Ava Rusch (she/her) is a Queensland based director.

Ava Rusch is an emerging Australian director with a focus on expressionism and realism through a contemporary lens. She holds a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama) from TAFE Queensland with the University of Canberra.

Her directorial credits include music videos I’m Not Sorry (2026) and Seventeen by Worm Girlz (2025) NIDA and Triple j Unearthed. Theatre credits – Banging Denmark by Van Badham (2025) ACA and NIDA.

In 2024 Ava directed Salad Days Collective’s Matilda Award winning body of work, which included Love by Patricia Cornelius, Scenes with Girls by Miriam Battye, and After the End by Dennis Kelly.

Additional theatre credits are Seascape with Sharks and Dancer by Don Nigro (2023) and The Invitation (2022). She has worked as an assistant director on Checklist for an Armed Robber (dir. Tasnim Hossain) and Orpheus in the Underworld (dir. Constantine Costi) at NIDA.

Currently undertaking her Masters of Fine Arts (Directing) at NIDA, Ava continues to pursue work that resonates with the present moment. She is committed to directing bold, relevant stories that always ask: Why this play? Why now?