About the Staff
Marcia Ferguson - Artistic Director
Marcia is a director, writer, deviser and curator of contemporary performance with a particular interest in experimental, hybrid and community arts. Marcia worked at Back to Back Theatre since 2000 as a freelance director, and as Artistic Associate since 2007 collaborating with artists, schools, communities of all ages and abilities, and the ensemble, on numerous productions and projects such as Ganesh versus the Third Reich. Marcia taught at VCA for many years, and at the Small Companies and Community Theatre Course at Ballarat Uni. Her work has toured widely with Arena Theatre and independent theatre companies, and over the last four years, she has directed works in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, England and USA with Back to Back. Marcia is very excited to be joining the creative team at Big West!
Amber Stuart - General Manager
amber(at)bigwest.com.au
Amber Stuart comes to Big West with a wide variety of administrative experience across a diverse range of artforms. Since completing her studies in Creative Arts, Amber has combined her interest in contemporary art of all forms with her skills in arts administration. She worked at the Melbourne International Arts Festival for over five years in several key administrative and financial roles. Prior to joining Big West Festival, Amber was employed as the Administration and Finance Manager at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. Throughout her career Amber has worked with a number of Australia’s leading Artistic Directors and Arts Managers. Amber is also the Treasurer of iconic Footscray-based puppet company, Snuff Puppets.
Jo Trevathan - Community Coordinator
Over the last 25 years Jo has been a professional performer, musician, devisor and theatre technician and has had extensive experience in bringing together different personnel and expertise across the arts communities in large and small-scale events. She has toured both nationally and internationally with The Teabags and Spindrift Music Theatre. She has worked for Western Edge Youth Arts as a Lead Artist devising, scripting, composing and directing over ten school shows and has worked extensively with African young people in the west on a range of community projects.
Jo has a long history with Big West - in 2007 she was the installation artist for Old Ghosts New Land as part of the 2007 Big West Festival and worked as an artist and Community Co-ordinator on Home is Where the Art is… for the 2009 Big West Festival. Other large-scale community projects include: Spirit of the World (Musical Director Geelong Ethnic Communities 2002/03) and This Point in Time, Angels, and Voices in Harmony (Artistic/Musical Director, Williamstown Festival 1997-2000). She has taught Small Companies and Community Theatre 2000 to 2003 at Victoria University Footscray Campus, directing many works with students including 2nd year showcase at The Malthouse in 2003.
