Screen Producers Australia (SPA) is proud to announce Wesley Enoch AM as the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecturer, delivering a keynote at this year’s SCREEN FOREVER conference (Tuesday, 6 May – Thursday, 8 May 2025), taking place on Queensland’s glittering Gold Coast.
Since 1992, the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture has been a keynote feature of the annual SCREEN FOREVER conference. The speech honours its namesake’s legacy and emphasises the importance of independent production in Australia's cultural life.
A proud Quandamooka man and one of Australia’s most celebrated Indigenous artists, Wesley Enoch brings a formidable legacy to the stage. His body of work spans theatre, festivals, and screen, championing First Nations voices and reshaping Australia’s cultural narrative through storytelling through influential roles, including Artistic Director of Sydney Festival and Professor of Indigenous Practice at QUT.
His body of work as a writer and director includes iconic stage productions such as The 7 Stages of Grieving, Black Medea, The Sunshine Club and The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table.
As a director, Wesley has helmed acclaimed theatrical productions including The Sapphires, Black Diggers, I Am Eora, The Man from Mukinupin, Yibiyung, Parramatta Girls, Black Cockatoo, A Raisin in the Sun, The Visitors, and Appropriate.
In this year’s lecture, Wesley will reflect on the power of the screen industry to shape national identity, cultural memory, and public truth.
Wesley Enoch AM stated, "These days, our truthtellers have morphed into entertainers—journalists, politicians, and historians. We watch, but we don’t reflect. And when the real truth-tellers step back or are silenced, who’s left to speak for us? Maybe it’s time for our entertainers to step up—not just to perform, but to carry culture, to hold space for complexity, to speak with heart and honesty. Because storytelling isn’t just what we do—it’s how we remember who we are.”
“We are honoured to have Wesley deliver this year’s Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture and know his words will challenge and inspire us all,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.
Delegates are encouraged to register now to secure their spot to avoid missing out on what is heading towards being another sold-out event.
