Creative Australia acknowledges the passing of Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers, a significant and influential presence in Australia’s contemporary performance sector. As an artist, music director and creative leader, Kim contributed powerfully to the development of inclusive and internationally recognised performance work. 

Kim Bowers was a co‑creator, music director and a central performer in Hot Brown Honey, the globally acclaimed show that combined music, circus, cabaret and burlesque to challenge conventions and amplify voices often marginalised on major stages. The work toured extensively, earning national and international recognition, including Helpmann, Green Room and UK Total Theatre Awards, and establishing Hot Brown Honey as a landmark in contemporary Australian performance. 

Kim’s legacy is felt in the artists she collaborated with, the audiences she reached, and the broader conversations her work helped to advance within the arts sector. She believed in the transformative power of the arts and its ability to create space for collective resistance and joy. 

Zohar Spatz, Head of Community and Experimental, Creative Australia, said: 

“Kim Bowers was a pioneering artist whose work challenged convention and contemporary performance. Her leadership on Hot Brown Honey and Hive City Legacy demonstrated how ambitious, community‑minded practice can open doors for new stories and new ways of being seen on stage.” 

Creative Australia extends its sincere condolences to Kim Bowers’ family, collaborators and the many artists and audiences who were impacted by her work. Her contribution strengthened contemporary performance in Australia and opened doors for new voices to be seen and heard on major stages. 

Featured image: Hot Brown Honey, Edinburgh 2016 by Kate Pardey