Screen NSW director Cath Hepworth will leave the state agency next year to pursue other opportunities.
Ms Hepworth, a Bundyarlung woman from Tweed Heads, joined Screen NSW in 2022 from NITV, where she was head of commissioning and programming. She is the first Indigenous woman to lead the agency.
During his tenure, Mr Hepworth led the province’s Screen and Digital Games Strategy 2025-27, which included setting growth targets for the sector, strengthening funding and infrastructure planning, and increasing support for Indigenous and diverse creators. As part of the 2025-26 Budget, the NSW Government announced a $380 million screen and digital games support package, including $100 million in capital funding towards the construction of a second studio in Sydney.
Under Hepworth’s leadership, Screen NSW also announced a reduction in the digital games rebate threshold from $500,000 to $350,000, and an annual commitment of $500,000 over three years to the Digital Games Seed Development Program and Market Travel Program.
In addition, Hepworth has expanded support for programs such as the short-to-feature Fast Track, the Indigenous Screen Fellowship and the Pathways Development Programme.
In a statement in its newsletter, Screen NSW said Ms Hepworth had “driven major strategic change” and her achievements “evidence the legacy of strategic clarity, inclusive leadership and sector-wide capacity building that has established NSW as a national leader in screen and digital games innovation”. They also recognized Mr. Hepworth for building trust in government institutions, strengthening the talent pipeline and industry inclusion, and extending support across the region and other priority communities.
Screen NSW also announced the creation of an Executive Director of Screen Development. Recruitment for this position is nearing completion and will be announced in the new year. This senior role is designed to oversee the agency’s development priorities, including work to find and develop sites for a second studio in Sydney. In the interim, the role will be filled by Carla Lampe, Investment NSW Executive Director, Trade and International.
