About Alison
Alison Burnley is an arts manager and producer with a strong focus on supporting communities and emerging artists to share their stories. Whether reimagining folk tales and feasting on medieval bread or contemplating what we’re thankful for whilst lighting floating bonfires, she creates experiential and ceremonial works that provoke the mind and awaken the senses.
Alison’s theatre life began at 13 when she found an incredible youth theatre that gifted her a safe space in which to explore the world and discover who she was. She went on to work as a youth theatre director, study Community Theatre at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and co-found multidisciplinary community arts organisation, Inside Out Arts.
Alison then worked as a producer for the BBC and as a freelance producer and facilitator. Alison’s last role in the UK was as Community Engagement Manager at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre before moving to Australia in 2013.
Since arriving in Australia, Alison has worked on the programming team at The Edge at State Library of Queensland and more recently embarked on work as a freelancer. To date she has produced work for Woodford Folk Festival, BrisAsia and Brisbane Festival as well as starting to develop her own projects.
In 2020 Alison produced The Little Gnome Who Had to Stay Home, a short animation for children about lockdown. She also launched The Lullaby Ensemble, a song circle for new mamas and their babies.
After eight years down under, Alison and her family have returned home to the UK in June 2021 and she is looking forward to rekindling old collaborations and beginning new ones.
