Nico Luwes obtained his PhD in Drama and Theatre Arts in 2012 at the University of the Free State with his dissertation under Prof. Hennie van Coller, which was awarded the D.F. Malan Prize. He is completing a PhD in Creative Writing on Afrikaans farces, with Prof. Henning Pieterse as his supervisor. He has worked as an actor at SUKOVS and held various teaching positions before becoming head of the Department of Drama at the University of the Free State in 1990 and later professor. In addition to his writing, he serves on committees and is, among other roles, the chairperson of the Arts Commission of the South African Academy for Science and Arts. In 2020, he was awarded the SA Academy Honorary Medal and the Gerhard Beukes Prize for Lifetime Contribution to Theatre. He has married Alet for 47 years and is the proud father of Prof. Nicolaas Luwes, Michelle Joubert, and Carmen Neethling.