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A week on from the fabulous Matilda Awards (and multiple moments of pinching ourselves!) we wanted to share the lovely news that we were the very proud recipients of the Actors & Entertainers Benevolent Fund’s 2025 Tony Gould Award. The Tony Gould Award recognises an independent Arts Company / Collective that has left a positive impact on the Queensland performing arts sector through its curation, programming, or development. We are so honored to have been nominated for this award (and to whoever did this, we thank you!) and to be the recipient was such an unexpected privilege and delight! A massive thank you to all our art angels, including City of Gold Coast Experience Gold Coast DARTS network Our marvellous committee of advisors (to be introduced officially soon!) Our incredible artist collaborators Our wonderful mentors And our amazing parents, families and friends. We love what we do and we are honoured to share this award with you all - there is no theatre without you. 📷 by Luke Monsour @bulimbastudios @abfqld @matildaawards

Whiplashing through my time in Pairs while home watching Emily in Paris 🥐 Now have fun while I reminiscence on my travels.

Amsterdam ❤️ you were a slight slow burn but we fell deeply for each other. Thank you for your delicious food, cat pets, canal swims and the gift of slowing down. 📖

Edinburgh my dear. You were love at first glance. Thank you for showing me beauty is all directions and for my new skill of spontaneous crying in cemeteries.

London. ❤️ You were delightful, moody and filling for my heart. See you again soon. I have no doubt.

Tired eyes. Happy heart. Landing in London and living out 16-year-old Ainslee’s dream of seeing a show at The Globe. She had a bloody rough trot at 16 so it feels extra special. Beware holiday updates incoming… mute me now if you wish. ✈️ Leg one- London with mama to boogie as much as possible. 🪩🕺

Well this was a bloody lovely surprise! We are beyond excited to announce that READY OR NOT 🎈 has been nominated for FIVE Matilda Awards! 🤯 BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION THE LORD MAYOR’S AWARD FOR BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE - INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION BEST DIRECTION BEST SOUND DESIGN We’re still a bit gobsmacked so I’m sure a more articulate post is coming soon but for now THANK YOU to everyone who helped bring this show to life! OUR INCREDIBLE CREATIVE TEAM Creator & Performer: Ainslee Palmer Director: Lisa Smith Performance Mentor & Design Consultant: Leah Shelton Sound Design: Anna Whitaker Lighting Design: Lee Eldrige Dramaturg: Tammy Weller Psychological Consultant: Miriam Emad Touring Stage Manager: Taylah Andersen The development of this work was proudly supported by HOTA, Home of the Arts Premiered at JUTE Theatre Company Supported by Generate GC, City of Gold Coast Arts and Culture and DARTS (Driving and Activating the Regional Theatre Sector) Regional Tour Supported by Vera Wellness, Ochre Health and Framed Just For You 📷 @ellamayphoto 📷 @mimi_tannaka 📷 @tyleralbertiphoto

Tonight’s show was dedicated to the one and only @eileenkramerdancer we first met when I was taking a ‘break’ from the arts and studying psychology. She told me to go and make more art and two months later I quit the psychology degree and have been making art ever since. Thank you Eileen! This show would not have happened without you. I, along with many others will miss you dearly and I can’t wait until we can dance on a comet together. ☄️💫

WE OPEN TOMORROW! 🎈 Tonight on the eve of the official premiere of ‘Ready or Not’ is also National Survivors day. This post is about to get a lil deep so if you need a break from hearing about hard things please feel free to scroll past. I’ve never loved the term ‘survivor’ in the past but I also think it was because then I had to ‘accept’ my story. Today and for the rest of time I choose to OWN my story and share it. I made this show for anyone who has felt like their story is ‘too much’ or that they aren’t allowed to talk about their story. I made this show for anyone who wants an insight into the justice system and how very unjust it can be for brave humans who come forward. I made this show for anyone who wants to know if there is light in the darkness. There is. I promise. I grew up as a regional gal, and I would have LOVED to see more contemporary theatre come through our theatre! I can’t wait to share this show with the amazing folk in Cairns, Townsville, Bundaberg and Gympie! I am a survivor. And as Queen B says herself “you won’t break my soul” Ready or Not - Here We Come!

Are you ready? Our one-woman show Ready or Not is making its way to regional QLD audiences next month! We are so excited to bring this work down the coast from Cairns to Gympie to break silences, share stories and remind us all we are never ‘too much’ Link in our bio for all tickets! Ready or Not… Here we come 🎈 📷 @ellamayphoto Creative Team 👀 Writer & Performer: Ainslee Palmer Director: Lisa Smith Performance Mentor & Set/ Costume Consultant: Leah Shelton Dramaturgy: Tammy Weller Sound Designer: Anna Whitaker Psychological Consultant: Miriam Emad Prop Construction: Adrienne Kenafake __ Toured to regional audiences through JUTE Theatre Company’s DARTS initiative. DARTS Interregional Touring is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, and delivered with the support of our partners at QPAC. Hosted by JUTE Theatre Company (Cairns), Lux Noir and Townsville Little Theatre (Townsville), Bridges Health and Community Care (Bundaberg) and Perseverance Street Theatre Company (Gympie).  Ready or Not has been developed with the proud support of HOTA, Home of the Arts, and is supported by Generate GC a City of Gold Coast initiative through the Arts and Culture unit. Special thanks to, Ochre Health and Ochre Health Medical Centre Caloundra, Vera Wellness and Framed Just for You.

“Us and All of This” by the incredible @liesel_zink is coming to @bleachfestival this year and YOU can be involved! I was fortunate to be a small part of the developmental process of this work and it has stuck with me for the past four years. It was 2020, my hopes for artistry were pretty scarce, I was living by myself in my nans old house and feeling the weight of the isolating times. This work brought together, connection, movement and a purpose deeper than words. I URGE YOU to sign up! Let yourself be gifted the glorious experience of this work! ♥️ More info below ⬇️ Move together with 100 people in an act of radical slowness in this mesmerising work created by myself with Lawrence English and a team of legendary independent artists. Choreography is designed for all bodies and abilities - no dance experience necessary and you don’t even need to remember the steps as you’ll have in ear headphones feeding you what to do (like a guided meditation of sorts 🙂 ). Best bit, you’ll be led through the whole process by a team of gorgeous Gold Coast based artists: Jax Compton, Richard Causer, Guy Ritani and Tal Fitzpatrick. More info and registrations here: .au/events/us-and-all-of-this/ Curious but not sure? Come along to one of our Info Sessions: - 5th June 6pm (online) - 8th June 3:30 (Broachbeach Community Space).

Ooooof what a ride! I created this work for people who feel ‘too much’, to start important conversations about hard topics and to show that we can all find light in the darkness. Thank you to the audience that sat in discomfort, laughed, felt and showed up for this story. Thank you to my incredible team of powerhouse femmes for creating this work, sharing your expertise and holding ever so gently! @lisa_tilley_smith @leahsheltonlive @anna_whitaker @mizze89 @tam_adele Thank you to @hotagc with a special shoutout to @wheelerashleigh for giving this gal a chance to show this work and for their continuous support of local artists. Thank you to @generate_gc and @gcartsandculture for believing in this work and extra shout out to @rrebeccaross for always being a phone call away! This is only the beginning 🎈 Are you ready? 📷 by @vividvisualco __ #readyornot #ainsleepalmer #homeofthearts #generategc #goldcoast #cityofgoldcoast #wearegoldcoast #goldcoastartists #creativegold #ourgoldcoast #goldcoastart #goldcoastartist #goldcoastcreative #goldcoastcreatives #artsgoldcoast #queenslandartist Ready or Not is proudly supported by HOTA, Home of the Arts through HOTA’s Housemates program. Ready or Not is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund and Generate GC.  The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Gold Coast City Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland. Generate GC is a City of Gold Coast initiative produced by Situate Art in Festivals.