Kate Sulan
Kate Sulan is a performance maker, director, dramaturge and facilitator. Kate is the founding Artistic Director of Rawcus and led the company from 2000-2022 directing all of the major ensemble works and co- curating the Public Program. Her work draws on dance, theatre and visual art disciplines and has been described as “a moving assertion of humanity with a wicked sense of humour”.
Kate was one of the core team of artists working on the five year Refuge project at Arts House between 2016-2021. Refuge explored the role of artists and cultural institutions in times of climate catastrophe, bringing together emergency management, artists, the community and local, regional and international partners.
Kate has collaborated with Back to Back Theatre over 20 years as co devisor, dramaturge and director. She was a co-devisor for Ganesh versus the Third Reich, and has toured with the work as the show director to over 15 cities worldwide.
Kate has worked as a director, dramaturge and mentor with companies including Malthouse Theatre, Restless Dance Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company, Stuck Pigs Squealing, The Women’s Circus, Theatre of Speed, WEYA, Polyglot and Melbourne Fringe. In 2009, Kate created a work in Ahmedabad, India as part of an Asialink Performing Arts Residency. The work was a collaboration between Darpana Performing Arts Academy and performers from Apang Manav Mandal, a home for girls with physical disabilities. Kate was a board member of Next Wave Festival between 2006-2014 and was part of MTC’s Women Director’s Program 2014 and The Director’s Lab- Melbourne International Arts Festival 2015. In 2018, Kate completed an Advanced Diploma in Group Facilitation and has been helping to hold space and facilitate complex and challenging conversations in the sector with care and creativity. In 2022, Kate was a recipient of a Betty Amsden Award for leadership in the Arts.
Kate’s work embraces complexity and diversity and is underpinned by the desire to amplify connection, fuel dreams, accumulate questions, slow down time, invite reflection, challenge what is possible and celebrate humanity.
Rawcus productions: DIRECTION: Flight (2000), Designer Child (2002), Born Rawcus (2003), Sideshow (2004), Boxset (2004), Not Dead Yet (2005), Collisions (2005), Rawcus at Artplay (2006), Hunger (2007), Heart of Another is Dark Forest (2008), Sticky (2009), Cherish (2010), Another Lament (2010, 2012), Fed Square Flashmob (2011), Small Odysseys (2011), Catalogue (2015), Song for a Weary Throat ( 2017, 2018), Glass- choreographed by Marc Brew (Artistic Direction 2020), Here We Are Amongst You (2022)