Episode 19 Julian Louis: NORPA's artistic director on leadership and reframing purpose in crisis

Julian Louis, CEO and Artistic Director of NORPA (Northern Rivers Performing Arts), shares his journey of leading a regional theatre company through major challenges, including floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. Key points from the conversation include:

• NORPA's unique approach to creating place-based, site-specific theatre that is deeply connected to the local community and stories of the Northern Rivers region of NSW, Australia.
• How Julian's background in devised theatre and improvisation has influenced NORPA's collaborative creative process and focus on generating original works.
• The challenges and opportunities of creating professional theatre in a regional setting, far from major cities and funding bodies. Julian discusses the importance of making theatre accessible and relevant to local audiences.
• NORPA's strong commitment to engaging with local Aboriginal communities and telling First Nations stories, as demonstrated by works like Flow which shared a Bundjalung story.
• The devastating impact of the 2022 floods which destroyed NORPA's venue and forced the company to radically rethink its operating model and purpose. Julian openly discusses the trauma and grief of this experience.
• NORPA's plans for the future, including developing a new creative studio space, exploring mobile outdoor theatre options, and continuing to make regionally-specific works that resonate on a national level.
• Julian's reflections on cultural leadership and the role of theatre in building community resilience and healing in the face of crises like climate change disasters.

Links
NORPA website - norpa.org.au

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