Dr Caust holds a Bachelor of Arts in drama, a Graduate Diploma in Arts Administration, a Master of Arts in Communication Studies and a PhD in Arts Leadership. She is currently a Principal Fellow (Hon) at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
At the University of South Australia she led the post-graduate program in Arts and Cultural management, was co-founder and first director of the Helpmann Academy Summer school, and founded and edited the Asia Pacific Journal of Arts and Cultural Management.
She has been a board member of the South Australian Arts Industry Council, the South Australian Film Corporation, the Fullbright Committee (SA), and the International Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE). She was Deputy Director of the Theatre Board at the Australia Council, and Deputy CEO of the South Australian Department of Arts.
Her early career was as an arts practitioner, including as an actor, theatre director and theatre manager in Australia and UK, and Director, Women and Arts Festival, New South Wales.
Cultural policy
Development and implementation of policy as government bureaucrat.
Author of related books, book chapters and journal articles.
Media commentator on Australian cultural policy.
International network of cultural policy experts.
Cultural heritage
Advisor to Vietnam Ministry of Culture on festivals and cultural heritage
Invited speaker at 2013 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Published works on the impact of cultural tourism on cultural heritage, with focus on Asia
Advocate for preservation of Australian cultural heritage
International collaboration
Led cultural delegation to Japan as part of South Australia’s establishment of a sister state.
Initiated an MOU between the Vietnam government, the University of South Australia and the South Australian government.
Led master classes in cultural policy and arts leadership in India and Vietnam
Jointly authored books and academic papers with contributors from more than 15 countries.
Finalist in the 2013 Australian Arts in Asia Awards for the “Income generation in the arts” project in Vietnam.
Extensive international network.