The ABC has appointed award-winning producer, director and arts administrator Edwina Throsby as managing editor of arts, to drive the public broadcaster’s arts strategy and champion the essential role of arts and culture in Australia.
Throsby will support arts content from across the ABC and build partnerships with arts institutions to reflect and represent the diversity of the arts in Australia. She will lead the creative and editorial execution of ABC TV Plus’ new primetime show Art Works, the nation’s only dedicated weekly arts television program, along with new digital arts content.
Throsby will join the ABC on 9 August from her role as head of talks and ideas at the Sydney Opera House, where she has programmed and delivered a slate of popular events such as the major international festivals All About Women and Antidote.
Jennifer Collins, ABC head factual & culture, said Throsby’s expertise in producing, directing and curating content would enhance the ABC’s arts coverage for all Australians. “Edwina has the vision, the experience and the passion to support and shape the creation of arts content across the ABC.
“Her track record in building partnerships and delivering content to audiences across all platforms, including digital, is impressive and invaluable for the ABC at this time.”
Throsby said: “It’s hugely exciting to be returning to the ABC to take up this role. Despite challenging times for the arts, Australian artists continue to flourish, creating work that critiques and defines our culture. I believe that our public broadcaster has an essential role to play in this thriving arts ecology; reflecting, communicating and amplifying the works and stories of artists and creators from all backgrounds and creative fields.
“I am immensely proud to be joining the team to deliver arts programming to audiences across Australia.”
Throsby’s new position will see her return to the ABC, where she was series producer of Big Ideas from 2008-10 and worked as a producer on programs such as Sunday Afternoon Arts, Q+A, Four Corners and Media Watch.
From 2013-16, she was head of curation for TEDxSydney, where she devised and oversaw the artistic and creative vision for the annual talks and culture festival. Her titles as a documentary film director, from 1999-2012, include Creative Minds: Bill Henson, Opera Australia Jubilee, Loaded Brush and Dance Like Your Old Man, which was named best documentary at Flickerfest and the Dance on Film Awards and best documentary short at the Melbourne International Film Festival, and won the Nova Cinemas Award for Creative Excellence in Australian Film.
Throsby ran Chequerboard Productions from 2002-17, working across multiple film and media projects. She has a Doctorate in Philosophy from the School of Social Sciences at the University of NSW and Master of Arts in documentary directing, producing and writing from the Australian Film Television and Radio School.
No media organisation does more than the ABC to promote and provide a forum for the arts and artists in Australia. More than three-quarters of Australians say the ABC encourages and promotes Australian performing arts, such as music and drama, in line with the ABC Charter.
In 2021, the ABC has built on its commitment to the arts with the launch of Art Works and new and upcoming arts documentaries and series such as Finding the Archibald, Going Country, Firestarter: The Story of Bangarra, Step Into Paradise, I’m Wanita and My Name is Gulpilil.
In 2020, the ABC provided urgent and critical support to Australian independent producers and creatives impacted by COVID-19, including the launch of the Arts Digital Fund for innovative new arts content and Australian Music Fund to support independent artists and musicians.
With the lights out in theatres and concert halls due to the pandemic, the ABC also launched its biggest-ever on-demand catalogue on iview of performances from Australian arts companies, across theatre, opera, ballet and classical music.