Melody Ellis

Dr Melody Ellis is a writer and creative practice researcher interested in the politics of value and taste, language, and interpretation. Her work is informed by critical theory, philosophy, and art - as well as a long history of participating in grassroots artist-led collaborative projects. Melody is currently Program Manager of the Bachelor of Media and Communication (Honours) degree and is a member of the non/fictionLab research group. She co-convenes the Gutter Stars comics collective with A/Prof Ronnie Scott and is the incoming creative nonfiction editor for Southerly literary journal.

FUNDING

• 2025 - 2026: Copyright Agency 'non/fictionLab Graphic Storyteller Fellowship' with A/Prof Ronnie Scott and Dr Stayci Taylor.
• 2025: Creative Australia 'Comics off the Page' with A/Prof Ronnie Scott.
• 2021-2025: Australian Research Council Discovery Project 'Connecting Asia-Pacific Literary Cultures: Grounds, Encounter and Exchange' with Prof David Carlin (Lead CI), Prof Francesca Rendle-Short, Dr Michelle Aung Thin, and Prof Lily Rose Tope.

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Prior to her academic career Melody spent over a decade working in the arts, including for:

• Gallery WREN (an artist-run initiative she co-founded and co-directed with Vicki Papageorgopoulos 2001-2005)
• The National Association for the Visual Arts (2004-2006)
• The Biennale of Sydney (2005-2006)
• The Athens Biennale (where she was Project Manager of its first iteration, Destroy Athens curated by Augustine Zenakos, Poka Yio and Xenia  Kalpaktsoglou 2006-2007)
• West Space (where she was Program Coordinator of the West Wing 2010-2011)
• un Magazine (2010-2012)