Express Media
Express Media is an Australian not-for-profit youth arts organisation, founded in 1985. Originally called Express Australia, the organisation is currently listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations. It presents an annual program of special events, workshops, awards and artistic projects throughout the year, to generate opportunities for young and emerging artists. The flagship publication is Voiceworks. In 2005, John Marsden became, and remains, the principal patron of Express Media supporting an annual prize encouraging creative literary work by young people.
In 1988 Express Media began publishing a newsletter, both to promote the organisation’s program of workshops and as a forum for youth and media issues. The newsletter was called Voiceworks and it was launched by then Prime Minister Bob Hawke and music journalist Ian “Molly” Meldrum. In the ‘90s, Voiceworks grew into a quarterly magazine, expanding its content to include poetry, short fiction, articles, opinion and illustration contributed by under 25s. Prominent alumni such as Benjamin Law, Liam Pieper, Anna Krien, Hannah Kent, Tom Doig, Lili Wilkinson, Justin Heazlewood and Van Badham have gone on to have a significant impact in the Australian literary, artistic and political landscapes. The magazine has remained in print form and has continued to develop into a well-respected and sophisticated literary journal. In 2015, Voiceworks celebrated its 100th issue.
In response to the need for development opportunities and professional pathways for arts and cultural critics, 1997 saw the launch of Express Media’s Buzzcuts program. In partnership with literary and arts festivals around the country, the program was developed in order to give young journalists experience working with an editor, publication opportunities and exposure to the world of professional arts reviewing and cultural criticism.
Following the success of Express Media’s Make It Up Zine Fair and in response to the burgeoning youth and emerging literary scene in Melbourne, in 2004 Express Media held a two-day series of panels, readings, performances and workshops featuring ‘the best Australian writers you haven’t heard of yet’. This event was the inaugural Emerging Writers’ Festival. While the festival found a strong audience and independence, the two organisations continue to have strong ties and Express Media alumni as well as young writers engaged in our programs feature heavily within the festival each year.
In 2005, John Marsden became, and remains, the principal patron of Express Media supporting an annual prize encouraging creative literary work by young people. The patronage of an immensely popular and internationally recognised author has been invaluable in assisting Express Media to encourage and develop the creative skills of young writers, by significantly extending the reach and impact of our programs.
In 2010, Express Media became a resident organisation of The Wheeler Centre, as part of Melbourne’s UNESCO designation as a City of Literature.
Since that time, Express Media has nurtured countless innovative new projects and lead initiatives including the Write In Your Face Grants, The Young Writers Innovation Prize, The New Voices Poetry Series, The Under Age, The Signal Express, The Global Express and Dialect, Hologram, Buzzcuts as well as continuing to produce their flagship publication, Voiceworks.
Projects
While Express Media's annual program changes in order to meet the developing needs of young Australian writers and voices, as of 2019 Express Media's programs are:- The John Marsden & Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers. The John Marsden & Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers is a developmental award open exclusively to Australian secondary school students in categories of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. For young writers aged 12 to 17, fifteen shortlisted writers receive feedback on their work, are invited to meet John Marsden, and participate in an exclusive creative writing workshop the prize winners received a $500 cash prize and a book pack of YA titles, courtesy of Hachette Australia, publication of their work on the Express Media website and their names and an acknowledgement printed in Voiceworks, Australia’s premier youth literary journal.
- The Kat Muscat Fellowship, offers professional development up to the value of $3,000 for an editorial project or work of writing by a young woman or non-binary person. The Kat Muscat Fellow is selected by the Custodial Committee of The Kat Muscat Legacy Projects, which includes members of Express Media’s board and staff, the Muscat family and appointed community members.
- The Scribe Nonfiction Prize. Now in its sixth year, The 2018 Scribe Nonfiction Prize for Young Writers is a unique development award to foster talented writers aged 30 and under writing longform nonfiction. The Scribe Nonfiction Prize for Young Writers is presented in partnership with Scribe Publications and Word for Word National Non-Fiction Festival.
- Toolkits is a rigorous 12-week program for writers aged 30 and under to develop their skills in a unique and exciting online environment. Each program includes one-on-one mentoring and feedback from an established writer, specialised presentations from guest artists and the opportunity to network with other young people working in the same literary form. Toolkits is supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund. Toolkits: Live is presented by Express Media in partnership with Regional Arts Victoria as part of the Arts Connect Series funded by the Federal Government’s Regional Arts Fund.
- Making Tracks is a travelling pop-up workshop series and zine publication aimed at developing the work of young regional writers in Australia.
- Tracks is Express Media's travelling program for young writers that brings the best of Express Media’s workshops, masterclasses, networking opportunities and special events to communities across Australia.
- The National Editors and Writers Conference is an annual two-day event presented by Express Media for students editors, publishers and contributors across Australia.
- Voiceworks is a national, quarterly literary journal that features new fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics by people under the age of 25 in Australia.