As part of our ongoing partnership with @sbs_australia and @nitv_au , NIDA's Masters of Directing and Dramatic Writing students and alumni had the opportunity to connect directly with industry professionals at last week's SBS x NIDA networking event, created to support and champion creatives who are First Nations, POC, LGBTQIA+ and people with disability. Thank you to everyone from SBS, NITV and our wider creative community who joined us for such a warm and energising evening. We look forward to the collaborations and conversations that grow from it.
Applications to study at NIDA in 2027 are now open!
Join a community of bold, curious creators and storytellers, learn from industry leaders and practicing artists, and gain hand-on experience in a supportive training environment that will challenge you to grow and share your story with the world.
If you’re curious, ready to apply, or have questions for us, register for Open Day on 13 June, with sessions both in-person and online.
What a privilege to celebrate Sigrid Thornton AO as she received an Honorary Fellowship from NIDA on Friday, 1 May. In a moving and fiercely inspiring address to our 2025 graduating class, she reflected on a career built on passion, resilience and collaboration, offering guiding principles for the next generation of artists. Read her full speech via our website.
What a night! Thank you to everyone who joined us for Raise the Curtain, NIDA’s annual fundraising event supporting scholarships for the next generation of artists and storytellers.
It was wonderful to welcome alumni including Sarah Snook, Miranda Tapsell, Thomas Cocquerel, Suzie Miller, Nicholas Burton, Sheridan Harbridge, Jack Patten, Theo Clarke, Zahara Jithoo, Madeline Flood, Joseph Althouse, Danny Howard, Catherine Laga'aia and Georgia Laga'aia, and NIDA Board Director Sigrid Thornton AO alongside our guests.
We’d especially like to thank our spectacular host, Marney McQueen who sang, ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from her starring role in the Jukebox musical ‘Titanique’, as well as the dazzling performances of 'Another Op'nin', Another Show' from 'Kiss Me, Kate' and 'It's A Hit!' from 'Merrily We Roll Along' by our Musical Theatre and Singing Actor students, and immersive behind-the-scenes theatre experiences presented by Make-up students.
Applause must also go to Alexander Berlage for the stunning production design, and to the many alumni, staff and students whose passion, artistry and hard work brought the event to life. Your generosity and support will help open doors for future generations of NIDA students.
We’re thrilled to unveil NIDA’s 2026 Production Season, led by some of Australia’s most in-demand theatre makers guiding students across Acting, Design, Costume, Props and Effects, Set Construction, Technical Theatre and Stage Management and Directing.
During our Winter Season, from 4 – 13 June, Simon Phillips directs ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, a high-energy take on Shakespeare’s most playful comedy for the Parade Theatre.
Anthea Williams directs ‘Possessions’, a gripping new work by Keziah Warner, where grief manifests into something dark and supernatural.
Director Miranda Middleton (Directing, 2020), with music direction by Zara Stanton, brings Joey Contreras’ ‘In Pieces’ to life, a gorgeously emotional musical about love in all its forms.
Dino Dimitriadis directs ‘The Bleeding Tree’, a darkly funny and gothic Australian revenge drama for the modern age.
Winter Season tickets on sale now via our website.
A heartfelt congratulations to NIDA’s 2025 graduating class. On Friday 1 May, we celebrated this extraordinary group of artists who have honed their craft, overcome creative challenges and helped shape our community. We were so pleased to present an Honorary Master of Fine Arts to Sarah Snook (Acting, 2008), recognising her outstanding contribution to the arts and ongoing global influence, and the inaugural Honorary Fellowship to Sigrid Thornton AO whose remarkable career and enduring impact on Australian screen and stage continues to inspire generations of artists. We would also like to thank Federal Minister for the Arts, the Honourable @tony_burke_au who spoke movingly about the importance of the arts sector, which is essential for strengthening Australia’s cultural future.
Doff of the mortarboard to you all, we can’t wait to see the stories you tell next.
Photos by Skyline Productions.
Tours on Open Day are led by some of our extraordinary alumni who bring first-hand experience and insights you won’t find anywhere else. Go behind the scenes and get the inside story on 13 June. Register now via the link in our bio.
Photo by Julia Firak.
Happy May Day! Wherever you look this month, NIDA alumni are at work, creating, collaborating and leading across the arts and entertainment industry. Check out our latest article via the link in our bio to see what they've been up to.
Photo 1: Rehearsal imagery from Belvoir St Theatre Company's touring production of Mandela Mathia's (Acting, 2017) 'Lose to Win'. Photo by Brett Boardman.
Photo 2: Jason Chong (Acting, 1996) and Deborah Mailman in Bunya Productions' 'Wolfram'. Photo by Dylan River.
Photo 3: Septimus Caton (Acting, 1999) in Bell Shakespeare’s 'Julius Caesar'. Photo by Brett Boardman.
NIDA alum Alfred Kouris (Acting, 2021) isn’t waiting around for his next role, he’s making the opportunities, and they span stages, cities and countries. You may have seen his work at The Old Fitz Theatre, or you may have seen his work at the Milan Olympic Games; you may even have seen his work on your phone in the form of his app ‘Linus’. With a career in motion, we were excited to catch him to find out a little bit more about what he’s been up to since graduation. Read more via the link in our bio.
Photo 1: Headshot of Alfred Kouris (Acting, 2021).
Photo 2: Alfred Kouris at the Winter Olympic Games, Milan.
Photo 3: Alfred Kouris in 'Three Sisters' at the Old Fitz Theatre. Photo by Robert Miniter (Acting, 2024).
Photo 4: Alfred Kouris and Callan Colley (Acting, 2016) at NIDA demonstrating their app: Linus.
Photo 5: Alfred Kouris and NIDA's Head of Movement Gavin Robins (Movement Studies, 1994) at the Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi.
Photo 6: Promotional image of 'Alfred Kouris and Harry Stacey Bake a Cake' at the Old Fitz Theatre.
Photo 7: Alfred working in Abu Dhabi for EE54 with Gavin Robins (National Day 54, in Abu Dhabi).
Dramatic Writing alum Brigitte Haviland (Dramatic Writing, 2025) has returned from a six-week internship with @studiocanalaus , delivered in partnership with the @australianwritersguild , with a sharper sense of how stories cut through in a crowded market. Check out her interview via the link in our bio for practical insights into an ever evolving industry and how she's building a sustainable career.
Save the Date: NIDA Open Day is on Saturday 13 June, 9:30 - 3:30.
Join us on campus or online for a behind-the-scenes look at how Australia’s leading performance artists are trained, join workshops, tours and get the chance to connect with our vibrant creative community. Visit our website to register and watch this space for more details.
NIDA alum Ruby Russell (Specialist Make-up Services, 2022) has made her mark (and plenty of fake bruises) on major sets including ‘NCIS: Sydney’ and most recently Russell Crowe’s ‘Beast’. Read our full interview via the link in our bio and find out why, for Ruby, storytelling always starts in the chair.
Photo 1: Ruby Russell and Imogen Powel behind-the-scenes on the short film, 'Get On With It'.
Photo 2: Music video still from '2close' by jnr. Make-up by Ruby Russell and Imogen Powell.
Photo 3: Ruby Russell applying make-up to Lucy Dunning.
Photo 4: Lucy Dunning with make-up by Ruby Russell.
Photo 5: Music video still from 'A Good Feminist' by Haley Holgate. Make-up by Ruby Russell.
