Client:      Sydney Dance Company
Service:    Producer (Australia)

Big Dance is one of the largest dance events in the world. Initiated by the Mayor of London in 2006, this biennial event is the UK’s biggest celebration of all types of dance, for all ages and all levels of ability.

2014 saw Australia take a leading role in this global event, as Sydney Dance Company and AusDance NSW collaborated to present the Australian arm of the 2014 Big Dance event; simultaneous occurring in Sydney, Glasgow & London. Underpinned by the theme of the Commonwealth, over 6000 dancers, across three cities, simultaneously performed a new short dance piece choreographed by Rafael Bonachela.

Big Special providing producing support to Sydney Dance Company for the Sydney event, staged on the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House, accommodating 2000 dancers of diverse abilities and backgrounds. This work included coordinating community dance training sessions around the city in lead up to the event and supporting disadvantaged/disability groups to overcome obstacles to participation.

Client:        Events ACT – ACT Government
Role:           Creative Producer

Staged over two consecutive weekends in late Feb and early March, Enlighten invites audiences to experience Canberra’s cultural collections and attractions in an entirely new light.

Enlighten aims to be an innovative and contemporary cultural event of national significance; presenting an annual program of the highest caliber cultural content, presented after dark in the capitals iconic buildings. Works in the Enlighten program reflect on and respond to the fabric of the city, the national cultural collections it houses and the national institutions that operate here.

During Enlighten the grounds of Canberras parliamentary triangle are transformed into a buzzing hub of activity; spectacular architectural projections enticing audiences to roam the event site where they will find a range of interactive performance and installation works and plenty of delicious dining options.

Big Special was Creative Producer for Enlighten in 2012, 2013 and 2014, overseeing event programming, coordinating all stakeholders relationships, negotiating artist contracts and coordinating event logistics.

Big Specials Gemma Pepper was pivotal in reshaping the structure and relevance of the event through the implementation of a layered and nuanced program of multi-artform performance. During Big Specials involvement in the festival audience numbers increased 15 fold, from 8678 in 2011 to over 131,556 in 2014 the number of event partners engaged in the event grew from 3 in 2011 to 17 in 2014.

Role:                 Producer

Perth based Side Pony Productions supports the work of writer/director Zoe Pepper. Creating predominantly devised theatre Side Pony Productions builds fresh new performance through a well-trodden devising process. The company strives to make innovative theatre that is an engaging, smart celebration of humanity.

Big Special has produced Side Pony Productions over a number of years. This has included the following productions/seasons –

The Pride

• Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2012
• Tamrama Rock Surfers, Sydney 2014

The Confidence Man

• Artshouse, Melbourne, 2013
  APACA Conference, Hobart, 2014

The Wives of Hemingway 

• Fringe World, Perth, 2013

Client:       Soul Highway
Role:         Film Programmer 2013 / 2014

Over two days and nights Wave Rock Weekender features a line-up of fantastic Australian and international music acts, a range of feature films and documentaries all presented in the natural bush surrounds of Wave Rock. Soul Highway, producers of the Wave Rock Weekender, aim to build soulful events for artists, patrons and staff that we can all enjoy and look forward to each year.