Simone O’Brien is a regional artist, living and working on Bundjalung land. She respectfully acknowledges elders past, present and future and works to address social justice issues through the performing arts.
She is producer, director, teacher & performance maker specialising in circus and physical theatre. In 2018, Simone co-founded SeedArts Australia with Jacquie and is passionate about creating visually stunning, community engaged, high calibre works – particularly if they celebrate Bundjalung-born Con Colleano, the greatest wire-walker of all time. She has a mission to revive Con’s as inspiration for the mental health and well-being of young Indigenous people and to put a wire over the river in Lismore.
Simone has worked with Circus Oz as a performer and most recently touring show director for ‘Precarious’ Circus Oz; ‘The Rising’ for Circus Corridor, Festival 2018, Gold Coast Commonwealth Games; ‘The Borogroves’ & ‘The Momeraths’, Mullum Circus Festival and Spaghetti Circus, where she was Creative Director, 2014 – 2017.
She has worked on Opening/Closing ceremonies for Woodford, Mullum Circus Festival & Enlighten (ACT). She was Artistic Associate with Legs on the Wall (2006 – 2012) & has worked with Urban Theatre Projects, Stalker, Force Majeure, National Centre for Indigenous Excellence, the National Institute of Circus Arts and the National Institute of Dramatic Arts. A 2005 Asialink Residency in collaboration with with East Timor’s Bibi Bulak, produced large-scale outdoor show, ‘Ikan Bo’ot.