John Harvey

John Harvey is a writer, director and producer of Saibai Island (Torres Strait) and English descent. He is the creative director of independent theatre + film company, Brown Cabs.

In theatre, he made his writing debut in 2017 with Heart is a Wasteland (Malthouse / Brown Cabs), touring nationally with Ilbijerri Theatre Company in 2022.  He was co-writer of MFI show Black Ties (Ilbijerri Theatre / Te Rehia) which saw sold out audiences at Arts Centre Melbourne, Sydney Festival, Perth Festival and Auckland Festival. He directed A Little Piece of Heaven (Orana Arts / Brown Cabs) for 2019 Yirramboi Festival and he has also produced some of Australia’s much loved Indigenous productions including Jack Charles VS. The Crown, Songlines of a Mutti Mutti Man, The Dirty Mile, Sisters of Gelam and My Lover’s Bones.

John has created a dynamic slate of film including writer and director for short films Water (ABC) and Out of Range (SBS), co-director of feature documentary and docu-series Off Country (NITV), producer for The Warriors (ABC), director/co-producer of Kutcha’s Koorioke docu-series (NITV), as well as several short form documentaries and has produced short films for screening at international film festivals and national broadcasters.

In 2015 he produced the acclaimed feature film, Spear, (Dir. Stephen Page) which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and Adelaide Film Festival, as well as the chapter Sand for feature film The Turning (Berlinale, MIFF).

He was commissioned by ACMI (Australian Centre for Moving Image) to create a multi-channel installation called Canopy in 2020 and created a large street mural for Metro City Square (Melbourne) based on the work.   He collaborated with artist Ricardo Idagi, on his award- winning work for the Telstra Art Award in 2011.

He currently serves as a board member for Bangarra Dance Theatre.