Olivia Ansell

“I’m passionate about the role festivals can play to change the face of a city, making significant cultural impact of epic scale”.

Olivia Ansell is a highly accomplished arts executive with almost three decades experience. Initially as a performing artist, choreographer and director through to executive producer, curator and key creative leading across a broad scope of non- profit and commercial live performance and public art ventures.

Olivia is the 2022-2025 Festival Director of Sydney Festival, completing her fourth and final festival in January 2025. Highlights have included: blockbuster immersive experience Frida Kahlo-The Life of an Icon attracting 96,000 attendees; transforming the majestic Sydney Town Hall into a lifelike beach for Lithuanian opera Sun & Sea; staging Puccini’s one act opera ll Tabarro aboard the Carpentaria Light Ship in Sydney Harbour; curating extraordinary dance from across the globe and collaborating with First Nations artists and companies to co-commission several new Australian works, including the world premiere of Big Name No Blankets- a rock ‘n roll musical about the Warumpi Band era.

Previously Olivia spent three years as Head of Contemporary Performance for Sydney Opera House Presents where she curated and championed a diverse range of maverick storytellers to the stage including: Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow’s cult musical SIX; Hofesh Shechter’s critically acclaimed Grand Finale; Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights; A O Lang Pho by Cirque Nouveau du Vietnam; Natalia Osipova and David Hallberg’s Pure Dance and Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby’s hit show, Douglas.

A graduate of Queensland University of Technology, the Australia Council’s Executive Leadership Program and Chief Executive Women Leadership Program Sydney, Olivia was voted one of Vivid Sydney’s Top 100 Creative Catalysts. She is also a lecturer in Movement for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s post graduate Con Opera School.

“I’m looking forward to joining the Luminato team, leading deep collaboration and rich creative exchange between artists and companies from Toronto, wider Canada and across the globe. Together we will amplify the city’s bold identity through diverse storytelling and ambitious public play”.