Jo Metcalf

Jo has held senior arts positions and delivered projects in the United Kingdom, New York, Sydney, South America, Africa and Europe. She returned to Australia in 2015 to take the role of Director, National Development at The Australia Council for the Arts.

Jo’s experience includes CEO & Artistic Director at Salisbury International Arts Festival, Head of Performing Arts at The Roundhouse London, Head of the global arts program for Amnesty International, Director of International Partnerships & Programs at CiRCA and Contemporary Culture Manager at The Perth International Arts Festival where she was responsible for the development of a major outdoor summer music program and unique temporary venues that remain a central element of the Festival program today.  She has also been the creative lead on significant projects for The British Council and Wales Millennium Centre.  More recently as CEO at Community Arts Network she worked with West Australian communities to realise artistic and social ambitions and as Manager Industry Partnerships and Development at the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries she led sector development and strategic projects.

Jo’s strengths as a producer, innovator, connector and strategic thinker have seen her successfully operate across the creative industries producing films, delivering fashion/music/art events in unique locations, running Indi record labels, delivering the largest Aboriginal showcase of cultural work seen in the UK and communicating human rights campaigns to millions of people through targeted creative collaborations with artists including U2, Shepard Fairey and Pussy Riot.

Jo has commissioned performances in Cathedrals and rivers and created unforgettable experiences with thousands of artists including:  Bon Iver, Vikram Seth, Archbishop Tutu, The Chemical Brothers, Soweto Gospel Choir, The National, Laurie Anderson, Michael Morpurgo, Jarvis Cocker, Billy Bragg, Peter Gabriel, Moby, The Beijing National Opera and David Byrne.

Jo took up the role of Executive Manager Community Services at the Shire of Northam in January.