Welcoming our next Executive Director & Co-CEO

Polyglot Theatre is delighted to announce the appointment of senior arts leader Ally Harvey as Executive Director & Co-CEO. With more than three decades of experience across theatre, dance, music, and large-scale events, she brings a dedication to ambitious new work, ethical and sustainable practice, and a belief in the vital role of play and curiosity in cultural life.

Board Chair Sandra Robertson writes, “We welcome Ally as Polyglot’s new Executive Director and Co-CEO with Artistic Director Cat Sewell. We are confident her alignment with the company’s values, alongside her strategic acumen and commitment to excellence, are the next step towards Polyglot’s thriving future. With Ally’s passion for creating conditions in which artists, arts workers and communities can meaningfully engage with the arts, as well as her experience across many productions that centre children, we are excited at how she will build on Polyglot’s long legacy of great leaders.” 

Ally has held senior positions with organisations including Lucy Guerin Inc, RISING and Back to Back Theatre, and recently concluded seven years on the Board of Platform Arts, where she served most of the time as Chair. She is currently completing a Master of Leadership and sits on the Board of Dan Daw Creative Projects. Her career began in technical theatre, working internationally on large-scale productions before moving into major cultural and community events. These formative experiences cemented her belief in the impact of collaborative creative practice and the importance of accessible, community-centred work.

Ally is thrilled to be joining Polyglot. “This is a move that reflects my long-standing commitment to work that places imagination, agency and inclusion at its centre. I’m deeply motivated by the transformative potential of theatre for children – particularly its capacity to empower young people, invite diverse ways of seeing the world, and foster lifelong engagement with creativity. I’m excited for what lies ahead for Polyglot and its extended family of artists, audiences, partners and communities.”

Ally will work in close partnership with Cat Sewell, Artistic Director & Co-CEO, who shares, “I’m very excited to welcome Ally to our team. Her deep commitment to leading with care and clarity will enable Polyglot to continue its joyful work bringing immersive, theatrical play to children across Australia and the world. Ally will be a wonderful person to lead alongside, and I’m looking forward to our shared future.”

Polyglot thanks Mary-Jo Capps of MJ Capps & Associates for leading the comprehensive recruitment process with insight, energy and consideration.

Ally will commence as Polyglot’s Executive Director & Co-CEO in early 2026.