Melissa Jackson brings 30 years of creative output and collaboration to her role as the inaugural Artistic Director of the Flinders Fringe Festival. A highly motivated and exceptionally creative individual with an innate passion for both visual and performing arts, Jackson’s rich professional career has encompassed many facets – as textile artist, knitwear designer, and opera singer. Today, however, she is renowned for her sculptural millinery creations, her prowess in fashion education, her theatrical twist, sense of fun and generous spirit!

Stemming from a family of creative talent, Jackson has always been an imaginative individual.   As Artistic Director she brings a wealth of arts and theatre knowledge gleaned from her own experience as a performer and as eclectic consumer of art, craft and textiles during her extensive travels in Europe and the United Kingdom.

With a solid arts educational backing of 3 bachelor degrees – Textile Design (RMIT), Music (Melbourne University), Fashion Design with Knitwear (Hons) (Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design) – and a lifetime’s enjoyment of ballet, opera, theatre and visual arts, Jackson plans to establish the Flinders Fringe Festival as a significant thread in the rich tapestry of local arts festivals dotted throughout Victoria.

Jackson is inspired by the resilience of the diverse creative community on the Mornington Peninsula and has set a primary aim for the festival “to is seek out and encourage the performance of original works across a variety of genres by emerging and established local talent in the area”. With the assistance of digital technology the new works in the region will be shared locally and globally beyond the live performances of the festival.

Jackson’s family connections to the Peninsula span multiple generations, and it is here where she feels most at home.  Memorable times were spent at the family’s Barkers Road house at Main Ridge before a move to Shoreham in the mid 1970’s, where her father (renowned architect Daryl Jackson) designed and built their much loved  ‘tree house’.

Community participation has always been part of Jackson’s arts practice from early involvement with the Red Hill Market and Main Ridge Pony Club, and later not-for-profit charities including Private Men’s Business, Women of the Alfred, Essendon Women’s Network and the annual Essendon Football Club fashion parade fundraiser. Jackson is also a founding member of FASHLAB – an association of like-minded, independent, fashion industry professionals who came together in lockdown to work towards a stronger future for their industry.

Claire Thorn loves to dream up and organise community arts events.  With an abundance of project management experience, Claire delights in collaborating and connecting with the mighty talented creatives on the Mornington Peninsula and turning bright ideas into full-scale productions, exhibitions, live music experiences or multimedia extravaganzas.   She is known to make extraordinary things happen under pressure and with short deadlines.

Claire has a lifelong love of the Mornington Peninsula.  By co-founding the Flinders Fringe Festival with Melissa Jackson, Claire has had the chance to discover and champion emerging local talent, has encouraged some hibernating artists back into the limelight, connected established artists and performers to new audiences, and has commissioned new theatrical work that celebrate local stories, including Sea Wolves Howl, LIMB: Ode to the trees and the unforgettable Mirror Dance. Claire is especially committed to reflecting and celebrating the diversity of our community and the beauty of Bunurong Country in the festival’s program.

Claire grew up in a household obsessed with the arts. Claire dabbled in acting, painting, singing, contemporary dance and even stand-up comedy but ended up in the real world of public administration.  She holds two Masters in Public Policy and Management and is a Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors.  Claire oversees the governance and production management of the Flinders Fringe Festival.