Johnny Bridges

INDIGENOUS DESIGN JUROR

I am a Ngunnawal man and a senior cultural and creative leader working at the intersection of Indigenous perspectives, public storytelling, and contemporary design.

Over the last 28 years, I have led creative and cultural programs spanning fashion, media, public art, infrastructure, and national identity. This includes senior leadership roles across the Asia Pacific region and, more recently, work focused on Indigenous-led cultural practice in Australia.

My work centres on Designing with Country as a curatorial and strategic approach. It is grounded in collaboration, respect for cultural authority, and working alongside Traditional Custodians, knowledge holders, artists, and communities to ensure stories are developed and shared with care and integrity.

I contribute to cultural frameworks, curatorial thinking, and large-scale public-facing projects across infrastructure, placemaking, identity, and storytelling. My focus is on stewardship, process, and creating the conditions for Indigenous knowledge to be engaged appropriately within contemporary and institutional contexts.