Latest News.
'Pecos Bill' to appear with Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet are representing Pecos Bill, (in a triple bill, Tales of Texas) in their 2026-2027 season.'
Fredrikson designed Pecos as part of Tales of Texas, a repertoire evening consisting of three separate works, all based on Texas themes, for Houston Ballet in 2004. The idea for Tales of Texas originated when Ben Stevenson, Artistic Director of Houston Ballet from 1976 to 2003, invited Stanton Welch to submit ideas for a full length ballet for the spring season of 2004'.
Michelle Potter, Kristian Fredrikson: Designer
Announcing the 2026 Scholarship recipient
The Scholarship Committee is delighted to announce that the 2026 recipient is Lighting Designer Spencer Herd.
Spencer is a multidisciplinary lighting designer and artist working across all forms of live performance including theatre, contemporary circus, cabaret, concerts and events. He is also a highly skilled visual artist who favours acrylic and pencil mediums.
Recent credits as lighting designer include: the 2025 Green Room Award nominated The Last Train to Madeline, SUGAR, Romeo & Julie by Gary Owen, and FAMOUS by the National Institute of Circus Arts.
Spencer has been associate lighting designer for Paul Jackson on Truth (Malthouse Theatre); with Rachel Burke on Rhinoceros (Spinning Plates Co), Far Away (Patalog Theatre), Wittenoom & Iphigenia in Splott (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre); Katie Sfetkidis on Monolith (Joel Bray Dance), Vampire Lesbians of Sodom (Little Ones Theatre) and Homopentacostus (Malthouse Theatre); and Phoebe Pilcher on A Model Murder (Sydney Festival) and La Cage aux Folles (Playhouse ACM).
He seconded with Trent Suidgeest on Muriel’s Wedding the Musical for Global Creatures at Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne.
Spencer intends to travel to The United Kingdom to develop and expand his skills.
Update and reminder
The Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce that we have increased the award prize money from the previous $12,000 to $14,000. This is in alignment with the increase to cost of living and overseas travel over the past few years.
A friendly reminder to all potential applicants intending to apply for the 2026 Fredrikson Scholarship: Applications will open October 1st 2025, and close December 1st 2025.
Now is the time to investigate potential overseas companies, courses, and individuals you would like to be seconded to and study with as it can take time to get your plans confirmed.
Street named after Kristian Fredrikson
The Fredrikson Scholarship Committee received information from The Minister of Planning in 2024 advising us that it had been decided to name a street in the new suburb of Whitlam in the ACT after Kristian Fredrikson.
“On behalf of the ACT Place Names Advisory Committee, I am very pleased to confirm the approval of the road name Fredrikson Rise in Whitlam. The committee is grateful for the support provided by The Kristian Fredrikson Estate and The Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship for Design in The Performing Arts to enable the commemoration of Kristian Adrian Fredrikson’s name in the ACT. The approved names are consistent with the theme for Whitlam which is ‘Arts and Culture”
The approved road name is: Fredrikson Rise
Division of Whitlam: Arts & Culture
Name (Fredrick John Sams) (1940-2005)
The significance outlined for the street naming is as follows:
Kristian Fredrikson acclaimed performing arts designer for theatre, ballet, contemporary dance, opera, film and television. Born in New Zealand Kristian Fredrikson studied graphic design in Wellington and created his first designs for The New Zealand Ballet and New Zealand Opera Company.
He moved to Australia in the 1960s and assisted with the design for The Australian Ballets production of Aurora’s Wedding (1964) with Dame Peggy van Praagh.He was resident designer for The Melbourne Theatre Company from 1964-1974.
He designed for Australia’s leading dance and theatre companies including The Australian Ballet, The Opera Company of Australia (Opera Australia) The Western Australian Ballet and Western Australian Opera Company and South Australian Opera Company.Fredrikson collaborated with leading choreographers and Directors.
He was the recipient of many prestigious awards including The Australian Dance Award For Services To Dance (1999) and a Helpmann Award in 2003 for The Australian Ballets Swan Lake.
Frank Van Straten AM 14/05/1936 – 19/04/2024
With the passing of Frank Van Straten AM the theatre profession has lost one of its most important recorders of our history. His practical support to so many designers through his purchase of their designs for his personal collection was invaluable. The many books he published introduced readers to so many past and present stars of the theatre. The establishment of The Frank Van Straten Fellowship to commission story development from The Australian Performing Arts Collection will ensure his life’s work will continue. His encouragement and friendship to myself and The Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship for Design In The Performing Arts was typical of his generous nature. As a founding member of The Scholarship Committee, we thank Frank for his commitment to the recognition of theatrical design.Our condolences to Adrian and family members.
Anna French
The Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship Design in The Performing Arts
2024 Scholarship Recipient: Charles Davis
The 2024 scholarship recipient is Charles Davis from Sydney.Charles submitted a brilliant application and plans to travel to Europe attending The Theatretreffen Festival in Berlin. He will participate in workshops and creative laboratories hosted by the Theatretreffen International Forum, and has an observation attachment with a leading European designer. The attachment will deepen his understanding of large scale theatrical design allowing him to experience the most valuable parts of the design process as the production comes to fruition in the theatre.
Charles graduated from NIDA in 2014. He is the recipient of the 2021 Sydney Theatre Award for best stage design for Happy Days, and in 2018 he received The Mike Walsh fellowship.This year is a busy one for Charles, he is set designer for Rusalka for West Australian Opera Company, and set designer for Sydney Company’s No Pay, No Way!
Charles is the set designer for The Australian Ballet s production of Circle Electric choreographed by Stephanie Lake. Paula Levis, one of the 2022 Fredrikson scholarship recipients is designing the costumes. Circle Electric is part of a double bill that includes Etudes, Sydney season 3-18 of May 2024 at The Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. The Melbourne season is 2-9 October at The Regent Theatre.
We would like to remind supporters of our scholarship that it is possible donate to the scholarship via our website www.fredriksonscholarship.com.
Since the death of Kristian Fredrikson in 2005 we have been fortunate to receive all of Kristian’s royalties. His designs are still reproduced by many companies including The Australian Ballet, The Royal New Zealand Ballet Company and Houston Ballet Company.
Selection committee announced for 2024 Scholarship
The Selection Committee for the 2024 Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship For Design in The Performing Arts are:
DESIGNERS
Alicia Clements
Rachel Burke
Stephen Curtis
Peter England
Anna French
Dale Ferguson
Esther Hayes
Julie Lynch
Richard Roberts
DIRECTORS
Dean Bryant
Anne-Louise Sarks
CHOREOGRAPHERS
Alice Topp
MAKERS
Shane Dunn
Musette Molyneaux
ESTATE
Fiona Reilly
Applications closing soon
Applications for the next round will be closing soon on December 1st 2023.
Once the scholarship committee have received your application we will email you a notification of receipt. If you do not receive a receipt email please contact us.
Scholarship applications open
Applications have officially opened for the 2024 Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship for Design in The Performing Arts.
Applicants have until the 1st of December 2023 to apply.
Melbourne fashion week
The Australian Ballet has collaborated with Melbourne Fashion Week to stage a display of costumes dating far back as 1962 when the company was founded, including costumes by Kristian from the Frederick Ashton production of Cinderella, the George Ogilvie production of Coppelia, and the Graeme Murphy production of The Nutcracker.
You can find these in Fashion Capsule 5, Collins Place, 45 Collins Street, Melbourne from 1-29 October.
Going To Bendigo, Victoria in The Next Six Weeks?
Going To Bendigo, Victoria in The Next Six Weeks?
Two of Kristian Fredrikson’s beautiful costumes designed for Dame Joan Sutherland are exhibited in the foyer of The Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo, during The Melbourne Opera’s six week season of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring Des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle).
The costumes are from The Australian Performing Arts Collection who have many designs and costumes by Kristian Fredrikson in their collection. On display are two costumes from The Australian Opera (now, Opera Australia) productions, Lucrezia Borgia 1977, and The Merry Widow 1978.
VALE PAUL KATHNER OAM 1954 -2023
Paul Kathner designed and painted sets and backdrops for the most significant ballets, operas and musicals in Australia. He trained under William Constable and Elaine Haxton, assisting their work with the Borovansky Ballet. Early in his career he designed for the Independent Theatre, Elizabethan Opera Company, St Martin’s Theatre Melbourne (as resident designer), and the Melbourne Theatre Company. Design credits include: Le Carnaval (the Australian Ballet), The Pirates of Penzance and Trial by Jury (Adelaide Festival Trust), and The Yeomen of the Guard (Australian Opera). In 1976 he and Ross Turner formed Scenic Studios, where he created settings for hundreds of ballets, operas and musicals. Paul’s design work included backdrops for St Paul’s Cathedral and painting Les Sylphides (Australian Ballet).
Paul painted many of Kristian's set designs for The Australian Ballet, including Coppelia, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Nutcracker.
He had an instinctive understanding of Kristian’s design style and the ability to be able to execute the painterly quality, along with the brilliant team at Scenic Studios.
Applications for 2024 Scholarship
Applications for the 2024 Scholarship will open on the 2st October, 2023, and will close on the 1st December 2023.
For further details and the application form please click through to 'APPLY'.
THE FREDRIKSON SCHOLARSHIP FOR DESIGN IN THE PERFORMING ARTS: DATES AND PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
2009-2010 Victoria lamb
2011-2012 Anna Cordingley
2013-2014 Alicia Clements
2015-2016 David Fleischer
2017-2018 Michael Hankin
2019-2020 -
2021-2022 Isobel Hudson and Paula Levis
2023-2024 Applications open 1st October and close 1st December
Announcing the 2022 Scholarship winners
For the first time the scholarship committee has decided to award two scholarships in 2022.The standard of the applicants was extremely high which made this round highly competitive. We thank all those who applied for their time and energy.
Congratulations to Paula Levis from Victoria (below left) and Isabel Hudson from NSW (below right), who are the 2022 scholarship recipients.Both Paula and Isabel are successful mid-career stage designers.
Application confirmation
For those intending to apply for the scholarship:
Please note, upon receiving your application we will send a return confirmation email.
Selection committee announced for 2022 scholarship
The Selection Committee for the 2022 The Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship For Design in The Performing Arts are:
DESIGNERS
Alicia Clements
Stephen Curtis
Anna French
Esther Hayes
Julie Lynch
Richard Roberts
DIRECTORS
Wesley Enoch
Lindy Hume
CHOREOGRAPHERS
Kate Champion
MAKERS
Musette Molyneaux
Shane Dunn
ESTATE
Fiona Reilly
In memory of Bill Myles
William (Bill) Myles recently passed away and designer Anna French is putting a file together on his life and career for inclusion in The Australian Performing Arts Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne. He was a costume maker, and taught at WAPPA in Perth.
Anna is looking for reminiscences of him and his work and any work photos.
Applications opening soon
We are delighted to announce that applications for the the 2022 scholarship will be opening soon.Applications will open on Friday 1st October 2021, and close on Wednesday 1st December 2021.
Please note due to the impact of Coronavirus, we will be extending the scholarship from two years to three.
The Beleura Design Collection
Beleura House and Garden held the official opening of the New John Tallis Research Building and Gallery on Friday 21st of May 2021.
Beleura House and Garden in Mornington, Victoria, safeguards the bequest of composer John Tallis, who died in 1996 gifting Beleura, its contents and a supporting Foundation to the people of Victoria. John Tallis's father was head of JC Williamson Pty Ltd, the world's largest entertainment organisation of the 1920.
Today Beleura's collections furnish a living museum as 'a theatre of the past', preserving for future generations Australia's performing arts history and memorabilia acquired by gift and purchase.
Beleura’s Stage Design Collection is showcased in display areas, and builds upon the JC Williamson legacy from the end of the 1890s but costume and set illustrations are mostly from the 20th century. It includes William Akers AM and Roger Meyers gift of ballet-oriented collection of photographs and historical set and costume designs.
In 2008, Beleura purchased 32 costume and set designs/models from a fundraising exhibition at the Arts Centre, held to establish the Kristian Fredrikson Scholarship for Design in the Performing Arts. The scholarship recipients regularly donate designs and set models to Beleura.
In April this year our collection more than doubled when a tremendous gift of 48 designs was very generously donated by the designers themselves, works realised in national and international productions of ballet, opera, drama and experimental performance. The instigator of these donations is patron of the collection, designer Anna French. Beleura is sincerely grateful to Anna for her foresight, imagination and desire to preserve theatrical design.