Lissa Twomey
Executive Director
Lissa Twomey
Executive Director
Lissa Twomey is a prominent arts leader with more than 25 years’ experience in arts and cultural development. She has held a diverse range of senior artistic and executive positions in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to joining The Australian Ballet, Lissa was Executive Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre. Whilst at Bangarra, she led the company through the pandemic to successful recovery, optimising the creative and business opportunities of their new home at Walsh Bay in Sydney.
She was Executive Director, Major Performing Arts and National Engagement for the Australia Council for the Arts from 2013 to 2020. In this position she led the review of the Major Performing Arts Framework, which resulted in one of the most significant arts policy changes since the Framework's inception in 1999.
From 2006-2012 Lissa was Artistic Director of the New Zealand International Arts Festival, New Zealand’s premiere multi-arts festival, and inaugural Artistic Director of the Wellington Jazz Festival.
Before moving to New Zealand, Lissa was Associate Director of the Sydney Festival and worked in the UK for international classical music agency, Harrison Parrott Ltd.
Lissa has held a number of positions on boards and panels in Australia and New Zealand and is currently a member of the Executive Council of Live Performance Australia, the peak body for Australia’s live performance industry.
Lissa was appointed Executive Director of The Australian Ballet in December 2022.