Event Production

Justin holds a Masters in Creative Industries from Western Sydney University and an Advance Diploma in Screen Media, Multiplatform Producing. He has experience in producing documentary content for television. In 2020, Justin was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to explore the artist-led makerspaces. In his background of film production, programming and production, he has worked for the Brisbane International Film Festival, Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the Sydney Film Festival and the Antenna International Documentary Film Festival. He produced the award winning 30min documentary ‘Not a Willing Participant’ screened on ABC and the 1hour documentary, ‘A War of Hope’ with SBS/NITV. Most recently Justin has been the Exhibition Manager at Sculpture at Scenic World and formerly worked in the technical team for Sculpture by the Sea.

CREATIVE EVENT PRODUCER I have over twenty years’ experience in the events and entertainment industry, working in Sydney and London. Now based in the Blue Mountains. With a strong track record of producing events and activations of the very highest calibre, I specialise in managing large scale and complex projects in unique venues and outdoor spaces. From Sydney Opera House to London Zoo then the Australian Museum of Contemporary Art, I’ve had the privilege to work in some truly iconic locations. Creative and commercially-savvy, I combine strong logistics with a flair for design to deliver innovative and engaging experiences for a range of audiences.

UnitePlayPerform is an Australian arts health organisation enhancing wellbeing through creativity in a globally connected world. Founded by Australian contemporary artist and experience designer ØFFËRÎNGŠ, UnitePlayPerform is a transformational therapeutic methodology incorporating play, making, co-creation and community. The master method is delivered via educational Playshops, retreats, digital experiences, performance works, exhibitions and therapeutic products that invite self exploration and leadership. “UnitePlayPerform was developed by Artist ØFFËRÎNGŠ as a new system to nurture and enhance the everyday lives of humans in such potent and challenging times. The concept was born unexpectedly within the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as a response to the isolation and segregation of our communities. UnitePlayPerform started to realize the positive impact that a practice like this could have on individuals and the lives they may affect around them. The ripple effect could be global, and the potential could be life enhancing as a legacy for generations to come. Post incubation phase, now in 2022, UPP has expanded to become a multi-disciplinary arts health organisation supporting the ongoing delivery of all that we do. A crucial element of the journey has been the assembly of a small team of world-class thought leaders, innovators, neuro-psychology theorists, cultural strategists and iconic play design experts who have collaborated to bring this vision to life. UPP aims to facilitate new pathways born at the intersection of art, health, science and wellbeing.

Born and raised in the Blue Mountains, Chandu started her career as a nurse but spent her mornings and evenings on cliff tops painting impressionist landscapes in oil. In her mid twenties Chandu set off on a 7 month trip overseas - she didn’t move home for 12 years. Chandu spent much of that time in a remote village in Tanzania. It was here she saw the great need and opportunities for women in arts and business. In 2001 she created an international business based on fair trade principles between East Africa and Australia. She supported the micro economy and the health and wellbeing of families in the remote region and also promoted the sustainability of local customs, arts and traditions among indigenous villagers and tribe’s people. Chandu's years in a mud hut without electricity, running water or transport, found her swapping her sable brushes for simple living. Her new art form became writing poetry and prose on dodgy notebooks by lantern light. For the last 20 years Chandu has been studying, teaching and mentoring organisations, groups and individuals in the business, leadership and creative industries. An avid writer and poet she has won a scholarship with the Faber Writing Academy, been awarded local prizes for her short stories and poems, has enjoyed 2 invited residencies at Varuna and been published in several anthologies. She is a sought after and inspiring public speaker and Emcee. Chandu dedicates her time between being a creative and actively supporting creatives to take their passion and practice out into the world. An inspiring and engaging facilitator and creative coach, Chandu offers bespoke group programs and one on one mentoring for artists and practitioners like you who wish to * step more fully onto your creative path * explore and clarify your talents, ideas and offerings * make your passion your profession or * explore and extend your creative and business offerings If you'd love more information and support book a complimentary Connection Conversation today. https://chandubickford.com/services/#holisticmentoring

I’m an inter-disciplinary artist who has for the most part of my career used the camera as my tool to create. With a degree in Environmental Science, I have a passion for exploring where art and science intersect; creating art and experiential projects that encourage behaviour change. From outdoor public art exhibitions to intimate, contemplative works, I strive to innovate and inspire. Following my period at the helm of MTNS MADE, I have returned to my own creative practice – exploring new materials and immersing myself in the natural world – creating artworks to reveal the inner strength and unique nature of the subject, and provide new perspectives for my audiences.

I'm a performing musician and composer, graphic artist, videographer and educator and have lived in the upper Blue Mountains for the last two decades. I perform with the psychedelic soundscape ensemble PaperSun and am an original member of the Spooky Men’s Chorale, the infamous Mountains-based mens a cappella group. My music has been employed in a wide range of projects over the years, ranging from a soundtrack for the independent film 'The Last Babushka Doll' (2018), a promotional video for MTNS MADE and for the DiG digital arts project for Penrith City Council. My most recent release, Sounds Of In-Between (2015) brings together voice, instruments and field recordings in a timeless collage of music and sound. I'm currently working on composing and recording an album of new material with PaperSun at my studio in Abbey Street, Leura. I completed a first class honours degree at Western Sydney University in 2015 and has presented research at conferences in Spain, New Zealand and Australia. My doctoral investigation explored the spatio-temporal phenomenon of suspension as an aesthetic approach in popular music and imagery, which resulted in the audiovisual work States of Suspension, performed with PaperSun at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in 2018 as part of my thesis submission. I'm a sessional lecturer at WSU and also teach instrumental students through my own music school, Abbey Street Music. I can be contacted at music@abbeystreet.one or call/text 0417 376 733.

I work within the Arts & Cultural services of Regional NSW, providing skills in graphic design, art program administration, project management, data collection for research, facilitation and mentoring. Recent programs include: Culture Dose for Kids art program from AGNSW and The Black Dog Institute with funding from the Jibb Foundation, Intergenerational Playgroup with BANC with funding from NBMPHN and Wentworth Healthcare. As a highly skilled brand communication designer with over 25 years experience, most recently running my own business specialising in design for the Arts and Cultural sector, I manage all design projects from initiation to completion and excel in customer service forming long-lasting working relationships with clients and suppliers. Recent clients include: Blue Mountains City Art Gallery, Blue Mountains City Council Cultural Development and Place Management teams, and Regional Futures for Regional Arts NSW.

Bringing magic into the world. Performing as Mx Robert Frost (Exploratory experiential sound focused on harsh noise and modified hearing through cognitive practice), and as part of Atunement with Panos Couros (exploratory, musique concrète, ambient). Designing and building electronic musical instrument equipment as MxRF. Building creative community and sharing synthesis knowledge as Mid Mountains Modular (Mmm).

I'm an artist and designer working in the field of immersive and interactive media. I'm interested in the aesthetics of how people interact with virtual environments and what simulated realities can tell us about humanity. My research focuses on applications for immersive visualisation and experimental digital technologies to the preservation and interpretation of important cultural heritage sites, collections and museums. I'm interested in how we can use new media platforms to create new, embodied sensory experiences that allow us to understand heritage in innovative ways. I'm also interested in the mechanics of immersive design. My background is in art history and museums, and I work closely with the GLAM sector on digital conservation, exhibition design and interaction design projects.

With an international performance and production career, Anthony Albrecht has developed a reputation as an impresario of world-class events characterised by generosity, outreach and connection to issues of social justice, conservation and sustainability. He is co-founder and CEO of the Bowerbird Collective, an organisation devoted to forging stronger connections to the natural world through the arts. With Bowerbird, Anthony has co-produced numerous award-winning multimedia productions, described as "spectacular" by Limelight Magazine, and self-presented and performed in hundreds of events throughout regional Australia. In 2021 and 2022, their albums of endangered bird and frog calls, 'Songs of Disappearance', beat ABBA, Ed Sheeran and Adele on the ARIA charts. A musician known for his “dramatic flair” and “fluent and virtuosic” performances (Seen and Heard International, Sydney Morning Herald), he has frequently appeared with Pinchgut Opera, Van Diemen's Band, the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, the Australian Haydn Ensemble, il Pomo d’Oro and New Vintage Baroque (NYC). Solo engagements include an appearance in the woods of East Sussex as a guest of Sam Lee’s ‘Singing with Nightingales’ project, a recital at the Handel and Hendrix House in London, a performance of Haydn’s Concerto in D at the Newcastle Music Festival, and as concerto soloist with Adelaide Baroque. Committed to musical outreach, Anthony self-produced a solo tour of over 80 concerts in regional Australia called ‘Bach to the Bush’. He is founder and director of three regional festivals, the Lapwing Music Festival in the UK, the Moonbird Festival on King Island, TAS, and the Lyrebird Festival in the Megalong Valley, NSW. Anthony was the first Australian graduate of The Juilliard School’s Historical Performance program, earning a Master of Music on full scholarship in 2014. To develop his arts business and management skills, he earned an MBA in 2022.

Part of the world of book publishing for almost a decade before pursuing a career in Marketing and Project Management for multiple Sydney events with Sydney Opera House, UNSW (University of New South Wales) and The Ethics Centre, including talks festivals Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI) and All About Women. Work-wise, an adept juggler and organiser - handling varying aspects of any project or campaign including strategic planning, marketing, publicity, sponsorship, creating digital content, copywriting for print and social media. Personally, an eternal optimist who enjoys making things, crafting stories and getting to know people better.

Born in Sydney, I have lived in the Blue Mountains for 16 years. As a performance creator and visual artist I work at the intersection of dance, installation, theatre and architecture. My recent works fall into the categories of performance art and installation. I work in solo, duet or group formation depending on the project. I also collaborate with my partner WeiZen Ho. In Sydney I was the founding member of seminal performance ensemble Gravity Feed (1992-2004) and of Gravity Research Institute (2000-2019). I conceive, devise, design, and choreograph and direct performance projects. I especially work with materials and objects and with site responsive concepts. My projects and performance address the essence of site, employing materials that perform in relation to and with body and place. I’m driven to seek underlying historical residues and my work reflects my personal post-Holocaust legacy in which I’m particularly focussed on the diasporic condition. I’m influenced by both contemporary and traditional cultural and artistic practices of Japan, China and SE Asia, with practice, participation and research in those regions. Recently I’ve presented work for smaller festivals in Newcastle and Maitland as well at Cementa15 and Cementa22 in Kandos. WeiZen Ho and I were commissioned artists for the 2022 Keir Choreographic Awards.