11 December 2020

Welcome to our new Creative Producer, Magenta Sheridan!

We are so excited to announce that coming on board the Express Media team as our new Creative Producer we have the wonderful, Magenta Sheridan!

Magenta is an arts manager, editor and writer who is passionate about centring and advocating for writers, particularly emerging and experimental writers. She prioritises diversity, inclusion and accessibility in her work, creating and supporting opportunities for writers to learn and develop their practice.

She is also the Editor at Going Down Swinging where she oversees the artistic program, working with writers, artists and creatives to publish compelling and playful new work across multiple platforms. She has tutored at Express Media, facilitating creative writing workshops for young people across Melbourne, including for the Hachette Australia Prize and State Library Victoria Story Camp. She has previously been on the editorial committee at Voiceworks and was awarded the Melbourne Writers Festival Creative Writing Prize in 2017.

As a part of our welcome, we sat down with Magenta to chat about what her whole deal is, what is she into and what are her plans as our new Creative Producer.

1) Tell us a little about yourself! 

I’m an Aries, which tends to surprise people when they meet me. I love animals, particularly cats and frogs. I enjoy pottering around my tiny garden, I’m currently working on perfecting my bagel-baking technique and I’ve just recently gotten back into riding my bike over lockdown. I really love jokes and funny stuff, which is pretty lame I guess. Send me jokes and I’ll be your friend forever.

2) What part about being Express Media’s Creative Producer are you most excited about?

I’m most excited to work with and champion writers, editors and readers every day! I think it’s what I was made to do! I’m looking forward to creating an accessible, equitable and welcoming program that has something for every young writer. I can’t wait to talk everyone’s ear off about how incredible Australia’s young writers are and to work on creating the best opportunities for their voices and ideas to be heard.

3) Are you a writer/artist/editor yourself? What do you like to create, and what do you like to read?

I love to write comics and short stories and work with stories that play with form. I’ll read just about anything, but I have a very soft spot for comics. There’s something magical that happens when you combine art and text to tell a story and it makes my heart feel so full. My favourites are Jillian Tamaki’s This One Summer and Tommi Parrish’s Perfect Hair.

4) What do you hope to do after your time with Express Media?

It’s funny to think about what I’ll do after working with Express Media since I’m so excited to jump right into it! I know that I want to keep working with words and nourishing Australia’s writing community. I want to get other people excited about storytelling and work to make our industry more sustainable and equitable for all writers and editors. As long as I’m doing that, I know I’ll be happy.

We are so excited to work with you Magenta and can’t wait to see you back in the Express Media office come 2021!


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