Leading Brisbane:
Louise Bezzina, Artistic Director, Brisbane Festival

9 OCTOBER 2024

As the Artistic Director of Brisbane Festival, Louise Bezzina is at the helm of Queensland’s largest annual arts and cultural event. With a passion for celebrating local talent and international creativity, she brings a unique vision to the festival. In this article, Louise shares her insights on Brisbane's dynamic arts scene and reveals what makes the Brisbane Festival so special for residents, visitors and artists alike. Join us as we dive into her thoughts on the vibrant cultural landscape that shapes our city!

The Brisbane Festival is making its mark around the country and the world. As Artistic Director, what do you rate as the biggest highlights or achievements for you and your team?

Every year, we strive to give the festival a distinctly Brisbane vibe. I genuinely believe we’ve achieved that! Success for us is all about the feeling we create in the city. There’s an undeniable energy in the air right now; it’s not just a fleeting moment. The whole community gets involved, making it a celebration for everyone – not just a select few. My team is committed to adding more magic and elevating the experience year after year.

Did you expect the Festival brand to grow this fast? To what do you attribute its success?

The brand is definitely growing, and while that’s exciting, I believe we still have so much potential ahead of us. My goal is to ensure that, by the time I finish in this role, Brisbane feels loved by both its residents and visitors, through the Festival.

I’d love to build in more large-scale events, like Riverfire, that have a real impact and create lasting memories for the whole community. I want to establish more rituals that connect people to our city. This year, the Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show and our stunning drone show have helped us significantly broaden our reach, engaging the entire community and contributing to the brand’s growth. Each year, we aim to raise the bar even higher!

Having produced and commissioned a huge number of world premiere productions, your decisions make a big impact on the Arts industry in Brisbane. What is your vision for the Arts in Brisbane?

My vision is to weave the arts and cultural industries into the very fabric of Brisbane. The arts should be seen as essential, not just a nice add-on. I want to foster greater participation, interest, and support for artists so they can thrive here. With the rising cost of living, it can be challenging for people to buy tickets, and we need more discretionary funding to keep the arts vibrant. Brisbane’s arts scene is primed to become an integral part of our culture, adding to the city’s vibrancy, we just need to make it happen.

Boy Swallows Universe and other local productions are setting the market on fire. What is it about Brisbane that makes our city intrinsically different and special?

I absolutely adore Brisbane! The city’s quirks inspire incredible stories, and when we embrace that uniqueness, magic happens. Boy Swallows Universe is a wonderful example of this. Just like many big cities, we have a dark side, a playful side, and a beautiful natural environment – all fantastic ingredients for extraordinary stories. Our talent pool is rich, and the success of homegrown productions like Boy Swallows Universe and Bluey proves that we have a hunger to tell and experience these narratives.

Big creative productions are a significant business risk and finance can be tough to find in the Arts. How did you know these would be successful, and what did it take to convince others to back them?

It all comes down to instinct, backed by thorough research. We want to take risks and push boundaries. If you have a compelling idea and a strong team, it becomes easier to garner support. People are drawn to the excitement, which makes them more willing to contribute. Of course, there’s always uncertainty – some projects are easier to pitch than others. For instance, with Trent Dalton being such a superstar, it reduces the risk. Love Stories and Boy Swallows Universe had all the right ingredients to be such big hits.

Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show brought an international flair and a bold, larger-than-life vibe. We knew it would resonate, especially with support from partners like BEDA. But the truth is, you’re only as good as your last gig, so we’re always striving to surprise and delight.

How important are partnerships when it comes to attracting world-class talent and productions, like the Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show?

Partnerships are absolutely essential, especially for scaling projects. We couldn’t have pulled off the Jean Paul Gaultier show without BEDA’s support and all our other collaborators. Positive coverage from international media like The New York Times is also a result of connections and partnerships, showcasing Brisbane in a great light and giving us invaluable publicity on the world stage.

Brisbane’s global reputation is gaining momentum as the city gears up for the 2032 Olympics. How does the Arts industry plan to leverage this opportunity?

We’re already on it! We’re constantly scouting for the next great show and looking for ways to enhance and expand our local industry. We’ve been very strategic about leveraging the recent Paris Olympics to build connections that will benefit Brisbane. We are also looking to strengthen ties with cities like LA ahead of the next Games. The Olympic opportunities are already knocking at our door and will only come thicker and faster as we barrel towards 2032!

The 2024 Brisbane Festival has come to a close—another amazing program. How do you keep making the production bigger and better? Can you give us any hints about what comes next?

Audiences crave novelty and something to talk about, so we’re always exploring new ideas. I’ll give you a little hint: I mentioned LA earlier, and there are definitely some exciting local stories in the works. The success of the drone show and Riverfire as part of the Brisbane Festival will continue to grow, and we’re exploring even more partnerships to get the whole community involved. But that’s all I can share for now!

On a personal note

What’s the best professional advice you were ever given?

When I first stepped into this role, as the first female (and Brisbane local!) in this position, I struggled with a bit of imposter syndrome. A wise female colleague told me, “Put your big girl pants on – you’ve got this.” That advice has stuck with me! It’s all about having confidence and embracing the challenge.

Best book?

I’d have to say The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida. I read it in uni and it still has an impact on me all these years later.

Favourite lifestyle or cultural precinct in Brisbane?

Honestly, they’re all amazing in their own ways, but personally, I love the Powerhouse – it’s such an iconic venue.

Favourite Brisbane restaurant?

I can’t get enough of Honto!

Aerial view