{{Short description|Australian artist and director}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = David Pledger | image = David Pledger.jpg | caption = Pledger in 2010 | birth_date = {{circa|1962}} | occupation = Artist, director, arts advocate | known_for = Interdisciplinary performance; arts policy work | notable_works = Melbourne Festival (2004)<br />''Lake Mungo'' (2008)<br />Multimedia Performance (2012) }} {{BLP sources section|date=July 2025}}
'''David Pledger''' (born {{circa|1962}})<ref name="Waldon">{{cite news |last1=Waldon |first1=Steve |title=Set the mind running |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/set-the-mind-running-20080605-2mcg.html |access-date=22 October 2019 |work=The Age |date=6 June 2008 |location=Melbourne, Victoria}}</ref> is an Australian artist, director and occasional actor. Pledger notably appeared in the Australian cult horror film ''Lake Mungo'' (2008) as Russell Palmer, the grieving father of protagonist Alice Palmer.<ref>{{cite AV media |people= |last=Anderson |first=Joel |date=18 June 2008 |title=Lake Mungo |url= |trans-title= |format= |work= |type=motion picture |language=English |location=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |publisher=Arclight Films |time= |access-date=}}</ref>
He has won several awards, including the Victorian Arts Centre's 1999 Kenneth Myer Medallion for the Performing Arts,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37670185/appreciation_david_pledger_by_dina/|title=David Pledger: Appreciation.|last=Ross|first=Dina|date=11 Aug 1999|work=The Age |location=Melbourne, Victoria|page=8}}</ref> and in 2000 the A$25,000 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37670322/a_bit_of_creative_thinking_takes_the/ |title=A bit of creative thinking takes the prize|last=Morgan|first=Joyce|date=4 Feb 2000|work=Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, N.S.W.|page=13}}</ref>
He established the Collaboration Project between the Australia Council for the Arts and the IETM.{{explain|date=September 2022}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/call-for-rolling-national-strikes-by-marginalised-artists/story-e6frg8n6-1226689741054|title=Call for rolling national strikes by 'marginalised' artists|last=Douglas|first=Tim|date=2 Aug 2013|work=The Australian |location=Canberra, A.C.T.|page=14}}</ref> In 2004 he directed two shows at the Melbourne Festival.<ref>{{Cite news|title=It's the journey that counts|last=Smith|first=Michael|date=17 Oct 2004|work=Sunday Age |location=Melbourne, Victoria|page=32}}</ref>
Pledger's work is featured in ''Melbourne Now Limited Edition'' (NGV, Australia, 2013); ''Multimedia Performance'' (Macmillan, UK, 2012) and ''Making Contemporary Theatre'' (MUP, UK, 2010).<ref>{{cite book|last=Papastergiaidis|first=Nikos|title=As Melbourne in the World|date=2013|publisher=in Melbourne Now|location=National Gallery of Victoria|pages=26–28}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first1=Rosemary |last1=Klich |first2=Edward |last2=Scheer|title=The Theatre of Images Revisited|date=2012|publisher=Multimedia Performance|location=Macmillan, UK|pages=59–66}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first1=Peter |last1=Eckersall |first2=Jen |last2=Harvie |first3=Andy |last3=Lavender|title=Unmaking Blowback – a visceral process for a political theatre (Making Contemporary Theatre series)|date=2010|publisher=Manchester University Press, UK|pages=202–221}}</ref>
He works as an advocate for artists.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Minnows urge end to funding framework|last=Westwood|first=Matthew|date=11 Oct 2019|work=The Australian |location=Canberra, A.C.T.|page=15}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In 2008, he attended the 2020 Summit as a delegate in the Creative Australia stream.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pledger|first=David|title=Canaries in a coalmine: Realising the value of the artist|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandartsdaily/canaries-in-a-coalmine3a-realising-the-value-of-the-artist/4849524|work=ABC|publisher=Miyuki Jokiranta|access-date=17 January 2014|date=2013-07-28}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=October 2019|reason=unclear what the 2020 summit is, not mentioned in he source, nor is the "Creative Australia" stream}}
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == *{{cite web|url=http://www.theaterschriftlucifer.nl/|title=Theater Schrift Lucifer|publisher=theaterschriftlucifer.nl|access-date=25 January 2014}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.realtimearts.net/article/issue88/9210|title=RealTime Arts – Magazine – issue 88 – jailbreak|publisher=realtimearts.net|access-date=25 January 2014}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/artworks/artworks-feature-the-art-of-being-europe-pt2--the/3002752|title=Artworks Feature: The Art of Being Europe Pt.2 The Economy of Culture – Artworks – ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|publisher=abc.net.au|access-date=25 January 2014|date=2011-03-10}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.notyet.com.au|title=Not Yet It's Difficult : performance, theatre and cross-artform projects : Melbourne Australia|publisher=notyet.com.au|access-date=25 January 2014}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.icinema.unsw.edu.au/projects/eavesdrop/project-overview/|title=Project Overview|publisher=icinema.unsw.edu.au|access-date=25 January 2014}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pledger, David}} Category:Australian artists Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Australian art directors