Claire Christian

Claire Christian is a storyteller; a playwright, author, theatre maker and facilitator, based in Brisbane. In 2016 she won the Text Publishing Text Prize for her debut Young Adult Novel Beautiful Mess which was released in August 2017. In 2018 it was shortlisted for The Readings Young Adult Book Prize and the Australian Book Industry Award Book of the Year for Older Children. And long listed for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of The Year Older Readers, Indie Book Awards for Young Adult, and a Gold Inky Award. Beautiful Mess has been published internationally and translated into multiple languages. In 2019 she secured a three-book deal with Text Publishing. Her second novel, a contemporary queer rom-com, It’s Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake will be released in October, 2020.

As a playwright Claire has been recognised both nationally and internationally including being shortlisted for the Griffin Theatre Award (2009) and completing the Royal Court Theatre Young Writers Program (2009). Her play Lysa and the Freeborn Dames was staged at La Boite in 2018 and published by Playlab Theatre. Her plays Hedonism’s Second Album, The Landmine is Me (both with David Burton) and Talking to Brick Walls are available through Playlab Theatre.

She directed Michelle Law’s critically acclaimed play Single Asian Female for La Boite Theatre Company, which has had seasons in Sydney and Melbourne.

Claire is a passionate youth arts and community cultural development facilitator who has worked with young people for over fifteen years. She was the lead artist on Queensland Theatre’s Logan Youth Ensemble project TRACTION from 2014-2017. Claire was previously employed as the Youth and Participation Producer at La Boite Theatre Company (2016-2018), the Youth Program coordinator at Queensland Theatre (2013-2014) and the Youth Arts Director at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba (2011-2013). Claire has over seven years’ experience in the Education sector, as a high school teacher in both Australia and the United Kingdom. In 2013 she completed an Australia Council of the Arts JUMP Mentorship with Windmill Theatre’s Artistic Director Rosemary Myers. She has a Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing [QUT], a Graduate Diploma in Experiential Arts Therapy [MIECAT], and a Bachelor of Education [Griffith University]. In 2013 she was selected as one of the YWCA Queensland’s 125 Leading Women. In 2019 she was awarded a Queensland Literary Awards Fellowship.

It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake