Jon Buswell
Acclaimed lighting designer, Jon Buswell is renowned internationally for his work in ballet, theatre and opera as well as large scale events and television. A graduate of Croydon School of Art near London UK, Jon worked initially for the Royal Shakespeare Company before becoming a freelance designer in 1997. Since then has worked as both lighting designer and as Technical Director for many significant arts companies and major productions.
Currently Jon is Director of Technical and Production at The Australian Ballet, where he has been since 2015, lighting and designing a number of productions. Highlights include David McAllister’s acclaimed production of The Sleeping Beauty and his collaboration with Australian Choreographer, Alice Topp.
Prior to this he worked as Technical Director of the West Australian Ballet from 2008 – 2015 where he designed lighting for all the major repertoire.
As a freelance designer, Jon has worked numerous times with companies in Australia and internationally including; Queensland Ballet, The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Black Swan State Theatre Company, New Zealand Opera, the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester, the Royal College of Music and in London’s West End.
Particular highlights include: Lady Windermere’s Fan, directed by Sir Peter Hall and starring Vanessa Redgrave at the Haymarket Theatre London, Francesco Ventriglia’s Romeo and Juliet for Royal New Zealand Ballet designed by the oscar winner James Acheson, and the re-design of lighting for Tantalus, a nine hour theatre play, directed by Sir Peter Hall and Ed Hall, for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Jon was the lighting and set designer for the Helpmann Award winning ballet ‘Aurum’ (2018), which also premiered in New York (2019) and New Zealand (2020). With his fellow creatives, Jon won the WA Dance Award for ‘Helix’ (2011) choreographed by Barry Moreland and featuring Daryl Brandwood.
Jon has also worked as Lighting Designer for televised features such as the UEFA Gala Awards 2000 and Nutcracker Sweeties, for Birmingham Royal Ballet and the BBC and as a visiting lecturer for The University of Central England in Birmingham and the Victorian College of the Arts.
