Meet Jacqui - Midsumma's Social Media and Content Coordinator (the human behind the keyboard)
With a background in performing arts, Jacqui has a lot of passion for theatre and live performance. We first met Jacqui as a Summer Work Placement in 2019-20 and now she's back with more experience, an expensive piece of paper and a couple more smile lines.
This month, we introduce Jacqui Essing - our Social Media and Content Coordinator.
Q: Describe yourself in three words: Thinker. Doer. Quirky.
Q: What drew you to working in the arts industry?
I’ve always loved the arts, particularly theatre, and was super lucky growing up regularly going to musicals with my mum. I ended up studying Acting straight out of school (not music theatre… not #blessed with beautiful vocals) and I guess I knew then that my cup would never be full if I wasn’t working in the arts in some way or another. What other industry allows people to express themselves and connect with other humans through their own vulnerability? Our industry that’s what.
Q: What is the best part of your role at Midsumma?
Being a voice for Midsumma. I love that in marketing, you kind of get to become the organisation you’re communicating for. And in case you haven't noticed, Midsumma is a pretty playful and fun voice. I love all that Midsumma stands for, so being able to wear that hat to share and communicate our work and use our voice as a platform and amplifier for LGBTQIA+ artists, events and communities, is a pretty rewarding thing to do every day.
Q: Where is your favourite place in the world?
The beach. Any beach (although a good surf beach or blue crystal waters in Greece would have to top the list). I don’t/can’t meditate in the traditional form, but I find the beach so meditative and rejuvenating. Whether it's walking, running swimming or surfing at the beach, I always feel better after a visit.
Q: What do you think sets Midsumma apart from the other places you’ve worked?
Because of the largescale of Midsumma, I think what people might not know is that the Midsumma team is super small. Compared to where I’ve worked in the past where small teams achieve smaller outputs, Midsumma utilises its small team and volunteers to create HUGE things. No other place I’ve worked at has done this, or even attempted to, and I think it’s the passion for the work that drives Midsumma to achieve big things.
Q: What is your must-see show of the year?
Honestly anything. As soon as Melbourne opens back up, get your bum on a seat and lap it up for the sake of our creative industry that has been hit hard by the pandemic, and also the sake of yourself. We all need a form of escapism. You may not be able to physically travel, but a good show can transport our mind and imagination anywhere we let it.
Q: What gets you out of bed on a Sunday morning?
Sun creeping through my curtains will always get me up and out into the day. That, and a delicious cup of coffee. I worked in hospitality for many years and haven’t really had the chance to enjoy weekends until recently. So now I lap up my Sunday mornings still with delicious coffee, but now I get to enjoy it just for me and not hundreds of customers (and coffee snobs. Let’s be honest, I am a coffee snob too).
