The Express Media team is so excited to announce the nine young creatives who will be taking part in the debut season of Toolkits: Audio Storytelling!

Facilitated by broadcaster, writer, and educator Ruby Smith, this 12-week intensive course will guide participants through the forms, skills, and ethics of audio storytelling. It will combine theoretical approaches, practical exercises, and group workshopping to guide young producers through the development of their work.

With mentorship from industry professionals and guest artists, participants will hone their skills in planning, pre-production research, interviewing, editing, and more. They will learn how to create their own original work, explore the possibilities of collaborative work, and learn about pathways into the radio and podcasting industries.

Congratulations to the Toolkits: Audio Storytelling Class of 2023! We can’t wait to see what exciting new work comes out of this cohort.

Rebecca Duke (she/her, 23)

Rebecca is an emerging writer currently studying for her Master’s in Writing for Performance at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. As a playwright, Rebecca has worked with The Street Theatre in their First Seen program, Canberra Theatre Centre in their New Works program, ATYP in their National Studio and Fresh Ink programs, and has been resident artist and commissioned writer at Canberra Youth Theatre. She has been published several times by Currency Press in anthologies of new theatre works. In February 2023, her play ‘At Dinner’, had a sold out season at ACT Hub in Canberra.

Hailing from lutruwita/ Tasmania, her writing often features the preoccupations, quirks and geography of her home state. She is currently developing two pieces of writing that feature Tasmanian history and culture.

Tiia Kelly (she/her, 24)

Tiia Kelly is a critic and essayist interested in digital culture, automedialities, and performance. Her work can be found in The Guardian, Kill Your Darlings, Overland, Meanjin, The Big Issue, Senses of Cinema, and elsewhere. She received a Wheeler Centre Hot Desk Fellowship in 2022 and is a regular film critic for ABC Radio Melbourne’s Victorian Evenings.

Anastasia Dale (she/they, 23)

Anastasia is a queer writer living on stolen Gadigal land.

Amelia Geiss (they/them, 21)

I am a Diploma of Music Industry (Sound Production) student and storyteller interested in writing, film, broadcast, and music. I’m an all-round creative person and would love to produce my own podcast.

Lauri Pavlovich (they/them, 19)

Lauri Pavlovich is a 19 year old multi-media creative whose works aim to provide insight and representation of their lived experiences. Their neurodivergence and queerness impact their themes and approach to creating. Outside of their artistic practice Lauri works in the youth and disability sectors. Their passion for their work fuels their creativity across mediums, with a focus on the joy of making as a priority over the refinement of the final piece. Lauri has worked for a variety of organisations but most notably was part of Science Gallery Melbourne’s exhibition with their work ‘Bugs Against the Binary’ earlier this year.

Olivia Hodgkins (she/her, 21)

I’m an undergraduate student, currently studying a bachelor’s degree of media and communications, with majors in screen production and journalism. Recently I’ve been involved in mentoring young, aspiring filmmakers as a part of Southland Creative Inc.’s short film program. I’m excited to pursue more creative projects to come, finding a fascination for the process of storytelling in different mediums.

Kat Gilbert-Rolfe (she/her, 28)

I’m Kat – a visual artist and poet from the South Coast. My creative practice is informed by my lived experience of mental health and grief, and explore realms of existence that are often veiled by social construct.

Michelle Guo (she/her, 25)

Michelle Guo (she/her) is an emerging fashion/art curator, writer and historian. She uses an interdisciplinary approach in her practice to combine research from across arts and humanities.

Cecile Richard (they/them, 28)

Cecile Richard is a graphic designer, game maker and sports enjoyer based in Melbourne.