Current participants

Aden Date is an artist, academic and consultant. His work bridges academic disciplinary thinking (Critical Studies and Psychology) and practical systems change efforts. His approach to artmaking draws on Dewey’s notion that art is an intensified, refined experience of ordinary life. This perspective recognises that all artistic practice is grounded in storytelling, myth, play, belonging and place – that individual and collective well-being is a precondition for meaningful art.

His work includes forming Western Australia’s first cooperatively owned arts organisation, designing a platform for decolonising cultural knowledge with the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centre, and working as an Impact Producer for a variety of documentary production companies and the ABC.

Michael O’Loughlin

Michael O’Loughlin is a Gamiliaraay man from Moree. Michael has been working with Aboriginal youth for the past 20 years in various roles ranging from mentoring at risk youth, to working within high schools, and working with youth within the Juvenile Justice system. Michael’s role as the education for IndigenousX, sees him developing and delivering IndigenousX’s training programs, for various government and non-government organisations as well as running a program for primary school students. Michael’s passion for education with a cultural perspective comes from his own experiences of education in a rural setting, and his own cultural learnings.

Aiesha Saunders

Aiesha Saunders is a Biripi woman from mid-North Coast NSW but was born and raised in Sydney on Gadi country. Aiesha has worked within the arts and cultural sector for a decade as a First Nations journalist, content creator, researcher, and curator. Aiesha’s work focuses on truth-telling, decolonising, and the intertwining of colonial and First Nations histories in and around Warrane (Sydney).

Claire Evans and Shunji Davies 

Claire and Shunji specialise in the application of technology to enhance our experience of places, spaces, information, art and design. They work with museums, learning institutions, arts organisations and government bodies to shape the future of experience design through digital and immersive media.

Claire’s experience is centred around moving-image, digital, and interactive experiences in the cultural sphere, combining immersive digital technology with storytelling and museum practice. Claire is the former Managing Director of Grumpy Sailor and during her 7 years there she delivered interactive projects for Google, Melbourne Museum, Arts Centre Melbourne, ACMI, Sydney Living Museums and many more. Claire is also a content producer and filmmaker and sits on the board of the Antenna Documentary Festival.

Shunji is a digital production specialist with 15+ years of experience in bringing digital creative technologies to life with a focus on creating genuine and memorable experiences. Shunji has delivered a broad range of digital solutions for cultural institutions including the Australian Sports Museum, MCA, Te Papa, Royal Australian Mint and Australian War Memorial. Shunji’s experience has seen him hold long-standing positions at notable digital production studios including Imagination, Grumpy Sailor and MediaMonks.

Based in Sydney, Australia, Kopi Su is a digital innovation studio specialising in experience design and creative technology solutions. Kopi Su was founded at the start of 2021 by Kartini Ludwig (Director), Nick Cellini (Technologist) and Eden Payne (Designer), a team forged during their collective placement at Google Creative Lab between 2019-2020. The team has since expanded to include a Digital Marketing Specialist, Rosie Thomas and together, they are already supporting a handful of organisations to demystify technology through consultation, collaboration, prototype iteration and workshops.

Luke de Zilva is a senior digital and arts expert, having worked with some of Australia’s best-known organisations including the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Writers’ Festival, Carriageworks, Sydney Festival and Sydney Opera House among others. With 12 years of experience across the full digital spectrum, Luke describes himself as an ‘arts lifer’ who is motivated most by enabling arts organisations to best amplify their cultural programs and the work of artists through impactful and sustainable practices.

Dr Lynda Kelly is a consultant specialising in research, strategic planning, audience development, digital strategy and digital product development, stakeholder engagement, facilitation, collections management, membership and learning/education, curatorial and exhibition development across the culture, tourism and events industries, as well as government, the not-for-profit and private sectors. Lynda has over 45 years’ experience in the arts and culture sector, and a PhD in museum learning from UTS Sydney.

Communication and digital media specialist Mandy Braddick is the Founder and Creative Director behind Wojamin Creative. She is a Wandandian tribe and Gumea language group woman with 11 years of experience working on design, communication, digital, and social media projects.

Mandy has a Bachelor of Graphic Design and a post-graduate certificate in Strategic Communications. Mandy has experience working with Government and not for profit sectors. Additionally, she specialises in Indigenous Design Communication and she’s passionate about creating bespoke promotional solutions for all kinds of brands. Mandy believes in cultural inclusion and puts respect for it at the outset of every project.

Mark has spent 15 years in the online marketing space. He combines Art, Science and Business. “The Golden Triangle of Digital”, as he calls it. Initially from a technical background, but then studying an MBA (Marketing majors), Mark has worked with brands such as Telstra, Medibank, Ninemsn, AFL, Fed Square, Melbourne Spring Fashion week and numerous others. He has had his own companies in the online comparison space and mobile travel technologies and is a freelance writer, speaker (Stanford University, Startup Victoria, Asian Travel Tech Conferences). Mark also happens to be a seasoned performer, appearing in Musicals at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, The West End (UK), Miami Cruise Ships, and in Rock Bands at The Espy Hotel to the MCG.

Meeum support existing organisations to adapt in the digital arena; help launch new businesses; and ensure organisations have the foundational digital skills required to prosper.

For over fifteen years, Elyse (she/her) has worked to build thriving companies, spending her career nurturing organisations, their culture and the people within them.

Prior to Meeum, Elyse founded and exited a culture and behaviour change consultancy and grew a Melbourne UX consultancy to acquisition status.

She is a published author in young LGBT people and homelessness and an ardent advocate for the inclusion of women in leadership and tech roles. Elyse sits on the Board of MND Queensland.

Now a digital veteran, Sam (he/him) initially trained as a drummer and schoolteacher and spent 10 years as a touring musician and tour manager.

Sam also lectures at Collarts (Australian College of the Arts), teaching digital strategy and technology to tomorrows music, fashion and arts leaders.

He is an experienced mentor who has helped small business owners across Australia get to grips with the technology and digital areas of their businesses.

Sam held the office of Expert in Residence for LaunchVic and has designed, developed, and delivered training programs specifically for business owners seeking to increase their digital literacy.