Michael Campbell: Executive Director, Publishing Director of WestWords 

With over 35 years of experience Michael has worked as CEO, Artistic Director, an arts consultant and strategist, artistic co-ordinator, producer, events manager, librettist, editor, writer, events manager, director, choreographer and dancer. He was the Festival Director for the Brisbane Writers Festival (2006-2009). He is a former Chair of Currency House, and of its Editorial Committee, and edited Keith Bain on Movement and Keith Bain: The Principles of Movement for Currency House and Oberon Books (UK). He was a principal dancer with West Australian Ballet, Queensland Ballet and Tanzforum at Oper der Stadt Köln (one of Germany’s leading contemporary and tanztheatre companies), and has worked for companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare Company, Griffin Theatre Company and for Opera Australia on numerous works over a 19 year period. In 2004 he directed the opera Madeline Lee, which he also co-wrote, and was nominated for seven Helpmann Awards. The work was restaged by State Opera of South Australia in 2019. In 2018 he served on the Creative Arts and Humanities panel for Australia Research Council’s inaugural Engagement and Impact Assessment.  In both 2020 and 2021 WestWords was award the Excellence in Arts and Culture in the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence, and this year is a finalist for Outstanding Community Organisation. Michael also won the 2021 Excellence in Business Leadership Award, and was named as one of 10 Australians leaving their mark on Culture in the 2024 Leave Your Mark Awards, announced by Guardian Australia & Grant Burge Wines