Heartland Festival 2026: Introducing our Associate Artists!
August 18, 2026
Please join us in welcoming our 2026 Associate Artists for the Heartland Festival, Erica Brennan and Nigel Turner-Carroll. They will be curating, mentoring and supporting all the teams across our full program.
Erica Brennan is a writer, director, creative producer and physical theatre performer living on Gadigal Land. She is a proud Gamillaroi woman and grew up in the Blue Mountains on the beautiful country of the Gundengurra and Darug.
She has written dozens of short plays for young people and had numerous full-length original works produced in independent Sydney venues including The Old 505 Theatre and PACT and KXT on Broadway. Her particular fondness for leveraging classic movie genres to tell stories about Australia’s conservation efforts have led her to develop work with The ABC, AFTRS, Elbow Room Theatre, First Stories Festival, and Critical Stages.
As a director she is a champion of experimental and collaborative processes with experience directing classic, contemporary and devised works many of which were produced under her independent company Glorious Thing Theatre Co. Erica is also a founding member and lead devising artists for physical theatre ensemble NINEFOLD performing with the company since it was established in 2012.
In addition to her creative work, she is deeply committed to fostering well-being within the arts community. As a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel for the Arts Wellbeing Collective, she helps facilitate the creation of well-being resources for independent artists. She also administers a free-to-access database of yearly submissions, streamlining opportunities for career advancement for independent artists.
As a programs coordinator she has both lead and managed projects as an independent contractor and for organisations like The Inner West Council, Penrith Performing and Visual Arts and Eurella Disability Service Provider
Nigel Turner-Carroll is an Australian and international award-winning Theatre and Creative Director. With over a decade of experience across national mainstages, international touring productions, and large-scale live events. Nigel specialises in bold new work that fuses theatre, music, and movement. He is the Co-Creator and Director of multiple productions The Tap Pack, and The Box Show as well as his ground breaking sold out runs of Drummer Queens, and Eireborne, that have toured throughout Australia, Europe, Asia, and North America. Nigel has directed a large repertoire of plays including Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and Our Lady of 121st Street by Stephen Adly Guirgis, DNA by Dennis Kelly, Children of the Sun adapted by Andrew Upton, Dance Nation by Clare Barron, Hibernation by Finegan Kruckemeyer and No Particular Order by Joel Tan. Recently nominated Sydney Theatre Awards, Best Direction for an Independent Production his play Port by Simon Stephens and a critically acclaimed sold out run of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea by John Patrick Shanley.
Staging Director for Saudi National Day at World Expo Osaka, NRL Grand Final Opening Ceremony, World Cup Cricket match entertainment, CNY Gala Resorts World Sentosa Singapore as well as numerous Awards ceremonies and live events. His Creative Direction also spans major events including the Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony, FIBA Women’s World Championship, and the Australian of the Year Awards. He has served as Movement and Associate Director for New Australian works Melba: The Musical, David Walliams, Midnight Gang and Billionaire Boy and most recently Dog Man: The Musical, and Associate Director for Grease: Arena Spectacular, The Wizard of Oz (Arena), He has also directed and co-written a range of acclaimed cabaret and production shows, including Gone Too Soon, Damn Good Divas (Mo Award winner for Best Production), Twists and Turns with Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham (Best Cabaret and Critics’ Pick at Perth Fringe World), Under the Covers, and Back to Bacharach starring Casey Donovan. Two Right Feet, appearing at Edinburgh Fringe this year(Best Cabaret Adelaide Fringe). Nigel brings a culturally diverse perspective and a commitment to developing powerful, inclusive work that connects with contemporary audiences both locally and globally.