Pat Rix

Ros Bower Award for Community Arts and Cultural Development

Congratulations Pat Rix, recipient of the 2022 Australia Council Ros Bower Award for Community Arts and Cultural Development! 

A respected artistic director with significant experience creating collaborative community and mainstage productions in South Australia, the US and South East Asia, Pat has worked for over thirty years with people from diverse backgrounds and organisations to build inclusive, respectful relationships across social, geographical and cultural divides.

Since 2001, Pat’s passion and commitment has been to support disabled artists to make work that enables connection with peers across the world.

“I believe that connections made through making art nurture positivity which is central to human happiness and to our understanding of others. Positivity is key to making communities and nations work.”

Pat founded the Tutti Choir in 1997 as a small singing group for people with intellectual disability, in South Australia. The organisation quickly grew to become a multi-arts vehicle for showcasing the work of local artists, and becoming a working model for international groups and organisations. Each week, over 200 artists take part in Tutti programs at three locations: Brighton, Port Adelaide and the Barossa Valley. Pat retired in September 2021 after 24 years leading the organisation.

As an ally of disabled artists, Pat also served on various state advisory committees relating to social inclusion, volunteering and health.