Meet Holly: E2M’s Newest Producer
Holly Watkins-New is E2M’s newest staff member, starting in October 2025, as a Producer. She will be responsible for working on E2M’s big projects, like our Green Festivals, Cabarets, Summer Escapes and more! She also will be facilitating some sessions with us and working closely with the talented freelance artists we employ to plan and produce high-quality creative workshops.
This week, Holly sat down with our Administrator, Sharon to answer a few questions.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE E2M ROLE
I realised from my last job that community work is what I really love doing and what I am passionate about, but I felt the creative side was lacking with that. So in my free time I doing creative writing jobs and running groups for fun, and when I saw this job I thought it was the perfect blend. I also wanted to evolve my Production skills because events are very much what I love. It goes back to my drama days where everything is like “show day” So this felt like my dream job so I feel very lucky and grateful that it all worked out.
HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS FROM TRAVEL
What I was really left with was the outdoor experiences, and how much I need the outdoors. I never intentionally prioritized it before. So that is what we did over our weekends. So, for me, coming back, I knew I needed to make sure to make time for that. It’s so important for your mental health, physical health, and all-round wellbeing.
YOU MENTIONED YOUR WORK WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND WHEN YOU DID YOU HIGHLIGHTED YOUR WORK WITH THE QUEER COMMUNITY, TELL US ABOUT THAT?
I used to run a queer group and I absolutely loved it! The queer community is something that has always been really important to me. Not only is it really important to create these spaces, it’s actually essential for people, it’s a community of really lovely people and if you get to a new place and you immediately have a community and being able to find a queer group you will feel already connected. It’s really special and really magical. You just come as you are. So I really like to try to grow these spaces as much as possible. I was also on the board for another great group, that was around queer and surf, outdoor groups as well as crafts and creativity. The focus was queer youth and forming indigenous queer groups. I want to really get involved with local queer groups and also create some spaces. I have to say E2M already feels a very queer space, whether that is intentional or not, it just feels very colourful. It does a wonderful job of really accepting people as themselves, encouraging it.
WHY DO YOU THINK E2M IS NEEDED?
I think these spaces are so valuable. I was watching a show last night and it was talking about what the theatre gives. It gives confidence which is the case with so many of the arts. E2M is a regular space, the fact you have a building to do that, it’s consistent, and a safe space to come and it feels homely, and I think that is so valuable. And the people here, everyone is so warm and welcoming, and immediately safe. I have felt that as a new person coming in and if I am feeling that I am sure the young people are too. I think E2m is so invaluable to the local youth community and it’s about getting it to as many people as we can.
