Beginners’ Call – Episode 1: Louise Bezzina, Brisbane Festival Artistic Director
“Like anybody who puts any creative vision out into the world, there’s that moment when your heart skips a beat: Are people going to like this? Does it resonate? Does it do all of the things it needs to?”
Louise Bezzina knows a thing or two about creative programming. She’s produced work that required shark mitigation, always has a rain contingency and only weeks away from unveiling her inaugural Brisbane Festival program in 2020, watched as the COVID pandemic turned everything on its head. Undeterred, Louise and her team curated a reimagined Brisbane Festival, a beacon of hope in a challenging time.
On the eve of her third Brisbane Festival, Louise reflects on the inspiration and innovation that continues to shape the 2022 program. She discusses the challenges of presenting a Festival that truly reflects the essence of Brisbane, one she defines as “dynamic optimism”.
“You don’t want to be a cookie-cutter version of every other Festival or arts program. You need to find a way to give it a personality that feels distinctly of this place.”
In this episode, Louise reveals how she draws on instinct, local knowledge, community and connection to program a Festival of and for its time and place. Exploring her formative tenure as Founder and Artistic Director of Bleach – The Gold Coast Festival, Louise explains the origins of her fascination with developing site-specific work and commissioning performances in non-traditional venues
“That’s the great gift of a Festival: to push ourselves, to push artists, to push companies to make work that they couldn’t make at any other time of the year.”
Brisbane Festival returns to fill the city with three weeks of wonder, delight and celebration from 2 – 24 September 2022. For information and tickets, visit brisbanefestival.com.au
Beginners’ Call records on Turrbal and Yugerra country in Meanjin, Brisbane. Brisbane Festival recognises the integral role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples play in our creative, artistic and celebration spaces and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
Podcast Curator: Louise Bezzina (Brisbane Festival)
Podcast Guest: Louise Bezzina (Brisbane Festival)
Podcast Host: Adam Brunes (Aruga)
Podcast Producer: Gilberto Castillo (The Podcast Boss)