Trent Oliver

Trent Oliver, principal and managing director of Blue Telescope, co-founded the media and design studio in 2000. The organisation creates innovative experiences for museums, themed entertainment, and corporate clients, blending technology and storytelling to engage diverse audiences.

Oliver is recognised for her impact and leadership, and has fostered a truly collaborative studio culture that values transparency, trust, and shared authorship. This encourages and empowers her team to produce ambitious, high-quality work with a focus on experiences that are educational, impactful, accessible, and occasionally unconventional.

Standout projects from Blue Telescope's portfolio include work for the Kennedy Space Centrer, the Sloan Museum of Discovery, the Henry Ford Museum, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and the National Women’s History Museum.

Under Oliver's leadership, the studio has received widespread industry recognition with numerous awards, including Muse, Telly, and Vega Gold Awards, Summit Best of Show, and the Core 77 Design for Social Impact Award.

“Trent is a systems thinker, a mentor, and a creative force whose influence radiates far beyond any single exhibition or installation,” said one person who nominated Oliver. “Influencers like her prove that inclusivity, smarts, curiosity, and audacity can transform immersive storytelling.”

Her career in the entertainment and production field started with live theatre and later grew to include commercials, videos, and interactive projects. Her expertise in handling complex, large-scale media setups has resulted in enduring collaborations with renowned institutions such as the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, T-Mobile, and TAIT.

Oliver served as Eastern Board President of the Themed Entertainment Association from 2019 to 2021, and helped the organisation to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She is also a member of the Praxis Museum Projects Group, a network of professionals who create exhibitions and cultural experiences in partnership with designers, architects, and others in the sector.

Oliver also speaks regularly at industry events, such as the Exhibitor Show, EDPA, TEA, SATE Europe & North America, AAM, and InfoComm.