Oliver appointed Blak & Bright artistic director

First Nations literature festival Blak & Bright has announced the appointment of Bebe Oliver as the new artistic director and CEO of the festival.

Oliver takes over from Jane Harrison, an acclaimed author and playwright, who led the festival since 2016.

Oliver is a descendant of the Bardi Jawi people and is an award-winning writer, facilitator and speaker living on the unceded land of the Kulin peoples. He is deputy chair of Magabala Books and has collaborated with international organisations including Aesop, Global Citizen and World Pride ‘to celebrate Blak stories, communities and identities’, said the festival in a statement.

‘I am extremely thrilled, honoured and humbled to lead Blak & Bright through its next journey of continuous milestones and growth,’ said Oliver. ‘Storytelling is one of the richest and most powerful paths of expression for the deep and layered identities of First Nations peoples. It fills me with so much pride to continue advocating for the voices and truths our communities need to hear. Thanks to Jane Harrison’s leadership and bravery, Blak & Bright is a vital fibre in the fabric of our cultural and creative landscapes. I am committed to supporting our First Nations storytellers as their power and strength continues to grow.’

Harrison said she was ‘thrilled for Bebe to lead the team into a bright Blak future’.

In a statement, the Blak & Bright board expressed their gratitude to Harrison ‘for her visionary leadership and warmly welcomed Bebe Oliver to his new role’.

Pictured (L–R): Bebe Oliver and Jane Harrison.

Category: Local news