Announcing our 2023 Board Associates 

Australia’s national arts and culture think tank A New Approach (ANA) is thrilled to announce Astrid Jorgensen, the founding director of Pub Choir, and acclaimed dancer and choreographer Daniel Riley, a Wiradjuri man, will join the ANA Board as Associates in 2023.

Astrid Jorgensen is a Brisbane-based conductor, composer, producer, and presenter. She is the founding director of Pub Choir and Couch Choir. Whether on stage, TV, radio, or online, Astrid’s unique approach to accessible music-making has been viewed by millions worldwide and has seen her collaborate with musical greats such as The Rolling Stones, Paul Kelly and Neil Finn. Astrid was a finalist for 2020 Queensland Young Australian of the Year and was named as one of the 40-under-40 Most Influential Asian Australians in 2021. 

Daniel Riley, a Wiradjuri man and current Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre (ADT), has had an extensive and critically-acclaimed career as a dancer (Leigh Warren & Dancers, Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre, New Movement Collective, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Chunky Move, ADT), and choreographer (QL2 Dance, QUT, Louisville Ballet, VCA, Sydney Dance Company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Dancenorth, ADT). He has held positions as Associate Producer (2019-2020) and Creative Associate (2020-2021) at ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, and Lecturer in Contemporary Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts, conceiving and launching Kummarge, a self-determined First Nations mentorship and pathways program.

In 2021, ANA launched the Board Associates initiative  to nurture emerging leaders and board directors. Associates are provided with mentoring and support throughout their 12-month term from ANA’s distinguished Board and staff.

ANA CEO Kate Fielding said Astrid and Daniel were exceptional leaders whose creativity and community-building initiatives highlighted the power of art and culture to bring people together.

“Our research tells us that young Australians believe arts and culture are central to their lives – it is woven into their everyday experience of life,” she said.

“Astrid’s and Daniel’s innovative and accessible creative thinking will support our vision for Australia to become a cultural powerhouse whose compelling creativity is locally loved, nationally valued and globally influential by 2035.“

Ms Fielding thanked outgoing Board Associates Nina Fitzgerald (Northern Territory) and Julian Canny (Western Australia) for their contributions to the work of ANA and for making the inaugural program a tremendous success.

“We have been lucky to have Nina and Julian help inform our work, making evident the opportunities of Australian arts, culture and creativity.”  

Media enquiries: contact Alexandra Nichols on 0431 468 665 or alexandra.nichols@newapproach.org.au

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