Founder and Owner of Platinum Cre8ive - Management Services for the Creative Industries
Duncan Steward is an inspirational and motivating role model not just within the low-vision and blind community, but with everyone who has the good fortune of knowing Duncan in their life.
Born totally blind, but also with many talents including music, (Duncan learnt piano from age 6 and an accomplished musician in his own right), Duncan endured many eye surgeries in his young life which enabled him some sight to gain a partial view of the world of which he was passionately determined to challenge all barriers to turn his life dreams into reality.
After 25 years working in corporate organisations, including 6 years as a degree qualified Accountant, Duncan resigned from a successful 20+ year career in corporate management & IT positions to follow his dream to work in the Music Industry. Duncan completed Degrees in Accounting, Information Technology and in Entertainment Business Management to learn additional skills to start his dream business to work with unsigned, talented artists and bands who often find it very difficult to make headway in the highly competitive Music and Arts Industry. Utilising his years of skills and experience; and with a strong business network to give the advice and guidance needed to help acts get to the next level. And thus now renown as the Founder and Owner of Platinum Cre8ive - Management Services for the Creative Industries.
Since Platinum Cre8ive was formed in 2015, Duncan has worked with many talented individual artists and bands with EP and single launches, PR, marketing, social media branding and strategy, successful grant funding, radio play and plugging, national tour management and preparation, corporate, community and charity bookings, career planning and whole of life artist career development.
The way things have organically turned out, he specializes in managing and resenting artists with disabilities as he has a natural connection to them with his own lived experiences.
Duncan’s philosophy: “I believe in trust and authenticity, no wild promises or guarantees, rather let’s work together and see where it goes.” In his spare time Duncan has also embraced the health and wellness community, now a certified Reiki Master Practitioner, he can also offer a whole of life balanced approach to both career and wellbeing for those who require additional help and support.
Duncan is also the coordinator of business sustainability at Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO in Melbourne, a disability member organisation that harnesses the collective power of uniting people with disability to change society into a community where everyone is equal.
Platinum Cre8ive’s Roster of amazing talent includes:
*Rachael Leahcar - Singer / Songwriter, Motivational Speaker, Actress, Comedian (Adelaide) Pop / contemporary styles
*Lara Nakhle - Singer / Songwriter, Motivational Speaker (Sydney) Pop / contemporary styles
Tanya Lewis - Motivational speaker, author and Professional Eco Organiser®, (Melbourne)
*Connor Wink - Singer, Songwriter, Motivational Speaker (Newcastle)
*Tim McCallum - Singer, Actor, Motivational Speaker (Brisbane)
*Robert Cini - Singer, Motivational Speaker (Innesfail)
Pepper Jane - Singer / Songwriter (Brisbane), Indie Pop
Cameron Miller - Motivational Speaker (Melbourne)
Wendy Steward - Speaker, Motivator, Podcaster, Presenter, Blogger, Wellness Coach (Melbourne)
Sarah C - Singer / songwriter (Melbourne)
*Kirsten Busby – Soprano Opera Singer
*Summer Giddings – Singer / songwriter and athlete.
Molly Waters - Singer, Songwriter, Entertainer (Brisbane)
Mary Ann Van Der Horst – Singer (Melbourne)
Danni Da Ros – Singer (Sydney)
Brittany Leo – Singer, Songwriter, DJ, MC, entertainer (Melbourne)
Sanctuary Acoustic Duo - Brittany Leo / Dan Johnson (Melbourne)
Harmony Dyer – Singer / songwriter (Sydney)
*Artists that identify with having a disability.
In 2019 Duncan was nominated and won The Music Network’s Music’s best boss awards in the entertainment industry.
An additional accolade for Duncan in 2020; due to the Covid19 Pandemic and isolating restrictions which befell our country, he co-organised and directed the inaugural White Cane Day Concert Celebration Event on 15th October 2020 along with Jordan Ashby from Vision Australia. Jordan formed an idea for a White Cane Day – Broadcast Concert Event that turned into a reality. From the initial work Duncan and Jordan put in contacting potential performers across the globe earlier in the year to organize the concert, it fast became a reality with the efforts of Vision Australia Radio team to compile the production of an incredible array of performances, messages of support and stories of lived experience which all came together in 180 minutes of the incredible radio White Cane Day – Broadcast Concert Event which has been now reached an audience of over 100,000 worldwide.
On 15 October 2021, Duncan, through Platinum Cre8ive presented, @WhiteStickFest, an online concert featuring a 20+ strong cast of visually impaired, blind, and sighted artists from around the world to celebrate the achievements, independence, and inclusion of people with an eye condition who utilize a white cane on International White Cane Day
Duncan has also been nominated for the Australian Small Business Champion Awards as a finalist in the ‘performing arts’ category, for his work supporting artists with a disability in the entertainment industry, with the winners to be determined in October 2021 in Sydney.
Part-time Duncan is also the Coordinator of Business Sustainability at Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO), a national peek and member representative body that champions the rights and inclusion for people with disabilities across Australia in our society.
Duncan is not only a publicist, artist representative and artist manager, he is also a public speaker on many topics around, motivation, disability, health, and wellness, drawn from his lived experience and positive aspect on life to help everyone live their lives to the fullest every day as he does his own.
