KRIS STEWART
Artistic & Executive Director
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - BRISBANE POWERHOUSE
From 2013 to 2021, Kris was Artistic Director of Brisbane Powerhouse, Queensland’s home for living art, ideas and experiences, a magnificent power station of the 1920s reborn as an arts centre on the Brisbane River.
Kris directed a year-round program featuring events across music, comedy, writers + ideas, dance, film, visual arts, digital arts, theatre and music theatre.Here, he sold more than a million tickets for 2,500 shows across two main stage theatres, three additional blackbox venues and two galleries.
With over 650,000 visitors a year, Kris established a clear set of cultural priorities for the venue, with tremendous results:
- 91% growth in local artists (from 737 in 2013 to 1408)
- 275 World Premieres across all disciplines
- 81% growth in ticket revenues (from $3.65m to $6.6m)
- 83% increase in event and conference revenue (from $1.2m to $2.2m)
- 41% growth in total ticketed attendance (from 121,514 to 171,314)
- Three record years in a row for ticket sales
At Brisbane Powerhouse, Kris presented more than 275 world premieres, including those by cultural partners such as Queensland Ballet, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Camerata, Opera Queensland, Circa, Dance North, La Boite, Topology, The Australian Voices, The Good Room, JUTE Theatre, Playlab, and Polytoxic.
He launched a series of significant events at Brisbane Powerhouse, including WONDERLAND, Brisbane’s festival of circus, sideshow and spectacle; MELT, Queensland’s signature major event celebrating LGBTQI+ culture and creators; the inaugural Queensland Cabaret Festival; and IRL Digital Festival, a new event celebrating the convergence between live arts and digital and gaming culture.
Kris’ Writers and Ideas program saw more than 38,000 people have come to see one of the 180 performances of thought leaders in conversation, including Eric Idle, Yotam Ottolenghi, Mark Manson, Jennifer Saunders, Ben Folds, Gloria Steinem, Johnathan Franzen, John Waters, Susan Faludi and Mei Fong. The new program Powerkids: Little Artists at Play, a weekly free program for children under five, delivered 164 workshops to 54,170 children and their carers.
Kris also continued the legacy of significant existing events at Brisbane Powerhouse, such as the Brisbane Comedy Festival (which grew 40% under his direction, from 44,447 attendees to a record of 62,278), and hosting the Australian Performing Arts Market (the premier biennial industry event in the Asia Pacific region), World Theatre Festival, World Press Photo and Brisbane Portrait Prize.
BRISBANE POWERHOUSE media
VIDEOS
Have a taste of Kris' time as Artistic Director
Brisbane Powerhouse
In partnership with local filmmakers PixelFrame, we created a video that illustrates the unique experience offered at Brisbane Powerhouse, and the brilliant personality of the building and its art.
A Digital Experience
In partnership with Nick Did This, we undertook a digital transformation of our communications, reimaging how we tell the story of Brisbane Powerhouse to the world.
MEDIA COVERAGE
A snapshot of media coverage from Kris' eight years at Brisbane Powerhouse
THE 21st BIRTHDAY
In Kris final year at Brisbane Powerhouse, he led the organization's 21st birthday celebrations.
Here is an ABC Brisbane interview around the buildings history, plus other articles:
LEADING A VENUE THROUGH COVID-19
At Brisbane Powerhouse, Kris led the organization through an unprecedented closure - and then its reopening following COVID-19.
Lights On
After being closed for more than 130 days, Brisbane Powerhouse was one of the first venues in the world to reopen, with a curated series of iconic Brisbane companies: Circa, Queensland Ballet, Briefs Factory, Q Music and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. This is that story.
Contact Kris
This is direct to Kris' personal email, so shoot him a note!
Copyright 2018. Thanks for coming by!