After 18 years as the driving force behind ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, Rachael Maza, a proud Yidinji, Meriam and Dutch woman, has announced that she will step down from her role as Artistic Director and co-chief executive at the end of 2025.
Ms Maza joined ILBIJERRI as Artistic Director in 2008, bringing with her a wealth of experience in acting, directing, and dramaturgy, as well as "a fierce commitment to First Peoples' self-determined storytelling", ILBIJERRI said on Wednesday.
Under her leadership, the company has grown from a team of three people to an established organisation with 12 core staff members. More importantly, ILBIJERRI notes, she has "set a bold and dynamic course for First Nations theatre in Australia and beyond, creating a platform for sovereign storytelling that is both powerful and unapologetic".
"I am so proud of how far we've come. To see the next generation of leaders rising up—staunch, talented, and ready to take the reins—fills me with excitement. I am ready to step aside and watch them soar," Ms Maza said on announcing her departure.
During her tenure, ILBIJERRI has garnered widespread acclaim, receiving numerous awards such as multiple Green Room and Helpmann Awards, the 2017 Melbourne Award for Contribution to Community by a Community Organisation, and the 2012 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award, among other accolades.
ILBIJERRI said Ms Maza's strategic and artistic vision has been instrumental in positioning the organisation as "one of Australia's most respected theatre companies, dedicated to amplifying First Peoples' voices".
"Her work has not only elevated the company but also paved the way for many First Peoples emerging artists," the company said in a statement.
From directing ground-breaking works like Jack Charles V The Crown (2010), Foley (2011), Which Way Home (2016), and Heart is a Wasteland (2021), to co-directing Black Ties (2020) and Big Name, No Blankets (2024), Ms Maza's achievements have left an indelible mark on the Australian theatre landscape.
ILBIJERRI's Chair of the Board, Eugenia Flynn, praised Ms Maza's impact.
"Rachael's leadership has been transformative, not just for ILBIJERRI, but for the entire cultural landscape of First Nations theatre, and the Australian performing arts sector," she said.
"She leaves a legacy of passion, strength, and creativity, and while we will miss her day-to-day presence, her groundwork will continue to guide us."
ILBIJERRI said as a passionate advocate for First Peoples in the arts, Ms Maza's influence "extends far beyond the stage".
"She has guided and strengthened ILBIJERRI's Social Impact program and ensured it is embedded in all of our projects."
Ms Maza, a prolific artist, has been awarded the 2017 Touring Legend Drover Award, the 2019 Australia Council for the Arts Award for Theatre, an Honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts from Edith Cowan University, and an Order of Australia (OAM) in 2020.
ILBIJERRI's Executive Director and co-chief executive Angela Flynn said "Rachael's influence on Australian theatre will resonate for generations".
"She has laid a strong foundation for the future of ILBIJERRI, and we are excited to carry her vision forward," she said.
Ms Maza began her journey with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company in 2002 when she directed Stolen. Now, after two decades of pushing boundaries and creating opportunities for her community, she is "ready to take some well-earned time for rest and reflection before embarking on her next creative chapter".
ILBIJERRI Theatre Company "remains in a strong position", poised to continue its proud tradition of producing groundbreaking works led by First Peoples artists.
The company says the next generation of leaders, mentored and inspired by Ms Maza, "are ready to step forward—ensuring that our stories continue to be told with strength, authenticity, and vision".
