David Symons is the Artistic Director of Clown Doctors Australia, where he leads the artistic vision, standards, and practice frameworks across the organisation’s hospital and aged‑care programs. He has worked as a healthcare clown since 1998 and has been in senior artistic leadership at Clown Doctors Australia (formerly The Humour Foundation) since 2011.
David’s work sits at the intersection of performance, healthcare, and reflective practice, with a strong focus on connection, curiosity, and dignity for people experiencing illness, trauma, or cognitive decline. He has played a key role in the development of both the Clown Doctors and Laughter Care programs, supporting performers, mentors, and artistic teams nationally.
A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and a Churchill Fellow, David has contributed to peer‑reviewed research and has presented at medical, arts, and healthcare conferences in Australia and internationally. He is deeply committed to sustaining high‑quality, ethical, and evidence‑informed healthcare clowning practice.