Meet our Digital Marketing Associate, Melanie Raveendran! Join us as we take a few moments to go beyond the bio and get to know our team's newest addition.

Tell us a bit about your background Melanie!

I recently graduated from UNSW with a Bachelor of Art Theory and Bachelor of Criminology. I decided I wasn’t ready to stop studying so I’m currently working towards a Master of Art Curating at Sydney University. Despite fears about job stability in the arts, there’s nothing else I’d rather do than learn and work within this sector that empowers, inspires and brings value to our communities.

In terms of previous experience, I’ve worked and volunteered for a range of galleries, museums and events across Sydney, including Blacktown Arts Centre, Carriageworks, the 22nd Biennale, Australian National Maritime Museum and, most recently, the Australian Museum. My responsibilities were oriented around visitor engagement and public programming, allowing me a glimpse into the approaches that successfully capture the audience’s attention.

I was also employed as an Election Officer in 2019 for both State and Federal elections, as well as a Census Field Officer in 2021. These methodical, data-driven roles were brief but important opportunities to assist the general public.

What is your role at Patternmakers?

As a Digital Marketing Associate, my role at Patternmakers is to assist the team with their communications efforts, writing, creating and publishing marketing content for various social media platforms, website and EDMs. I was thrilled to join the team and assist Patternmakers with their goal of strengthening the creative industries through research.

What is your favourite type of cultural experience and why?

I love visiting art galleries and exhibitions. Whether big or small, I enjoy immersing myself within the artist or organisation’s curatorial vision, commending (and sometimes critiquing) how they have constructed a particular experience. Even though my academic background is founded in the arts, I’ll never become tired of consuming it.

Favourite city or the most interesting place you’ve visited or travelled?

Such a difficult question! The creative in me savoured every thrilling second of New York City, visiting countless galleries and museums, eating cheap and delicious street food and surfing the subway from one end of the city to the other.

I also loved my visits to my parents’ country of birth, Sri Lanka. It’s always such a privilege to hear about my parents’ and grandparents’ upbringing and an even greater privilege to revisit their villages, previously war-torn but now (mostly) peaceful. This little island is rich in culture and I am blessed to have a tight-knit family and Desi community that celebrates and upholds this culture in Sydney.

What do you do outside of Patternmakers?

Outside of Patternmakers, you’ll find me curating and co-managing The Waiting Room Project, an artist-run initiative that organises monthly exhibitions within the waiting room of the Sydney Sexual Health Centre, aiming to alleviate anxieties within a medical space and prioritise marginalised voices.

In my spare time I love spending time with family and friends, capturing moments on an old film camera and making art.

About the Author

Tandi Williams
Managing Director

Patternmakers’ Founder and Managing Director Tandi Williams is an experienced consultant and arts and culture research specialist.

Beyond the Bio: Melanie Raveendran