Starting Out in the Arts - A Creative Careers Panel

Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion aimed at students and those starting their creative journey.

Hear from artists and creatives working across film, theatre and more as they share insights, advice and personal stories about breaking into the industry.All welcome!---When | Saturday, 6 September, 2:00PM - 3:30PMWhere | Woollahra Gallery at RedleafCost | FreeTransport and parking | The Gallery can be reached via public transport (buses 324, 325 or 326, or walk from Edgecliff Station or Double Bay Wharf). After-hours parking is available at Council Chambers (536 New South Head Rd, Double Bay NSW 2028). If you are arriving via UBER or Taxi please request a drop-off or collection at the Council Chambers.Image by Enzo Amato.---Panellists:

Samuel Lucas Allen is an award-winning writer and director who works in film, theatre. Currently, Sam is in distribution for their film 'Cut', a coming-of-age drama about Faith, Queerness and the internet alt-right. 'Cut' had its Premiere at Vancouver international film festival. It won Best Short Fiction Film at Buenos Aires International Film Festival and Best Editing at Canberra short film festival and was nominated for best director and best short at the Melbourne queer film festival. Sam’s film 'After Saturn' a devised family drama, took home Best Short Director at the Kansas Arthouse Film Festival and was nominated for best director at CinniFest Oz and Best Score at St Kilda. 'Plastic' was nominated for Best Music Video and Best Experimental Film at the ATOM awards and Best Editing of a Music Video. 'Only The Beautiful' saw Sam nominated for Best Director at Sanford International Film Festival, and their first film, 'School Night', was nominated for a Robin Anderson Film Award. They are currently in postproduction for a new short and are in development for a TV show and Feature Film, all focusing on the theme of rebellion in the face of environmental calamity. Sam aims to continue working in theatre and film, focusing on newly devised films and developing new and established theatre work.

Monique Terry is a writer, director, actor and producer who co-founded the production company Shop 15 with her creative partner, Hannah-Rae Meegan, in 2021. In 2024, they were recipients of the Screen Australia Enterprise Business Grant. Monique is best known for co-creating The Formal, a TikTok and Screen Australia funded LGBTQIA+ romantic comedy series that gained over 12 million views and more than 100,000 followers worldwide. The fourth season of The Formal aired in 2022, alongside Shop 15’s branded web series Self Care, created in partnership with The Body Shop. Since then, Monique has written, directed and starred in an additional Screen Australia and Screen NSW funded web series, Touch, also made through her company Shop 15, and executive produced The Crop Tops, both of which premiered on the Mon and Han TikTok page, bringing their total view count to over 36 million globally. In addition to her narrative work, Monique has directed branded content for major campaigns including Tinder x Love Island and Vaseline. She is currently developing a slate of original projects under the Shop 15 banner.

Kai Wasikowski is a visual artist whose practice encompasses photography, video and sculpture. Currently, Kai is an artist-in-residence at the Waverley Artist Studios, teaching photography at the University of New South Wales, and working as a photo-media technician at the University of Technology Sydney. Kai received his Masters of Fine Art (Photography) from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2023, and his Bachelor of Visual Art (First Class Honours with University Medal) from the University of Sydney in 2016. His work has received notable awards including the Dr Harold Schenberg Art Fellowship from the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (2017), the AusArt Scholarship from the American Australian Association (2020), and the Marten Bequest Scholarship from Creative Australia (2021). Kai's work has been exhibited widely, and written about in Art Monthly Australasia, Artist Profile, Art Collector, VAULT Magazine, and The Australian Financial Review. He has participated in residencies at the Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, China (2019), taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, and ran educational workshops for adults and children at the Australian Centre for Photography, the Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art.

Hannah-Rae Meegan is a queer writer, producer and actor passionate about telling authentic stories that amplify LGBTQIA+ voices. In 2021, she co-founded Shop 15 with creative partner Monique Terry. Together, they’ve co-created and starred in acclaimed series like The Formal and TOUCH, which have collectively garnered over 32 million views and built a dedicated following of over 150,000. The Formal began with initial funding from TikTok and later received additional support from Screen Australia, achieving rapid success with one million views within 24 hours. TOUCH continued this momentum, amassing over six million views across TikTok and YouTube with Screen Australia’s and Screen NSW’s support. Beyond original content, Hannah-Rae and Monique executive produced The Crop Tops, a web series that premiered on their <a href="https://ap-southeast-2.protection.sophos.com?d=youtube.com&u=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbC9VQ3E2OGxVV1I5Q0dBYlVmdjlGeWpEeVE=&p=m&i=NjdmMzEwMDE3ZDBhY2UzMDVjZjJhZWU5&t=Rm9yMmdoazdjTzlFM2ZYSUJTTDVPUWRwaEJhbWFDb1JsOFRLUWhMeEVHaz0=&h=a95e489f3ced4927b0aea5daecb58223&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVZDKKfr-1pgTUi-gqxUDPwGgPs_Y4o6_SCz60PyvBWQCYp3iQ3anGyLtpOoCJBylN8" title="https://ap-southeast-2.protection.sophos.com?d=youtube.com&u=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS5jb20vY2hhbm5lbC9VQ3E2OGxVV1I5Q0dBYlVmdjlGeWpEeVE=&p=m&i=NjdmMzEwMDE3ZDBhY2UzMDVjZjJhZWU5&t=Rm9yMmdoazdjTzlFM2ZYSUJTTDVPUWRwaEJhbWFDb1JsOFRLUWhMeEVHaz0=&h=a95e489f3ced4927b0aea5daecb58223&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVZDKKfr-1pgTUi-gqxUDPwGgPs_Y4o6_SCz60PyvBWQCYp3iQ3anGyLtpOoCJBylN8" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">YouTube Channel</a>, Mon &amp; Han. They’ve also collaborated with brands such as The Body Shop for their 2022 Pride campaign and partnered with Vaseline on a TikTok short film campaign, blending authentic storytelling with impactful brand messages. Shop 15 received Screen Australia Enterprise Funding in 2024 to support the development of TV and feature film projects. Hannah-Rae’s commitment to diverse and inclusive narratives drives her work, both in front of and behind the camera.

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