Home / Arts and Entertainment / Policy Whiz Butterworth Leads Australian Festivals
Policy Whiz Butterworth Leads Australian Festivals
19 Aug
Summary
- Lizzie Butterworth, a policy expert, is the new CEO of the AFA.
- She previously shaped arts policy in the NSW government.
- Butterworth aims to foster a resilient festival sector.
Lizzie Butterworth has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Australian Festival Association (AFA).
Butterworth brings extensive policy expertise and government experience, having previously worked for six years in the New South Wales parliament and government. There, she significantly influenced policy developments for the contemporary music sector.
Her key contributions in NSW included establishing Sound NSW, reforming festival regulations, and creating new frameworks to support artists and venues. Butterworth succeeds Olly Arkins, who departs on August 21, 2026.
The AFA, which launched in December 2018, represents various stakeholders in Australia's music festival sector. Butterworth expressed excitement about advocating for a creative, resilient, and sustainable festival industry.
