Rising Artistic Director

Rising; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

RISING in Melbourne seeks a visionary Artistic Director to shape its annual program and identity. You will define the festival's artistic direction, curate a bold slate of new work and work closely with the CEO to ensure a cohesive creative strategy that elevates Melbourne’s standing as a global arts destination.

You will lead the curatorial team, champion artists, and drive a program that resonates with local and international audiences while navigating complex stakeholder environments.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the festival's artistic vision.
• Shape an ambitious, distinctive and relevant annual program.
• Guide the curatorial team, commissioning and presenting artistic work.

Job description

• Curate a festival that transforms Melbourne each year
• Shape an ambitious, distinctive and relevant annual program
• Leave a lasting mark on Melbourne's cultural identity

About RISING

RISING has established a distinctive place in Melbourne / Naarm’s cultural life: a festival that brings artists, audiences and the city together through ambitious new art, music and performance from across Australia and around the world.

RISING has shaped a diverse and contemporary festival with strong audience recognition and an increasingly important place in Melbourne’s cultural and visitor economy.

RISING sits within the Victorian Government's broader Creative State 2028 strategy, which names RISING explicitly among the state's drawcard festivals and identifies arts and culture as one of Victoria's top tourism strengths.

About the Role

As RISING enters a new phase of its evolution, the Board is seeking to appoint a new Artistic Director to build on the legacy of its founding leadership. The Artistic Director will define and lead the festival's artistic vision. They will shape an ambitious, distinctive and relevant annual program that builds on RISING's reputation as a destination for what is new and next in contemporary art and culture.

Working collaboratively with the Chief Executive Officer, the Artistic Director will provide creative leadership across the organisation, guiding the curatorial team, commissioning and presenting exceptional artistic work, championing artists and creative practice, ensuring a cohesive vision across the festival. The role will play a critical part in advancing RISING's artistic reputation, cultural relevance and contribution to Melbourne's identity as a globally recognised cultural city.

About You

You are a respected artistic leader with a compelling creative vision and a strong track record of shaping ambitious and influential cultural programs. Recognised for your artistic judgement, curiosity and ability to identify and champion exceptional talent, you are energised by the opportunity to create work that is bold, distinctive and culturally significant.

A collaborative and generous leader, you bring people together around a shared vision, fostering creativity, trust and high performance across teams, artists and stakeholders. You have the ability to inspire others, develop talent and create an environment in which artists and ideas can thrive.

You are comfortable operating in complex and high-profile environments, building strong relationships across the creative sector, government, media and the broader community.

Above all, you are passionate about creating space for extraordinary artistic work and contributing to the future of contemporary art and culture in Melbourne.

We invite applications from leaders who are excited by RISING’s vision and purpose and who can demonstrate the experience, judgement and collaborative approach to help shape its next chapter.

Applicants must have current and unrestricted working rights in Australia.

Applications are due by 11.59pm Friday 20th November 2026.