About the Local Story Space Project

The Local Story Space Project (on hiatus) is an online space for stories about creative women and their creative spaces. Based on Virginia Woolf’s idea that “a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write,” each interview is an opportunity to explore what space means, what feeds creativity and the ways that creative women make time and space for their creativity when there are often competing demands.

I write about art, design and culture by bringing words, pictures and sound together.

I visit creative women in their creative spaces and have a chat about their projects and lives. I created this project out of a desire to understand my own creativity by asking other women how they nurture their own.

This project is about visibility for women’s stories and work. The podcast means that creatives can tell their stories in their own voices. This project is also about creating a legacy for women and girls so that, “if you can see it, you can be it.” This project is about cheering each other on. It is a supportive and creative space.

As an intersectional feminist, I’m interested in gender equality and equal representation for all female identifying, trans and non-binary individuals in all aspects of life, including the art world.

About Jenni Mazaraki

I was accepted into the BA in Fine Art on my painting folio and finished the degree as a sculptor. I also have a BA in Visual Communication and a Master’s degree in Art Therapy. Art feels like my language. I have a thing for piles of dirt and grand manicured hedges. When I write and draw I feel most like myself and wonder what makes other creative women feel most like themselves. I am currently undertaking a PhD in Creative Writing to work on my manuscript, I’ll hold you.

Interviews

6 September 2021: Q & A with Jenni Mazaraki by Panda Wong, The Suburban Review

27 August 2021: Extras: Jenni Mazaraki and Lucy Zhang in conversation, Headland Journal

Publications

Oct 2022: Real estate, Antithesis Journal

15 Sep 2022: How to live like a glass maiden, Cordite Poetry Review

1 Sep 2022: The gun, The Big Issue Fiction Edition #669

March 2022: Physics, The Victorian Writer

10 March 2022: Haunted, Poetry New Zealand Yearbook 2022, Massey University Press

13 Feb 2022: Renting, Aniko Press

17 Dec 2021: Caravan, Mascara Literary Review

8 Dec 2021: Hive mentality, Portside Review

October 2021: Ritual, Overland

August 2021: The nun, in the Newcastle Short Story Award anthology 2021

1 July 2021: Put your mother on the mantel, The Suburban Review

24 June 2021: Evolving, Headland Journal

March 2021: Lay down your arms, in The Furphy Anthology 2020, Hardie Grant

July 2020: Climate, in Australian Poetry Anthology 2020 Vol 8

22 June 2020: Motherhood: When literature mirrors experience. Part 4: You cannot negotiate with time, Margaret River Press

15 June 2020: Motherhood: When literature mirrors experience. Part 3: At the end of the world, Margaret River Press

8 June 2020: Motherhood: When literature mirrors experience. Part 2: On display, Margaret River Press

2 June 2020: Motherhood: When literature mirrors experience. Part 1: Being good, Margaret River Press

May 2020: Gold, in the Newcastle Short Story Award anthology 2020

Feb 2020: On the water, Empty House Press

June 2019: Somebody’s baby, in We’ll Stand in that Place and other stories, Margaret River Press

May 2019: You know, in #MeToo: Stories from the Australian Movement, Picador

Oct 2018: In Japan, in The Bridport Prize anthology 2018

2017: Interview: Jane Connory, a champion for women in graphic design for Creative Women’s Circle

2017: Interviews with Creative Women: Mirranda Burton, Visual Artist and Graphic Novelist for Creative Women’s Circle

2017: Interview with Georgina Proud, Ceramic Artist for Creative Women’s Circle

2017: Interview with Dawn Tan, Illustrator and Teacher for Creative Women’s Circle

2017: Kate Just is here to knit powerful women and be your feminist fan for The Ladies Network

2017: Making Space: Freya Bennett, co-director, Ramona Magazine for girls for Creative Women’s Circle

2017: Inside the ‘Making Modernism’ exhibition at Heide Museum for The Ladies Network

2017: In the Studio with Rachel Ang for The Ladies Network

Awards

2022: Shortlisted in the Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Awards for Letterboxing

2022: Shortlisted in the Peter Carey Short Story Award for Letterboxing

2022: Longlisted in the Peter Carey Short Story Award for Pool

2022: Shortlisted in the Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing for The year I found out my Takata airbag might kill me

2022: Joint runner up, Aniko Press January Flash Fiction competition for Renting

2021: Shortlisted in the Newcastle Short Story Award for The nun

2020: Shortlisted in the Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Award: Dorothy Porter Award for Poetry for Rising

2020: Longlisted in the Furphy Literary Award for Lay down your arms

2020: Shortlisted in the Peter Carey Short Story Award for Caravan

2020: Shortlisted in the Newcastle Short Story Award for Gold

2020: Highly Commended in the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards for an Unpublished Manuscript for I’ll hold you

2019: Longlisted in the Fish Publishing Flash Fiction prize

2019: Winner April 9, Flash Fiction Competition, Writers Victoria

2019: Shortlisted in the Margaret River Press prize

2018: Highly Commended in The Bridport Prize

2018: Longlisted in the Margaret River Press prize

2017: Shortlisted in the Deborah Cass prize

2017: Shortlisted in the Albury City Council short story award