Episode 47: Simon Hinton: Leading Merrigong Theatre Company with Vision, Community and Courage

Simon Hinton has been Artistic Director and CEO of Merrigong Theatre Company in Wollongong since 2005. Under his leadership, Merrigong has grown from a presenting venue into Australia’s largest regional producing theatre company. With a deep commitment to community, First Nations engagement, and supporting independent artists, Simon has become one of the country’s most respected regional arts leaders.In this episode, Simon reflects on two decades of cultural leadership and what it takes to sustain a regional company that balances commercial realities with artistic ambition. The conversation explores his philosophy of governance, his advocacy for ethical and values-based leadership, and the ways in which Merrigong’s programs—especially MERRIGONGX—nurture and empower independent artists.We also discuss how regional contexts can keep organisations grounded, why long-term community embeddedness matters, and how arts organisations must respond to challenges such as post-COVID recovery, sustainability, and the disruptive potential of AI. Simon shares candid insights into the importance of holding space for ambiguity and resisting the polarisation of public discourse, positioning culture as a rare arena where diverse perspectives can meet.Key Discussion PointsSimon’s 20-year journey leading Merrigong Theatre CompanyBuilding a producing company in a regional contextRethinking governance and the need for moral leadership in the artsEmbedding First Nations voices and self-determined programmingThe development and impact of the MERRIGONGX artist programBalancing community use, commercial viability, and artistic innovationPost-COVID reflections on how the sector values artistsThe challenges of sustainability, cultural ecology, and sector competitionAI, polarisation, and the responsibility of the arts to hold space for ambiguityMemorable Quotes“It’s not really measured in years. It’s measured in decades… this is a deep tilling of the earth and a planting of seeds to change the cultural landscape.”“We need to work at the speed of trust.”“Maybe we’ll be the last people that hold some space for silence and contemplation, where differing views can coexist.”LinksMerrigong Theatre CompanyMERRIGONGXBlakDanceNORPACreate NSWConnect with Decoding Cultural LeadershipInstagram: @DCLPod Threads: @DCLPod X: @DCLPod Follow us on Substack: Decoding Cultural Leadership Email: [email protected] www.samuelcairnduff.comPresenter and research: Dr Samuel Cairnduff Connect with Decoding Cultural Leadership on social mediaInstagram, Threads, X/Twitter:@[email protected]@samuelcairnduffRead Sam's Substack here.Presenter and research: Sam CairnduffCreative Director: Niloofar PashmforooshPresented in association with LimelightDecoding Cultural Leadership | Culture. Society. Conversations