Speakers Profile - Rhoda Roberts










Travels From:
Regional New South Wales/ACT

Fee Range: B


An ambassador for Vibe Australia and the host of the national weekly program Deadly Sounds Rhoda is an experienced motivated and versatile arts executive, with a diverse range of international and national industry practice within commercial, community and non profit organisations. Rhoda's the founder and was the Artistic Director of the annual International festival The Dreaming based at Woodford QLD (1995-2009).

As an actor/producer and director, she continues to work freelance as a consultant, is a sought after speaker and performer in theatre, film, television and radio. She was a co-founding member of Australia's first national Aboriginal theatre company, the Aboriginal National Theatre Trust (ANTT) and coined the term Welcome to country "establishing protocol Manuals and welcomes by local custodians for the arts industry.

She was recently commissioned to direct and write a new Australian Opera for Opera Australia "Opera Yarrabah " for production in August 2012 following the success of her direction of the international Opera Miricoloa a Milanao by Rome's, Giorgio Battistelli for the Brisbane Festival 2009. She is also the director /producer for the new Theatre work BodymARKS, currently in production and featured at the 2010 Darwin Festival.

Rhoda was the Artistic Director of Sydney Dreaming Festival and the former Artistic Director of the Festival of the Dreaming staged in the lead up to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Rhoda has been involved with a number of large events in varying roles including Creative Director, Awakening Segment Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Rugby World Cup 2003, Athens handover ceremony, The opening ceremony of the Musee Du Quay Branley, Paris, Japan Expo, World youth Day events and Australia Day events where she developed the Woggan ma Gule annual ceremony.

She currently hosts and develops the Vibe Television health series Living Strong and continues her work in Radio with the National Music program Deadly Sounds. Well known for her work with SBS television as a journalist and presenter for the current affairs program, Vox Populi, she has also worked for Network Ten and ABC Radio as a producer and journalist.

Rhoda has written and produced several documentaries, and was the first Aboriginal to host a national prime time current affairs program. In 1998 as co-writer she performed the one woman show Please Explain. Her solo production Bible Boxing Love began its East Coast Tour in 2008. She is also currently completing her first novel Tullymorgan. The film A Sisters Love was produced and directed by Ivan Sen and features Rhoda which is currently touring the film festival circuit

Recent consultancy work includes:
* Advisor with the SPC Secretariat Pacific Communities, Based in Noumea for the 12th Festival of Pacific Arts