PRODUCER. SHAPER. FACILITATOR

of new creative experiences. 

 

👉 An interdisciplinary native, my experience crosses countries & industries and includes creative/artistic direction, film directing & editing, public art, community engagement, museums management and academic research & teaching. I work across sectors and disciplines to engage communities, build new partnerships and develop projects that prioritise art’s role in cultural transformation. 

 

⭐️ Interested in who speaks, and for whom, I am passionate about translating community stories into digital experiences that interrogate dominant narratives about history, experience and urban space. 

 

I have been commissioned by UK & Australian governments to create public projections & digital experiences for libraries, football stadiums, online and public spaces.

 

🎥 As a freelance director/ editor, I have travelled internationally, working on short form content for HSBC, Colgate, Greenpeace, Roche and UK Border Force. As Creative Director of -Mace Dennis Studio, I produce content and facilitate learning programs for clients including Crafts Council, Manchester International Festival, artsdepot and Ridley Road Market Bar.  

 

📖 My writing has been published by Routledge & Equinox and I have written content for Collectivstx, Dance Magazine, News UK and Monash Gallery. 

 

🦾 I am now exploring the most ethical and expansive ways to talk to, and collaborate with AI.

 

🧠 In 2008, a traumatic brain injury changed the course of my life. This experience gives me unique insight into the relationship between communication, brain plasticity and spatial design. It also allows me to recognise the power of accessibility to significantly transform people’s experiences and lives.

 

 ✌️ Passionate about collaborating with diverse groups to discover new ways to understand our surroundings, I am excited by every new opportunity to work with communities, cultural organisations and corporate/commercial clients on projects that inspire us to perceive ourselves, and each other in new ways. If you are ready to discuss a project, role or collaboration please get in touch. 🍀

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MY SERVICES

Art Direction, AI/ Machine Learning Art, Brand Strategy, Consulting, Copywriting, Cultural Producing, Creative Research, Development Writing/ Producing, Concept Development, Commercials, Cultural Facilitation, Design, Digital Imaging, Exhibitions, Film and Video Producing, Directing and Editing, Installation, Projection Design, Public Art, Photography, Social Strategy, Social Content, Workshop Facilitation.

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MOVING IMAGE/ PUBLIC SPACE

SELECTED COMMISSIONS AND PUBLIC EXPERIENCES. 

Ridley Road Market Bar, Orbit Visual Artists Commission, London 2022. 

Create With #Facet. 2021

Everyday Stories of Colossal Importance. The Reel Walthamstow: Scene Moving Image Commission. 2015

Sounds from the Emergent State. Commissioned for State Library of QLD for Live! Queensland Band Culture. 2013    

Drafting Season. Commissioned for Kick Off Contemporary Video Art Metricon Stadium/ Gold Coast Suns. 2012     

Moving over the Shoreline. Commissioned for the new QLD Multicultural Centre. 2012     

Mondo Ghillies. Dance film commissioned by NextWave Festival. 2010     

Where Whispers Walk. Interactive video commission for State Library of QLD. 2007 

Swimming Animistic. Temporary Public Video Commission, Portside Wharf. 2008

Secrets of the City: Gumbramorra Swamp Thing! Public Art in the Park Event. Marrickville City Council. 2005

 

FILM

SHORT FILMS

AS WRITER/ DIRECTOR

Everyday Stories of Colossal Importance. Waltham Forest Council/ Scene Cinema, London. 2015     

Keys to Your Heart. Dennis Bell. 2011

Rebel Wessex. Metro Screen and Screen Australia. 2009    

 

AS WRITER

Fan Service. Dir. Tamas Mesmer. Dogfella Productions. 2018     

 

SHORT FORM DOCUMENTARY

AS SELF SHOOTING DIRECTOR/ EDITOR

James Paddock/ Exeter Phoenix Gallery, Life Could be Done so Much Better. Exeter, 2024. 

Experience Economy. Short films shot in London, Scarborough and Horsham. Crafts Council. 2021.

 

AS DIRECTOR

Inspiring Hearts. Manchester and Coventry. Aged Care Channel. 2017

Patient Journey Films. Canada, Italy, France, UK and Germany (5 films per country) Inspired films. 2016 - 17.   

Harvey.  Waltham Forest Council/ Scene Cinema. 2015   

Nigel. Waltham Forest Council/ Scene Cinema. 2015   

Tally Ho! A Place to Meet. artsdepot 2014

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AS EDITOR

Somerset House, O’Barco, The Boat. 2022. 

Sister Motion/ Canary Wharf Group, Tom Dixon: The Penthouses, One Park Drive. 2022.  

Wessex Water (Education campaign - Dir. Leah Rustomjee). 2022. 

Abraham’s Family Tree. Jewish Futures. (Long Form). 2021. 

Collette Levy. Jewish Futures (Long Form). 2020.

Hungerlust Shanghai. The Culturetrip. 2018    

21 Women. Eliza Schroder (dir). Rainstar Productions. 2018   

Discovering Stratford Village. Newham New Deal Partnership. Arts council funded heritage film with contemporary twist. Producer and Editor. 2018.

Short-form technology focused docos for Business Insider/ Spotify. TVC. 2018. 

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COMMERCIAL/ ONLINE

AS DIRECTOR

Defy The Norm. Wunderman Thompson/ HSBC. Short form, online. 2022

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AS DIRECTOR/ EDITOR

My Best Me. Media Bounty/ Colgate. Short form, online. 2016    

Right to Choose. Raindown/ UK Border Force. Short form, online. 2016    

Change a Life. Rebel Spirit/ Edmen Staffing Solutions. Short form, online. 2013 

Paint a World. Rebel Spirit/ Edmen Staffing Solutions. Short form, online. 2013 

 

AS EDITOR

Experience German. Digital and Nomad/ Gothe Institut. Short form, 2021. 

Starbucks: The Cultural Shift. Toad. Branded documentary, short form. 2019. 

Reversion of Rocky Mountaineer. BBC Storyworks/ The Smalls. Short form promo. 2019. 

Don't Consult Lead. Infosys/ Social. High end organic recruitment campaign. 2019. 

Fast and the Furriest. Motion 24. Short form, promo. 2017     

Barclaycard: Magic Moments. Short form promo. Barclays. Big Small. Assembly Editor. 2018.

Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Ernst and Young. Fletcher Wilson. 2018 
Varkey Foundation Awards. Freshstart Media. 2018. 
Greenpeace Unearthed. Raindown. 2018.  

 

AS WRITER

The Fourth Platform. Fourth Technology/ Jelly. Short form, online 2017    

Saving Journalism. TIME magazine/ The Smalls. Short form, online 2017   

Visit Dubai: Tourism Campaign. Dubai Tourism/ The Smalls. Short form, online 2017

News UK Start Up Labs. News UK/ The Smalls. Short form, online 2017

Experience India: Tourism Campaign. Indian Government / The Smalls. Short form, online. 2017
 

MUSIC VIDEO

AS DIRECTOR/ EDITOR

Dark Days. Comte De St Germain. 2018

Relapse. Anise. 2012     

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AS DIRECTOR

Tokyo Edge of Colour. (director). 2011  

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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Calgark. Past Tense Story. (Transmedia). Development Writer/ Producer. 2022

Volkswagen, Pace of Change. (Corporate) Volkswagen. Vertical Productions. Researcher. 2018
Branded documentaries for CNN and Nokia. Lonely Leap. Researcher and writer. 2016-18.

Rivers, Roads, Racetracks. Television pitch. Big Earth, London. Development Writer and Pitch Designer. 2017

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EXHIBITIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

CONFERENCES AND INVITED TALKS

‘The Body as Content: Artificial Intelligences and the Shaping of Identity.’ Interdisciplinary Bodies Conference. Brunel University, London. 2024

'Interdisciplinary Business Models' at Northern Fashion Week, Manchester. 9 July, 2022.

'Listening at the Periphery of Language: working with variant forms,' 2nd Year Design and Screen Studies Unit. Ravensbourne University London. 8 February, 2021.

‘Dancing with the affective force of creative bodies: practice-based research and the doubts of institutional knowledge’ at Contemporary Arts Research Conference, Oxford Brookes University. 2016    

'Recasting Unfinished Selves.' Lecture/ Performance presented at Camillo 2.0, Technology, Memory, Experience. Performance Studies International. May 25 - 29 Utrecht, the Netherlands.

'Thinking the brain through movement: choreographing the body’s lost interactions with the world.' Presented at In Time Together: World Dance Alliance Global Dance Event. July 12 –17. New York City. 2010     

‘Give Unto Ceasar – Arts Practice in an Academic Context.’ Critical Animals Conference, Newcastle Town Hall, Friday September 28. 2007.     

‘Into the interfold:  Isolation, Historical Memory and the Reconstruction of Time’ Presented at Isolation: Disconnection, Solitude and Seclusion in a Connected  World.  Hosted by the Housing and Community Research Unit in the School of Sociology at the University of Tasmania (in collaboration with Svenja Kratz). 2006     

Madness and its Ghostly Echo:  images and traces of the dead. Presented at Perceptual Difference, the Biennial of Electronic Arts, Perth, September 8 – 13, 2004.

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SELECTED INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS

Swallow (Prelude). à l’OEil de Poisson. Quebec, Canada. 2015     

Public Art Screens. Vitenfabrikken, Gosen Skole, Tou Scene, Kinokino – Norway. 2014     

Sounds from the Emergent State. State Library of QLD. 2013     

Recasting Unfinished Selves. Performance Studies International. Centre for Visual Arts, Utrecht (Lecture/

performance). 2011     

Feeling at the Edge of Something. Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Gold Coast. 2009     

(Colour Shade) I can be everything to everyone. Dubbo Regional Art Gallery, Western Plains Cultural Centre. 2007     

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS/ SCREENINGS

Slow Down Time. A Collaborative Art Making Project curated by Mitch Goodwin. The Workshop, Melbourne and Online. 2023. 

Mondo Ghillies. Bermondsey Shorts. Art Bermondsey Project Space, London. 2016     

Trans-Ideology: Nostalgia. Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei. 2016     

Everyday Stories of Colossal Importance. Dream Drafters. Underwire Film Festival, Hackney Picturehouse, London. 2015     

Everyday Stories of Colossal Importance. The Smalls. Hoxton Arches, London. 2015  

Kick Off – Boundaries Between Art and Sport. Kickarts, Cairns. 2015  

Swallow – Friday Night Shorts. Horse Hospital. London. 2015  

Mondo Ghillies. Friday Night Shorts. Temporary Arts Project. Southend on Sea, United Kingdom. 2014     

Mondo Ghillies. Transart festival, Supermarkt, Berlin. 2013     

Span. Stockroom, Kyneton, Victoria. 2012     

Keys to Your Heart. International Short Film Festival, Detmold, Germany. 2012     

Rebel Wessex. International Short Film Festival, Detmold, Germany. 2011     

Mondo Ghillies. Private Dances, Next Wave Festival, Melbourne. 2010     

Rebel Wessex. Chauvel Cinema Paddington, Sydney. 2009     

Diorama: Constructing a Virtual Memory. Electronline. Electrofringe Festival, Newcastle. 2007   

20/20: Twenty Aritsts, Twenty Years of the Churchie Emerging Art Award. Museum of Brisbane. 2007  

The 34th Alice Art Prize. Auraluen Centre, Alice Springs. 2006     

Beyond the Blue. Cowra Regional Art Gallery. 2006     

Frames of Reference. Bathurst Regional Art Gallery. 2005     

Currency. Metro Arts Main Gallery- Brisbane. 2005     

Conrad Jupiters Art Prize. Gold Coast Arts Centre. 2005  

Departure Lounge. Queensland Centre for Photography–Brisbane. 2004     

Interfold. Metro Arts Main Gallery, Brisbane. 2004     

The 33rd Alice Art Prize. Auraluen Centre – Alice Springs. 2004     

Cromwell’s Art Prize. Arthouse Hotel–Sydney. Jackman Gallery–Melbourne; The  Australian Exhibition Centre–Chicago; Embassy of Australia–Washington DC. 2004    

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WRITING
BOOK CHAPTERS

Routledge Companion to Medicine and Performance. (ed. Bouchard Gianna and Mermikides) ‘Dancing with Imagined Memories’.  2024.  ‘Resounding Neurological Ecologies: choreographing the body’s lost interactions with the world,’ in Manley, P and Evans, M (eds.) Movies, Moves and Music, the Sonic World of Dance Films. 2016    

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JOURNAL ARTICLES

‘Inward, In-ward: Madness and its Ghostly Echo.’ Published in TEXT: The Journal of Australian Postgraduate Writing Programs. ISSN: 1327-9556. 2006   

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CRITICISM AND REVIEWS

‘Collecting Time, AI, Art and The Creative Economy’. Collectivistix.  2024.  

‘Nimi Collective, Monica Tolia, AURA,’ Resolution festival reviews. The Place, June 10, 2022. 

Writer: ‘Payal Ramchandani/Elettra Giunta/Follow Through Collective’ Resolution festival reviews. The Place, June 10, 2022.

‘WALLPAPER, The Lite of Spring, -84 Dials’. Resolution festival reviews. The Place, May 30, 2022.

'Bringing Urban Dance Practices into the University System.' Interview with Carla Trim-Vamben (University of East London) in Seeing Dance, 2021.

'Yag The Movie: Transforming Genetic Memory Through Dance.' Review. Seeing Dance, December 2020.

‘More than a shadowy impostor.’ Published in Real Time: Online edition, August 21. 2012     

‘Through the Microscope Glass: Re-imagining the Effect of Forgotten Bodies’ Commissioned Review for Svenja Kratz. 2013   

A Place Opens. Gallery 19 Karen: Gold Coast. 2009    

Dream State:  Visualising invisible worlds in the works of Kalyi Amoto.  Artholes Gallery:  Melbourne.  2006

Seeing in the Dark: The Photomedia work of Judy Anderson. Monash Gallery of Art: Melbourne. 2006  

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CASE STUDIES

Writer: Case studies. Crafts Council Experience Economy guide. Nov, 2021

  

EDITED BOOKS

Dennis, Sarah-Mace, McMahon, Katrina and Wechter, Aleksei (eds) Ideation. Independent Publication: Brisbane. ISBN: 095806010X. 2002     

 

CREATIVE WRITING

‘The River Looks Like the Sky Looks Like the Road’ in Paper Wake. Vanguard, Issue 1 2005. ISBN:  0-9756043-3-3 2005     

 

HYPERMEDIA

Diorama: Constructing a Virtual Memory. Online writing with Svenja Kratz. 2007   

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FACILITATION AND EDUCATION

TEACHING AND COMMUNITY FACILITATION

Senior Lecturer, Digital Content Creation. Ravensbourne University, Aug 23 – Feb 25. (part time) 

Lecturer, Foundation Film and Media. University of East London. Jan 23 – current. (part time) 

Mentor: Mirrored to the Core. Art/ film project by James Paddock. Jul 2021 – Mar 2024. 

Film Workshop Facilitator/ Mentor: In My House and Yours: Manchester International Festival. 2020 - 2021

Film Workshop Facilitator/ Mentor: Editing as Choreography for Live Stream: Open Online Theatre. 2020 - 2021

Lecturer: Creative Research. Performance Design and Technologies. University of Arts, London. 2020 - 2022

Associate Lecturer: Art Direction. University of Arts London. 2019.​

Guest lecturer and workshop facilitator: Performance Art and Video. Division Of Fine Art Northampton University. 2017 - 2019

Workshop facilitator: By Our Selves. 2 day poetry and film program. Walthamstow School for Girls. 2016     

Workshop facilitator: Video and Performance Lab. Division of Fine Art at Northampton University. 2014     

Workshop facilitator and mentor to a group of young people. artsdepot, London. 2014

Guest lecturer and workshop facilitator: Professional Studies. Division Of Fine Art Northampton University. 2013    

Advanced Media Issues, New Media, Cultural and Social Change. School of Arts and Media University of New South Wales. 2011    

Media Literacies. School of Arts and Media, University of New South Wales. 2010     

Design Futures, Creative Technologies. Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology, Sydney. 2010     

Rethinking Cultures. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. University of Technology, Sydney. 2007.

Media Audiences and Public Opinion. School of Communication and Creative Industries, Charles Sturt University.

Associate Lecturer: Cyborgs and Shopping Malls. Griffith University, Gold Coast. 2004.

Contemporary Visual Arts, Griffith University, Gold Coast. 2004. 
The Arts in Perspective 1 & 2: Griffith University, Gold Coast. 2004.

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SELECTED RESIDENCIES, GRANTS AND AWARDS

Arts Council England. Discovering Your Creative Practice.  2025. 

Resolution Festival, Dance Writing Program. The Place, London. 2022

Selected artist, Show Us Where You Are. Online Performance Lab with Elektron Live and Daniel Wetzel (Rimini Protokoll). 2020

Arts Council Emergency Response Fund, 2020.

Selected artist, Warp Artist Village, Belgium. 2013     

ArtsHub Awards. Winner, emerging artist category. 2012     

Brain Art Project: Motion graphics and animation.  2012    

UNSW Research Excellence Award. 2009     

Raw Nerve: Metro Screen and Screen Australia. 2009  

Artist in Residence, Murrays Cottage, Hill End. 2009 

Visual Arts Benevolent Fund. National Association for the Visual Arts. 2008     

Digital FX Scholarship. Metro Screen, Sydney. 2008   

Janet Homes a Court Grant. National Association for the Visual Arts 2007     

Professional Development Travel Grant. Australian Network for Art and Technology. 2007  

Write in Your Face. Literature Board, Australia Council for the Arts. (with Svenja Kratz) 2006   

Artist in Residence, Marrickville City Council. (in collaboration with Svenja Kratz). 2005     

Artist in Residence, Murrays Cottage, Hill End. Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.  2004     

Artworkers Alliance Emerging Artist Grant. Artworkers Alliance. 2004     

University Medal, Griffith University. 2004 

Patience Thoms Honours Scholarship. Griffith University. 2002

KM Hatano Scholarship. Griffith University. 2002     

Run_Way Professional Development Grant. New Media Arts Board, Australia Council for the Arts. 2002

Youth Arts Mentoring Program Project Partnership Grant. Youth Arts Queensland. 2002     

Griffith Award for Academic Excellence. 2001     

Griffith Award for Academic Excellence. 2000     

 

SELECTED PRESS AND CATALOGUES

'I can't imagine a dance industry without dance writing - interview with resolution review writers.' The Place. 

'Sarah-Mace Dennis' in Video Focus. Stigmart 10 Art Review. March 9, 2014. 2014    

Public Art Review. ‘Moving Over the Shoreline, International Projects.’ VOL. 24 | NO. 2 | ISSUE 48, p 73. 2013    

Priest, Gail. 'In Profile: Sarah-Mace Dennis.' Realtime Arts, Nov 20. 2013

Leij Machteld. ‘Words as an Opinon Tools’ in Kunstbeeld, Netherlands. Issue 9, p 77. 2011     

All the places I drive to be with my love (Landscape Painting) Video work in 'Tape Projects' DVD: Issue Four. 2008    

Fraser, Margie (ed) ‘Smell the Roses: Portside Wharf’ in Design Qld News: Architecture, Interior Design and

Art. Issue 8, 2008.

Fraser, Margie and McBride, Frank. Twenty Twenty: Twenty Artists, Twenty Years of the Churchie Emerging Art Exhibition. Museum of Brisbane. 2007

Anderson, Judy ‘Images of Life and Death’ in Paradise: The Weekend Bulletin Magazine. October 1-2. 2005

Bennett, Alison. Frames of Reference: Photographing Hill End. Bathurst Regional Art Gallery: Bathurst. 2005

Foster, Alasdair. Departure Lounge. Queensland Centre for Photography: Brisbane. 2005     

Low, Lenny Ann ‘A Picture Spooks a Thousand Stories About a Town’s History,’ in The Sydney Morning Herald. July 22: p4. 2005 Keane, Jondi. Interfold. Metro Arts: Brisbane. 2003     

 

COLLECTIONS

Cromwells Art Prize collection

Stadiums Queensland

Churchie Emerging Art Award collection

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery collection

Private Collections in Brisbane, Sydney and the Gold Coast

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EDUCATION/ INDUSTRY/ ALTERNATIVE TRAINING.  

MA Film, Media Theatre. School of Arts and Media, University of New South Wales. Sydney.

BA Creative Arts (1st Class Hons). School of Arts, Griffith University. Queensland.

Anti-Racism Training. Ravensbourne University. London, 2024.  

Cinematography Masterclass. Raindance. London, 2023. 

Mastering the Story of Change with Christy Dena. Anarchist Pedagogies. 2022.  

Disability Awareness Training. University of Arts. London, 2021.  

Self-Shooting 101: Camera-work Theory with self-shooting Director Anna Keel. 2020. 

Social Media Mapping; Launching a Successful Side Hustle. General Assembly. 2020 

Interactive Media Innovation Workshop. Queensland University of Technology. Queensland, 2012. 

Dome Lab: Australian Network for Art & Technology Fulldome Workshop, 2010.  

Certificate in Digital Visual FX. Metro Screen. 2009 

Practice-led Research in the Arts. Media and Design. e-Grad School. Australia, 2009.