Jonathan Holloway

Jonathan Holloway is an experience designer, artistic director, and keynote speaker whose career spans three decades in event design, arts leadership, and audience engagement. Holloway established and managed the National Theatre events department on London's South Bank, where he was the founding manager of "Watch This Space," the Festival of Lights, and co-wrote and directed "Robin Hood" in the National's Loft Theatre. He later served as artistic director and chief executive of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, during which time audience numbers and ticket sales increased significantly, positioning it among the largest city arts festivals in the United Kingdom.

Holloway led two major Australian arts festivals, including the Perth International Arts Festival, where he programmed "Place des Anges" by Studio Cirque, an event that attracted 30,000 attendees and received the Helpmann Award for Best Special Event. He also directed a large-scale public arts event in Perth, which drew 1.4 million participants and resulted in his Honorary Citizenship of the City of Perth. In Melbourne, Holloway presented Taylor Mac's 24-hour production "A 24-Decade History of Popular Music," marking its only complete performance outside the United States. His major events have each received the Helpmann Award for Best Special Event.

Throughout his career, Holloway has collaborated with artists such as Hugh Jackman, Judi Dench, Thom Yorke, Macklemore, Ennio Morricone, Public Enemy, Philip Glass, The Flaming Lips, and Margaret Atwood. He led the creative direction for Vice President Joe Biden's State Dinner in Melbourne and has contributed to projects with UNESCO's Mondiacult, The Festival Academy in Africa, Yale University, and cultural dialogues in the Middle East, working across the cultural, academic, corporate, and nonprofit sectors.

As a keynote speaker, Holloway shares expertise in experience design, creative leadership, and audience engagement, drawing on roles at the Royal National Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and international arts festivals. He has delivered more than 400 speeches to over 30,000 people in more than 15 countries, for organizations including Cisco, Chevron, NAB, Rio Tinto, IBM, Oracle, REMIX Summit, and TEDx.

Holloway is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts in the United Kingdom, an Honorary Citizen of Perth, Western Australia, and holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation. His keynote, "The Art of Experience," offers insights into designing impactful moments for organizations. Holloway advises cultural institutions, arts organizations, cities, and senior leaders on programming, strategy, and implementing large-scale creative initiatives.