Cecily Hardy comes to Qtopia Sydney after six years at physical theatre company Legs On The Wall. There, she led its artistic and organisational renewal, and most recently, she was Executive Producer at the Festival Of Dangerous Ideas and Director of Public Programs at The Ethics Centre.

Cecily’s career has spanned major festivals, nationally and internationally touring work, and cultural projects developed with communities across Australia, and the globe.

Qtopia Sydney opened in 2024. Since, it has established a permanent home for LGBTQIA+ history and culture, and Hardy’s appointment will see the precinct build on those foundations.

“This is an important moment for Qtopia Sydney, and Cecily is exactly the leader to take us into it,” the Qtopia Sydney Board says. “Her track record of building sustainable, artistically ambitious cultural organisations grounded in community has us genuinely excited for what Qtopia Sydney can become as a cultural institution of national significance.”

Scott Whitmont, Cecily Hardy, Brett Lyon and Giuseppe Santamaria

Cecily says Qtopia Sydney has an important role to play – not only in preserving and sharing LGBTQIA+ history, but in contributing to the cultural life of Sydney today.

“Qtopia Sydney exists because people fought to make sure our stories would be remembered,” Hardy says. “As the daughter of someone who protested one year on from 1978, that history matters deeply to me. As Sydney loses queer spaces, Qtopia has a chance to be somewhere everyone in our communities can gather, create, look to the future, and feel safe.”

“I’m excited by what Qtopia Sydney can become as a cultural space people return to again and again. There is enormous opportunity ahead to bring fresh energy, ideas and vision to the precinct, while staying firmly rooted in community, and recognising everything that has already been created here.”