Catherine Jones

Catherine Jones is a highly respected creative industries leader experienced in guiding complex organisations, programs and events. She has comprehensive strategic, stakeholder, resource, and operational management experience in organisations of a diversity of scale and complexity. With strong relationship management and rapport building across internal and external stakeholders, Catherine is an innovative thinker with the ability to drive outcomes and problem solve. She is an authentic people leader able to develop high performing and committed teams.

 Between 2018-2024 she was the Director of the Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM).. In her role as Director of APAM, Catherine led the design, development, and implementation of a radically new model for international arts markets. This has included shifting from an annual large-scale physical gathering to a year-round Office providing ongoing market entry, sales to national and international festivals and venues, a comprehensive global digital marketplace, and the foregrounding of First Nations and culturally diverse content.

 Catherine’s other recent executive achievements include the delivery of a large scale 5-day event for over 500 national and international delegates and the facilitation of cultural and economic opportunities for Australian performing artists. In addition, she successfully led APAM throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering digital markets and platforms to keep Australian artists connected internationally while international borders were closed.

 Prior to leading APAM, Catherine led the City of Melbourne’s Arts House, recognised as the state’s centre of independent, experimental performance and with a strong international reputation that Catherine built in association with the House’s Artistic Director. She came into this role after a period of significant change and turmoil and is recognised for having successfully built a strong new team, a culture of integrity, and designed and delivered a three-year strategy for Arts House. Catherine also secured significant additional Council support, both financial and political as well as external investment from the state and federal government, institutions and business.

 Catherine has extensive experience as a Chair, Board Director, Company Secretary, and Committee member including Theatre Network Australia, Chunky Move, Malthouse Theatre, Arena Theatre, and Kage Physical Theatre. One of her key strengths is her capacity to forge consensus with diverse stakeholders in complex settings to deliver large and often challenging reform and innovation.