• ‘MetamorphLIVE’ is a collaborative Charles Sturt University in Bathurst student-designed communication and creative industries showcase online and on-campus

Final-year communication and creative industries students at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst are staging a special event on Tuesday 24 May to showcase their skills and expand their professional networks.

The Charles Sturt School of Information and Communication Studies students are staging an Industry Showcase Event Experience called ‘MetamorphLIVE’ to demonstrate the projects they created as emerging professionals.

Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) / Bachelor of Business (Marketing) student Ms Marisa Barbagallo (pictured, inset) said students produced original interdisciplinary works that responded to the theme ‘Emerging Professional’.

“Entering the communication and creative industries is scary, and the on-campus MetamorphLIVE showcase will help emerging professionals start their careers with confidence and peace-of-mind,” she said.

“The showcase aims to engage undergraduate communication and creative industry students with industry professionals and allow the audience ─ staff, parents, and interested public ─ to experience content, activities, and networking opportunities.”

Lecturer in communication Ms Zoe Rodwell said over the past five weeks students have selected topics of interest and worked to create MetamorphLIVE.

“This third-year subject offers students from multiple disciplines the opportunity to collaborate, design and initiate an on-campus community event or production,” she said. “It has been a challenging process, but they have pulled something special together.”

The overall showcase is named ‘Metamorph’, to incorporate both online and virtual elements and on-campus students, while the on-campus event is named ‘MetamorphLIVE’.

MetamorphLIVE has two main experiences, happening at different locations on campus, where people move from one location to another, with online students’ works showcased along the route, ‘gallery style’. The works are displayed via signboards with titles and descriptions of the project, key visuals, and a QR code that links to the project on the Metamorph website.

“For many of the students in this subject, it will be their first on campus live event since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” Ms Barbagallo said.

“It is an exciting time for students to finally be able to have the opportunity to complete these events on campus since our major adaption to online learning.”

This event will be held at several location on campus and online from 1.30pm to 5pm on Tuesday 24 May at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst. MetamorphLIVE includes:

ProPanel (Creative Hub, building 1399) - includes a Q&A panel with and about industry professionals, covering topics such as their journey from an emerging professional to an industry professional, their experience with confidence, and strategies they use to boost their self-confidence. Panellists include Charles Sturt alumni and Deputy Mayor of Bathurst, Councillor Benjamin Fry; Mr James Wells, Managing Director of Charted Media Group (a division of The Intermedia Group); and PR leader and public speaker, Ms Susan Redden Makatoa, one of Australia’s leading corporate communications practitioners with over 20 years’ industry experience providing advice to leaders across the business, government and not-for-profit sectors.

Passion Podcast (Creative Hub, building 1399) - a promotional clip of the podcast will be shown on the day with the full podcast being available through the collaborative gallery showcase website space. The podcast is an insightful video and audio in-depth series about different topics in relation to developing and progressing an individual’s professional career.

Networking (Rafters Bar) - part of an intermission during the event, allowing emerging professionals the opportunity to network with industry professionals, Charles Sturt academics and students.

Mediation and Movement Workshop (building 1454 Studio A) - the on-campus workshop, conducted by student Ms Leila Broughton, consists of exploration into the benefits of movement for self-expression and self-motivation. It will include blended traditional physical theatre practices as well as the process known as Ecstatic Dance, allowing emerging professionals to step out of their comfort zone.