With a distinguished career spanning more than two decades in the Australian and global arts and culture sector, she brings a wealth of executive leadership and experience to her new role.

Braye’s arrival aligns with the recent announcement of an electrifying Perth Festival program – the second from Artistic Director Anna Reece – from 6 February to 1 March 2026, presenting audiences with the works and artists of this time and place, repurposing Perth icons as works of art and inviting a journey into completely unexpected locations.

Sydney-raised Braye joins the Festival after ten years as CEO of Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, a leading multidisciplinary centre for contemporary arts and culture, and a recreational hub for more than 6 million annual visitors. During her tenure, the ten-acre waterfront campus was transformed with a focus on cultural engagement, accessibility, sustainability and visitor experience. Her leadership renewed Harbourfront Centre’s international presence and launched multiple new programs, including a multi-arts festival for children, the first Canadian Deaf and disability arts festival, and Torque: international contemporary dance series. She also partnered with the National Ballet of Canada, Canadian Opera Company and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to bring their artists and musicians back to the Centre’s stages.

Prior to relocating to Canada in 2014 to lead Harbourfront Centre, Braye was CEO of the Biennale of Sydney for the 16th to 19th Biennales (2006–14), during which time she doubled attendance to the exhibition and led the groundbreaking transformation of historic Cockatoo Island – a 21-acre former industrial precinct in Sydney Harbour – into a major exhibition venue.

Her extensive background also includes roles as General Manager at Sherman Galleries, one of Australia’s leading commercial galleries, Managing Editor at Fine Arts Press where she produced publications on contemporary art, and Publishing Manager and Development Editor at HarperCollins Publishers.

She currently serves on the board of Fall for Dance North Festival, Toronto’s international dance festival.