Pat Rix

South Australian Local Hero, 2007

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

In 1997 Pat founded Tutti Ensemble to give people the opportunity to live out their dreams through music, theatre, and performing to audiences. By 2002 Tutti had become an internationally acclaimed model of integrated arts with a truly unique voice in Australian music theatre. In 2004 with Pat as Artistic Director, the ensemble grew into Tutti Arts where for the first time, learning disabled and neurodiverse artists attended professional full day programs in the visual and performing arts. By 2008 Tutti offered a full week program which included creative technology and screen, and today as a leading Australian multi arts organisation, Tutti is also home to three very successful disability led collectives – The Sisters of Invention, Company AT autistic theatre, and Sit Down Shutup and Watch Film Festival.

Pat’s passion and commitment has supported disabled and neurodiverse artists to make work that enables connection with peers across the world. She believes that connections made through making art nurture positivity which is central to human happiness to our understanding of others; and key to making communities and nations work.

Recent Awards

  • In 2017 Pat was awarded the Adelaide Critics Circle Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts.
  • At the December 2021 Arts South Australia Ruby Awards Pat received the Premier’s Award for Lifetime Achievement which recognises ‘an extraordinary South Australian who, through a lifetime of outstanding service, has made an indelible contribution to Australian arts and culture.’
  • In August 2022 she received the Australia Council Ros Bower Award which acknowledges the achievements of an Australian artist who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to community arts and cultural development.
  • In October 2022 Pat was the recipient of the 2022 Adelaide International Film Festival Bettison James Award which recognises Australians’ who have contributed a lifelong body of work of high achievement and community benefit.’
  • Pat has previously undertaken the role of ADCSA Ambassador at the following councils: Holdfast Bay, PAE, Barossa (Tanunda and Nuriootpa) and Adelaide Hills (Mt Barker) as well as the areas around Clare, Jamestown and Melrose.

Meet our Ambassadors

Nasir Hussain

Diversity Advocate & President of Muslim Australian Connections of South Australia

Since migrating to Australia in 2006, Nasir has devoted himself to building bridges between Muslims and the wider Australian society.

Dr Felicity-ann Lewis

Community Leader & 2014 SA Australian of the Year

A dedicated, dynamic leader, Dr Felicity-ann Lewis is passionate about creating a better, healthier, more inclusive Australia

Chris Schacht

Former Senator & President of Volleyball Australia

Chris is a former President of the Australian Volleyball Federation and an elected representative to the Legal Commission of the “Federation Internationale de Volleyball”. He is also a board member of numerous worthwhile organisations.
Professor Jennifer McKay AM

Professor Jennifer McKay AM

Professor - Business, Law and Environment

Professor Jennifer McKay AM is an academic lawyer with a passion for research to celebrate some but reform other laws to achieve a sound and clean environment for future generations.
Christine Robertson

Christine Robertson OAM

Co-founder of Lost Pets of South Australia, Creator of Chipblitz program & SA State Recipient Local Hero 2023

Christine co-founded the Lost Pets of South Australia charity in 2013 to reunite lost pets with their families. The volunteer organisation uses social media and its connections with the RSPCA and other animal welfare groups to get lost animals back home.
Professor Rob Morrison OAM

Professor Rob Morrison OAM

Scientist, former host of The Curiosity Show, SA State Recipient Senior Australia of the Year 2008

Rob has had a dual career as academic and science broadcaster and writer. He is currently a Professorial Fellow at Flinders University. He has written more 40 books and co-written 13 more on science and natural history.
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