Three major arts organisations have named new Artistic Directors. Ebony Bott will join Brisbane Festival in the middle of this month, following the departure of outgoing Artistic Director Louise Bezzina, who has led the festival since 2020.

The appointment comes as Brisbane edges into the international spotlight with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – a chance to position the city as a cultural as well as sporting capital on the global stage.

Ebony Bott. Photo © Toby Burrows

Currently Head of Contemporary Performance at the Sydney Opera House, Bott has more than 20 years’ experience working for major cultural institutions, including the Adelaide Festival Centre and Arts Centre Melbourne.

Bott’s programming at the SOH included Amadeus starring Michael Sheen, the world premiere of Hannah Gadsby’s Body of Work, later released on Netflix, and the premiere of the cabaret meets circus show Gatsby at The Green Light, which plays at this year’s Brisbane Festival before returning to the SOH.

“Festivals aren’t just programs, they’re civic rituals,” said Bott. “They reflect us back to ourselves and open us up to the world. That’s what drew me to Brisbane Festival. It has a...