to uncovering my version of this mystery and helping others do the same.
What does your practice look like day-to-day?
I love to walk into the day with no expectations on outcome and really allow the experiences of the people I’m working with to craft the process and the outcome. I utilise the tools and talents I’ve acquired over the years to mould whatever it is we are working on whether it’s a new song or a plan for their career. When you can dig out some vulnerabilities of people you can tap into something very special that is worth sharing with the world and then hopefully the world responds to you and enjoys what you’ve created.
How does your region shape your work?
Working in remote areas has really allowed me and people I work with to turn the volume down on too much external influence. As much as it is amazing to learn from the greats and find inspiration in what they have done, it’s really amazing to tap into your own space and feelings to convey that in the project you are working on. When people see themselves in your work you make a true heart connection and then hopefully a fan for life.
What’s something unique to making work in regional or remote areas?
Being outside of the metro areas we don’t always have access to studios or industry professionals to help with our careers. I believe this can make your journey hard or you can lean into it and recognise how many people share this same story. Once you find the light around this way of living and communicate it through your art you will see the response from everyone else who feels the same way.
Who or what keeps you connected?
I have been lucky enough to meet so many amazing people in the music industry and also friends and family. I love staying connected to all of them as much as possible. Learning from them, asking for advice or just blowing off steam. This is so important in staying relevant in the broader music community in Australia
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on connecting regional Qld to the rest of the broader music community and equipping them with the relevant skills. This will hopefully create a lot more sustainable musicians in the regions and lead to many more projects that can exist within the regions inspiring generations to come.
What would you say to someone starting out in your artform?
Be vulnerable, fearless and keep your friends close.
Regional artists and arts workers are welcome to connect with Alex via email (alex.henriksson@qmusic.com.au) or Book a time to meet.
Check out Alex’s work with Australian Singer, Songwriter and Producer Matt Corby on YouTube.