South Coast Arts Staff

Louise Croker

Louise Croker has spent over three decades creatively weaving the fabric of communities across South West Sydney and the South Coast, NSW. As Executive Director of South Coast Arts, she brings a unique perspective shaped by extensive experience in the not-for-profit world of community and cultural development. Her career spans diverse roles in local government, cultural arts and grassroots community development. Before leading South Coast Arts, Louise served for 14 years as Kiama Council's Community and Cultural Development Officer, and prior to that held community development positions at Wollondilly and Marrickville councils. Her experience includes founding The Wilga Tree, a successful 13-year health and wellbeing practice, and coordinating children's services, neighbourhood centres, and sector support organisations across the Camden and Macarthur regions. With exceptional skills in partnership building, project design and community consultation, Louise understands what it takes to create the conditions for creativity to flourish. Hailing from the Illawarra South Coast, she remains deeply committed to preserving and enhancing the region's cultural spaces and natural beauty, championing regional cultural development through collaborative, community-centred practice.

Paul Ducco

Paul is a multidisciplinary designer, director strategist with over 25 years’ experience in the creative, tech and film industries. Passionate about connecting culture, education, and the environment, Paul has become a sought-after collaborator in various fields. As the Director of Supernaut, a design-led and future-thinking studio, he has established ongoing relationships with culturally significant institutions such as Carriageworks, the Art Gallery of NSW, State Library of NSW, and Bundanon Trust. Paul's dedication to improving access to the arts in regional areas is reflected in his role as Vice Chair and co-founder of Southland Creative Inc (Shoalhaven). He also serves as Editor-in-Chief at Manta Publishing, an independent print and new media publisher based on the South Coast. Furthermore, Paul has played a significant role in bringing culturally significant Australian stories and discussions to the big screen through documentaries like 'The Final Quarter' and 'Araatika'.

Fiona Wilson

Fiona has been working as the bookkeeper for her family's company for the past 10 years whilst improving her skills with online courses during this time. Early work experience was accounts-based work then after having children she completed her Diploma in Community Services where she went on to work in home care and aged care sector for over 20 years. Fiona has recently moved to the south coast from Sydney to enjoy a slower pace to life as well as expanding her clientele as a way of getting to know the community she has moved into. She is enjoying exploring all this beautiful area has to offer while making new friends and co-workers.

Belinda Brooks

Belinda Brooks is a creative producer, strategic consultant and award-winning visual artist whose work spans arts, community development and social impact. With a multidisciplinary background across visual art, music, theatre and education, she brings a thoughtful balance of creative insight and strategic capability to complex projects.

She has held senior leadership roles within the not-for-profit sector, including with Soldier On, where she led organisational development and cultural transformation, contributed to securing over $1 million in funding to support veterans and their families, and contributed to research and submissions to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Through her consultancy practice, Belinda has delivered high-impact initiatives across mental health, community services and the arts, including securing major funding for end-of-life and suicide support programs and contributing to national policy frameworks. An experienced speaker and facilitator, she has presented at NSW Parliament and national conferences, and is based on the South Coast of New South Wales.

Zara Collins

Zara is an independent curator and visual artist based on the Illawarra coast. She has developed curatorial projects for galleries and institutions including Wollongong Art Gallery, Stanley Street Gallery, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, First Draft, Craft ACT and Gaffa Gallery, as well as international presentations through SOFA Chicago. She has also been engaged as a guest curator for organisations such as Object Gallery and JamFactory.

Alongside her curatorial practice, Zara is an award-winning artist who has exhibited extensively in Australia and internationally since 1999. Her work has been recognised through numerous awards and residencies, including the Edwina Palmer People’s Choice Award in the 2024 Ravenswood Women’s Art Prize and artist residencies at Bundanon, Wollongong Creative Spaces and through the Australia-China Council in Beijing. Her work is held in private collections internationally and in public collections including Manning Art Gallery and the Alex Mackay Collection.

Anne-Louise Rentell

Anne-Louise is a director, producer, performer and dramaturg with over 30 years’ experience in the performing arts. Working across theatre, site-specific performance and collaborative production, her practice focuses on creating ambitious, inclusive works that connect artists, audiences and place.

She is currently Director of The Strangeways Ensemble at Merrigong Theatre Company — a permanent professional ensemble of neurodiverse actors and musicians — and also works as a Project Officer with South Coast Arts alongside her independent directing and dramaturgy practice.

Through her independent work, she produces original productions under the banner of The Society of Histrionic Happenings, assembling teams of artists to create distinctive theatrical and site-specific experiences, including The Sirens Return at Port Kembla Pool (2022).