A new step in NICA’s evolution and leadership has been initiated with the appointment of a new Chair of the Board: the Honourable Ted Baillieu AO.

“I am honoured to have been asked to Chair the Board of NICA. As Premier of Victoria and Arts Minister, I was proud to support NICA and the extraordinary work it undertakes based in Melbourne – the arts capital of Australia. I have always loved circus - the universal language of the street. In all its forms circus connects our basic instincts and emotions: Fear. Imagination. Wonder. Triumph. Love. Loss and Laughter. NICA turns starry eyes into stars! I am proud to have the opportunity, along with my Board colleagues, to help lead NICA towards what I know will be an exciting future.”
 
“I thank Bill Sweeney for his time as interim chair, alongside the Collarts team, steering NICA through the transition from Swinburne University and am delighted he will remain as a member of the Board.”

Mr Baillieu served as the 46th Premier of Victoria and Minister for the Arts from 2010 to 2013, following a 15-year parliamentary career as the Member for Hawthorn. His commitment to arts, culture and heritage has continued through senior governance roles, including Chair of the Australian Heritage Council (2021–2024) and Chair of the Victorian Government’s ANZAC Centenary Committee. 

He maintains strong engagement with creative education, serving as Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University’s School of Design, Honorary Enterprise Professor with the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, and as a member of Queensland University of Technology’s Thrive Advisory Board.

Mr Baillieu is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and Patron of organisations including Multicultural Arts Victoria and several cultural and heritage institutions. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2020 and awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Swinburne University in 2022.

Mr Baillieu brings deep experience in arts leadership, cultural governance and public service to his role and NICA is looking forward to growing under his guidance and expertise. NICA’s CEO, Simona Jobbagy comments, “it is important to us to have a strong, independent Board. We are really pleased Mr Baillieu accepted the offer and will be a key part of our future.”

Mr Baillieu joins an impressive new Board to lead the governance of NICA:
🔹 Bill Sweeney – Director | Executive Chairman, Collarts
🔹 Sam Jacob – Director | Chief Executive Officer, Collarts
🔹 Collette Brennan – Director | Chief Executive Officer, National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
🔹 Darcy Grant – Director | Artistic Director, Gravity & Other Myths
🔹 Jonathan Burke – Director | Official Secretary, Office of the Governor (Victoria)
🔹 Jill Smith AM – Director | Australian Government nominee
🔹 Anne Young – Secretary | Quality & Compliance Manager, NICA

NICA celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026, marking a quarter century of leadership in tertiary circus arts education in Australia.