Amrit Gill, Chair is an arts and culture expert with more than 15 years’ of industry expertise across producing, programming, strategy, international relations, community development and social enterprise.
She is the Creative Program Lead at City of Melbourne and holds a board position at the Centre for Australia-India Relations – as well as here at Next Wave.
Amrit’s career portfolio includes Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art as well as Director of International Development at the Australia Council for the Arts (now known as Creative Australia).
She has led international strategic investment across artforms and implemented the Australia Council’s first international arts strategy – expanding engagement and investment in Asia and global First Nations exchange

Bec Cole is a champion of creating access to contemporary art and performance for everyone. Currently Executive Director & Co-CEO of Footscray Community Arts, Bec has worked extensively across leadership, strategic and creative programming roles, spanning public art, galleries, performing arts, creative industry development, major events and activity centre settings. She holds a Master of Commerce with specialties in business, economics and marketing and a Master of Community Cultural Development. She is the Chair of NETS Victoria and a board member of RANT Arts, a peak body for regional arts in Tasmania. Bec is proudly palawa.

Nicole Smith is the Brand and Commercial Director for RISING, Melbourne’s newest major cultural event celebrating the night with public art, performance and music. She has a passion for building brands and connecting audiences with transformative art experiences. Nicole brings over 15 years experience in brand storytelling, arts marketing, audience development and strategic partnerships. Prior to RISING, Nicole spent five years in Tasmania as Marketing and Communications Director for Mona (Museum of Old and New Art) and Dark Mofo. From 2011–2014 she was Marketing and Development Manager at Next Wave, a role that was pivotal to her career development allowing her to take risks and test new models of engagement.

Kate Robinson, Deputy Chair is an artist and podcaster. She was the inaugural Feminist in Residence at Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, where she curated the community craftivist exhibition ‘Make a Fuss’. Kate loves making art accessible and fun. To this end, she hosts craft workshops for local councils, community hubs, community arts centres and galleries. In 2023, Kate was an artist in residence at ArtsBox and held her first solo exhibition, Zendegi at ArtsGen. She currently serves on the board for the QVWC Trust, and previously was an advisory group member for the Equality Rights Alliance and the Australian Women Against Violence Alliance. Kate also co-creates the podcast, Being Biracial, which is part of the Culture Makers Season Two program at Museums Victoria. She previously worked as a family violence lawyer in community legal centres.

Jodee Mundy OAM is the Creative Producer – Access and Inclusion, at Arts Centre Melbourne. She is the strategic lead behind Alter State, a major disability led festival celebrating contemporary art and live performance by artists from Australia and Aotearoa (NZ) and is presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Arts Access Victoria. An award-winning interdisciplinary theatre maker, film maker and creative director, she is the founding and inaugural festival director of FUSE, Darebin’s multi arts festival and established this festival for four years. Prior to this, she had her own company Jodee Mundy Collaborations creating major sign language art works, performances, installations and films with Deafblind, Deaf, disabled and non-disabled artists presenting in venues such as Arts House, Sydney Opera House, Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center as well many venues across the country. Her work featured in Darwin, Sydney and Brisbane festivals, ReelAbilities Festival in New York and Spill Festival of Performance in the UK. She has worked with companies such as Arts Access Victoria, Polyglot Theatre, The Village, Snuff Puppets, Deafinitely Theatre, SF Sway poles, Graeae, Back to Back Theatre, and worked with a Deaf TV television show with the BBC for four years as a British Sign Language Interpreter. Jodee is a proud member of the Australian Deaf community and is a Coda (Child of Deaf adults). She is the only person who hears in her Deaf family. Her native language is Auslan and English is her second language. In 2019, Jodee was diagnosed with a very rare incurable cancer and is on ongoing treatment for the rest of her life with a survivorship of three and a half years. She is a mama to two girls and identifies as a proud coda and disabled artist.

Hannah Jensen, Treasurer is a partner of Proctor Major & Co, a boutique accounting practice that services clients with a broad range of compliance and financial needs. Hannah’s technical knowledge, ambition and desire to manifest and nurture relationships with people from all walks of life were key to her early success. The firm has a significant portfolio of clients who operate and run their own small to medium-sized businesses, across a range of industries. Hannah’s portfolio of clients includes many individuals and businesses in the arts and entertainment industry. She uses her natural connection to the creative world to lead creatives to better develop their business acumen, allowing careers to flourish. Always having been a believer that art is the nucleus of culture and history, she is very excited to have joined as a member of Next Wave to facilitate the development and continuation of art in our culture.