Portfolio

Storytelling services

 

Craig Garrett

I’ve been running workshops since 1998 for literary organisations, TAFEs, community arts centres, libraries and universities, including QLD Writers’ Centre, Footscray Community Arts Centre, RMIT, Griffith University, City Library, the International Center for Journalists and NMIT. I teach writing, editing, publishing and audio production (including podcasts). I’ve designed and developed teaching resources that are suitable for people across a range of needs and skills, and can be adapted for school-aged learners, for young people outside the formal schooling system, or for adult learners. 

Audio Storytelling (podcasts, soundscapes, broadcast radio and documentaries)
Text-based Storytelling (writing, editing and publishing)
Project Management

BIO

I’m an international audio producer; award-winning journalist; author; editor; media and communications consultant; workshop facilitator; and researcher. I have an arts and publishing background, an interest in hybrid forms of storytelling; and broad experience in project management.

I grew up on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) and have lived in Naarm, Meanjin, Dili (Timor-Leste) and London. I’m currently living on Yuin Country.

My fiction and nonfiction has appeared in The Never Never LandMeanjinVoiceworksThe Big Issue, Sleepers AlmanacStrange4, ArtsHubWest of the WestWet InkVisible Ink and The Conspirator. I’ve been shortlisted for a number of awards. ‘Rat-boys’ (short story) finished third in the 2012 Josephine Ulrick Literary Awards; my short story ‘Magpie’ was shortlisted for the 2012 Wet Ink short story prize; and my short story ‘Terra Australis’ was long listed for the 2016 Aurealis Awards. In 2020 my podcast London by Lockdown was a finalist in the ‘People’s Choice Podcast Awards’ (US), and was longlisted for the ‘Lovie Awards’ (EU). In 2017 I won the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia ‘Excellence in News & Current Affairs’ Award.

Audio Storytelling
I’ve produced podcasts, radio documentaries, short-form news interviews and/or soundscapes for organisations including Speaking Volumes (UK), the CBAA (Community Broadcasting Association of Australia), the Community Radio Network, the Digital Writers’ Festival, the QLD Poetry Festival, Ranu Welum (Indonesia), Vulcana Women’s Circus, House Conspiracy and Noted Festival.

Podcast Series
‘London by Lockdown: a quarantine travel podcast’.

‘Not Quite Right For Us’.

Audio Soundscapes
‘Taking Care of Business’ (exhibit audio). Migration Museum (London).
‘Deep Listening’ (soundscape). QLD Poetry Festival.
‘Vital Signs’ (soundscape). QLD Poetry Festival.
‘Kim Allom interviews Krissy Kneen’ (audio producer). Digital Writers’ Festival.
‘Distant Voices’ (soundscape). QLD Poetry Festival.
‘The House Conspiracy: A Day in the Life…’ (soundscape). House Conspiracy residency.
‘Noises at Noted’ (soundscape). Noted Writers’ Festival.

Publications
Alongside my short stories I’m interrogating Australian identity and history in my novels Magpie and Of Teak and Eucalyptus; I’m examining the relationships between dying, death, grief and happiness in my memoir A Delicate Touch; and I take a deep look at sleep, dreams and sleep disorders in my first novel Transition Events, which received an Arts Victoria ‘new work’ grant.

Fiction
A Day in the Life’ (poem). The Conspirator, anthology (May 2018).
Terra Australis’. The Never Never Land, anthology (Oct 2015).
Magpie’. Wet Ink, literary journal (Sept 2012).
‘Trolleys’ (digital short story). Sleepers App (2009–present).

Apnoea’. Strange4, anthology (June 2008).
Trolleys’. Sleepers Almanac #1, anthology (Feb 2005).
‘___________ ’. Visible Ink 15, anthology (Oct 2003).
Backyards & Their Place in the Aust. DreamTM’. West Of The West, anthology (2003).
Where Did All My Friends Go?’. Boys’ Stuff, anthology (2001).

Non-fiction
Landing in Lockdown’ (feature article). ArtsHub: Aus & UK (April 2021).
Urban Trees and the Fight Against Air Pollution’ (feature article). Redland City Bulletin: RCB (June 2019).
Urban Trees and Climate Change’ (feature article). RCB (May 2019).
Planning and Building Bush Gardens’ (feature article). RCB (May 2019).
The Importance of Trees when Building, Buying or Renovating’ (feature article). RCB (May 2019).
‘Decrim QLD: sexwork is real work’ (news article). 4zzz Media (March 2018).

Dignity in Death: your life your choice’ (news article). 4zzz Media (December 2017).
What is Research?’ (book chapter). Where Do We Go From Here?, Black Swan Press (Dec 2017).
Who are Adani’s Friends: POSCO’ (news article). 4zzz Media (August 2017).
Canberra is on Ngunnawal Country’ (news article). 4zzz Media (July 2017).
The Coal Face’ (news article). 4zzz Media (July 2017).
Homeless in Kabul’ (news article). 4zzz Media (June 2017).
The Daintree Blockade: the battle for Australia’s tropical rainforests’ (news article). 4zzz Media (May 2017).
OverWatch Australia: First Responders’ (news article). 4zzz Media (May 2017).
Freedom of Speech or Freedom from Consequences?’ (news article). 4zzz Media (April 2017).
The Kat Muscat Fellowship’ (news article). 4zzz Media (March 2017).
Australia, Do You Have a Drinking Problem?’ (news article). 4zzz Media (March 2017).
Do QLD’s Abortion and Bail Laws Reflect Current Values?’ (news article). 4zzz Media (Feb 2017).
Talking Human Rights, Discrimination, Native Title and Juvenile Justice with QLD barrister, Wannyi and Kalkadoon man Joshua Creamer’ (news article). 4zzz Media (Jan 2017).
Looking After Ourselves this Xmas’ (news article). 4zzz Media (Dec 2016).
Wired for Sound: Australian police purchase LRADs’ (article). Melbourne Legal Support (June 2016).
Inspiring Creativity in Education’ (article). ArtsHub (Sept 2015).
Reasons to be Optimistic’ (feature article). ArtsHub (Sept 2015).
Designing Australia’ (feature article). ArtsHub (Sept 2015).
Culture Goes Pop’ (feature article). ArtsHub (Sept 2015).
Creative Manoeuvres: writing, making, being (online book review). TEXT Journal (Oct 2014).
History of Voiceworks’ (article). The Words We Found, anthology (Oct 2009).
‘Voiceworks Editors: where are they now?’ (article). Sleepers Almanac 4, anthology (2008).

‘Cultural Revolutions: cycling in China’ (article). Ride On, Bicycle Victoria member magazine (June 2007).
Let’s get started — bike taste’ (review). Ride On (Dec 2006).
Sleep Easy With Cycling’ (article). Ride On (April 2006).
Bicycling Magazine’s Illustrated Bicycle Maintenance (book review). Ride On (April 2006).
Get What You Pay For?’ (review). Ride On (Dec 2005).
Catching Butterflies With a Sledgehammer’ (review). Meanjin 63, journal (June 2004).
HM Prison, Barwon’ (article). Professional Voice, AEU magazine (2002).
Kensington Community School’ (article). Professional Voice, AEU magazine (2002).
Job Help — a hand up for those who need it’ (article). The Big Issue (July 2001).

Awards
Winner Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) National Awards (Aus). ‘Excellence & Innovation in News & Current Affairs Programming’ category, 2017.

Finalist in the People’s Choice Podcast Awards (US). ‘Arts’ category, 2020.
Finalist Wet Ink Short Story Prize (Aus). ‘Magpie’ (short story), 2012.
Finalist for the Josephine Ulrick Literary Awards (Aus). ‘Rat-boys’ (short story), 2012.
Shortlisted for the Lovie Awards (EU). ‘Arts & Entertainment’ category, 2020.
Shortlisted for the Aurealis Short Fiction Awards (Aus). ‘Terra Australis’ (short story), 2016.
Shortlisted for the cbaa National Awards (Aus). ‘Excellence & Innovation in News & Current Affairs Programming’ category, 2016.

Residencies, Commissions & Grants
Commission by Speaking Volumes (UK) to produce and eight-episode literary series of podcasts titled ‘Not Quite Right For Us’, 2021

Commission by Speaking Volumes (UK) to record ‘TwoTone’ (individual podcast episode), 2021
Commission by Speaking Volumes (UK) to record ‘Poly Styrene: (in)disposable punk’ (individual podcast episode), 2020
Residency with the Queensland Poetry Festival: QPF (Aus). Sound Artist, 2019.
Residency with the QPF (Aus). Sound Artist, 2018.
Residency with the QPF (Aus). Sound Artist, 2017.
Residency with House Conspiracy Artist-Run Space (Aus). Writer, 2017.
Residency with Noted Festival (Aus). Sound Artist, 2017.
Writing grant from the ACT Writers Centre (Aus). HARDCOPY Writing Development Program, 2015.
Research grant from Griffith University (Aus). Australian Research Award to research Australian & Indonesian history for the novel Of Teak and Eucalyptus, 2011­–2015.
Writing grant from Arts Victoria (Aus). ‘New Work Grant’ to write the novel Transition Events, 2001.
Writing grant from Arts ACT (Aus). ‘Professional Development Grant’ to write Transition Events, 1997.
Union grant from the University of Canberra to publish the short story anthology Pornography, Heroin & Government, 1996.

Editing (freelance & in-house)
I’ve edited online and print publications, and I’ve worked in the arts, NGO, government and private sectors. I’ve edited for Lonely Planet; Voiceworks magazine; noise! online journal; the Australian Education Union (AEU); and the Australia Council. In 2016 I proof read The Daintree Blockade: the battle for Australia’s tropical rainforests (non-fiction) for author Bill Wilkie. (In 2017 the book won the QLD Premier’s Literary Award for ‘A Work of State Significance’.) In 2017 I proof read Hazelwood (non-fiction) for author Tom Doig. It was published by Penguin Books in 2020.

Research
I’ve completed research projects for RMIT, Griffith University, La Trobe University, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons; and the International Center for Journalists. My research interests include Australian literary traditions; possible worlds literary theories (including ‘alternate histories’ and ‘magical realist’ theory), and how counterfactual literary worlds shed light onto the world we live in; Australian, Indonesian and Indian history (where the settler colonial overlaps with Indigenous); sleep, dreaming and sleep disorders; addiction; and grief and happiness.