About

Arts Alive is Australia’s only weekly community arts and cultural affairs radio show. Running continuously since 1997, Arts Alive is an award-nominated, weekly, one-hour slice of arts and culture news; the first – and only – show of it’s kind in Australia! Arts Alive is broadcast on over 40 stations across the country.

The show strives to balance regional and metro stories evenly, to offer something for everyone. The team at Art’s Alive is proud to continually bring coverage of arts and cultural affairs to people all across Australia.

Arts Alive is a production of the Independent Media Foundation. The program is heard on the Community Radio Network; thanks to the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University for their support.

OUR TEAM

Vincent O’Donnell – Founder, Executive Producer & Presenter (April 1997-)

Vincent didn’t initially go to university to study Journalism or communications. He first went to Uni to study engineering, but joined the Sydney University Film Society on the first day of orientation week and became caught up in the renaissance of Australian Film Industry in the 1970’s. He ran the Experimental Film Fund and worked in cinema, in a sponsored film, for commercial television, here and overseas and was for five years Executive Producer at Film Victoria. During a down turn in the industry, he was lured back to academia by the late professor Jack Clancy and around the same time, Robyn Williams from the ABC Science Show took a piece he wrote for Ocham’s Razor. Thus his interest in radio was kindled and has been his main focus of media work for two decades. Today he mixes a little academic work at RMIT and Monash Universities with radio appearances on various ABC networks and the weekly arts and current affairs Program Arts Alive.

Rachael Merritt – Producer, Presenter (October 2017-)

Since joining Arts Alive in October 2017, Rachael has worked as a news presenter, broadcaster and producer. Currently studying a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) at RMIT University, she has covered major arts events in Melbourne, such as the reveal of the Morning Star tapestry for the Sir John Monash Centre and performances by Circus Oz, The Australian Ballet School and The Chantoozies.  Born and raised in Melbourne, Rachael has a passion for the arts, politics and social justice stories in her home city and abroad.

Alex Blain – Producer, Presenter (October 2017-)

An artistic soul at heart, Alex seized the opportunity to join Arts Alive and jumped aboard during his first-year as a journalism student at RMIT. Now in his second year, Alex enjoys his role as newsreader, producer, broadcaster and occasional in-the-field reporter. Growing up, Alex indulged his creative passions, studying art, theatre and literature and spending his days drawing, writing and appearing in productions. As well as his weekly role on Arts Alive, Alex has written for the City Journal, RMITV’s In Review and his own film-review blog.

Carissa Shale – Producer, Presenter (October 2017-)

Carissa has always loved storytelling, whether that be telling stories through music, or telling stories through acting and dance. It wasn’t until she started reading the newspaper that she realised that true stories were often more interesting than fiction. She is a passionate violinist, pianist, singer, dancer and actor, and has even travelled to the Czech Republic to perform as Shakespeare’s Viola in Twelfth Night as part of the Prague International Fringe Festival. Her next big adventure is a six week internship with the Japan Times in Tokyo. She is very passionate about the arts and is extremely excited to be working on Arts Alive, continuing to tell exciting stories through Journalism.

Isabel Quinlan – Producer, Presenter (June 2018-)

Isabel Quinlan is currently a second year Journalism student from RMIT University. Joining Arts Alive a little bit later then her co-hosts in June 2018, she thoroughly loves reading the news, conducting interviews and the experience of being apart of this team. Having grown up singing and dancing since the age of five, participating in school productions and attending many professional theatre shows, Isabel is enthusiastic and passionate about the arts. From a very young age she has loved to perform and this passion has not only influenced her career path of wanting to pursue broadcast Journalism but also what attracted her to wanting to be apart of the Arts Alive team.  Isabel also runs her own radio show called The Beat on Sunbury Radio 99.3fm and is a contributor to The Rushed Behind.

OUR SPONSOR

Arts Alive is sponsored by Nucleus Engineering. Nucleus Engineering make custom plastic components by injection moulding. The metal and plastic trays used in abalone aquaculture; the plastic cores in the seats of the Sydney Opera House and copper-cored Insulpipe are examples of their work.

For injection-moulded components, tooling and manufacture; Boris Pandulo at Nucleus Engineering is the man to speak to.

Nucleus Engineering (03) 9354 9875