Sama Balson
Sama Balson
director of theatre and film, founder Women’s Village Collective
Sama Balson is a creative thinker, a campaigner for equality, diversity, and social justice. She is an advocate for women's leadership to bring about social change.
Sama is the Founding Director of WISE (Women In Screen and Entertainment), IPAN (International Performing Arts Network) and the Womens’ Village Collective (WVC) a not for profit organisation established to raise awareness and support for women’s causes, including the systemic bias reflected in the housing crisis.
The WVC are researching, developing and implementing sustainable and affordable housing models to secure accommodation, equity co-ownership, home ownership and micro-enterprise platforms to build Wealth, Investment, Security and Equity.
As an Artistic Director with two decades of experience in the film & theatre industry, Sama has worked alongside Australian government departments, councils, landlords and advocacy groups including Amnesty International Australia.
She trained at EORA Aboriginal Centre of Visual and Performing Arts in Sydney and the Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jaques Lecoq in Paris, her performing arts credits include: the Women, Power and Culture Festival, the International Festival Around the World in 24 Hours, as well as directing and managing workshops, events, films, and performances in Australia, The U.K, The U.S.A France and Italy.