Honor Eastly
Artist, Writer, Performer, Podcaster, Advocate
www.honoreastly.com
Honor Eastly is an award-winning Australian multidisciplinary artist whose work spans podcasting, theatre, performance, photography, and installation. Her disability-led practice explores the lived experience of psychosocial disability through emotionally resonant storytelling and bold formal experimentation. Her creative work has been described as "darkly funny" (The New York Times), "total magic" (The Atlantic), and "something rare" (TIME).
In 2021 she was awarded the Australian Mental Health Prize for her combined creative and advocacy work. Her projects have reached over one million people globally and garnered international recognition. She received the Director’s Choice Award at the Third Coast International Audio Festival for No Feeling Is Final (ABC), later named an Apple Podcasts "Series Essential" in 2025 — the first Australian podcast to receive the honour.
She is the co-founder and lead writer of The Big Feels Club, a peer-led peer platform that has reached over one million people and received support from government and philanthropy, including the Myer Foundation. Her work has been exhibited at NGV, Art Gallery of NSW, PICA, MOD. (UniSA), and Science Gallery Melbourne.
Outside of her creative work she works in the mental health sector, where she has been part of shaping major once-in-a-generation reforms, including as part of the Expert Advisory Committee to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.
ARTISTIC PRACTICE & THEMES
Eastly’s creative method is guided by a “form follows feeling” philosophy — using whichever medium best captures the emotional or conceptual truth of a work. She blends documentary, theatre, and visual languages to create pieces that are immersive, emotionally truthful, and artistically ambitious.
EDUCATION
2011 – Bachelor of Fine Art (Sculpture & Spatial Practice), VCA, University of Melbourne
(H1 average, VCA Women's Art Award, Hatched national grad exhibition selection)2010 – Exchange to University of California, Berkeley (Global Mobility Scholarship)
2013 – Diploma of Sound Production, NMIT
2008 – Certificate IV in Visual Art, University of Ballarat
MAJOR PROJECTS
No Feeling Is Final – Live (2022–2026) – Writer, Director, Performer, Producer. Stage adaptation of ABC podcast. Premiered at Capitol Theatre for The Big Anxiety Festival (sold-out, 650+ cues). 2026 version in development, supported by Creative Victoria; presentation confirmed at Science Gallery Melbourne.
The Big Feels Club (2017–present) – Co-founder and lead writer. Disability-led peer platform exploring long-term mental health. Reached 1M+ people. Delivered workshops and events to 3,000+ participants. Supported by Myer Foundation, VicHealth, Foundry658.
MENTAL Talks & Workshops – Science Gallery Melbourne (2023) – Delivered a series of creative talks and peer-led workshops as part of the MENTAL exhibition public program.
No Feeling Is Final (2018) – Creator and host. ABC memoir podcast exploring chronic suicidality. 500,000+ downloads. Winner, Third Coast Director’s Choice Award. Named Apple Podcasts "Series Essential" (2025).
Bedroom Songs (2013) – Director, Performer, Installation Artist. Video installation featuring performances in subjects' bedrooms exploring taboo topics. Presented at Melbourne Now (NGV) and Hatched (PICA). National graduate exhibition selection.
Two Years of Crying (2021) – Photographer and subject. Self-portrait photographic series documenting grief and recovery. Group digital exhibition, MOD. Gallery (UniSA).
Melbourne International Comedy Festival & Fringe Shows (2013–2014) – Creator and performer of That Sexy Show (sold-out MICF run, 2014) and We Should Know Better (2013). Work blended comedic performance and theatre.
Starving Artist (2017) – Creator and host. Podcast on art and money. Debuted #1 in iTunes Arts, 200,000+ downloads. Finalist, Australian Podcast Awards.
Being Honest With My Ex (2015–2017) – Co-creator and host. Cult podcast. 180,000+ downloads, successful Kickstarter funded Australian live shows.
#NoFeelingIsFinal Campaign (2015) – National digital advocacy campaign for Medicare mental health reform. Garnered 8% of all submissions to the national review.
The Girlfriend Experience (2015) – Eight-hour performance work exploring intimacy and connection with strangers. Found Festival.
SELECTED GRANTS, COMMISSIONS, AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2025 Creative Victoria Creative Projects Fund (No Feeling Is Final – Live)
2022 RMIT Capitol Innovation Fund
2022 McCraith House Creative Development Residency
2021 Australian Mental Health Prize (Winner)
2021 City of Melbourne Arts Grant (No Feeling Is Final – Live)
2020 ABC Fresh Start Fund
2020 VicScreen Development Funding (film)
2020 City of Melbourne Quick Response Grant (Two Years of Crying)
2019 VicHealth Award Finalist (Big Feels Club)
2019 Community Workforce Development Grant (Big Feels Club @ Work)
2019 Foundry658 Arts Accelerator (selected)
2019 Big Anxiety Festival Ambassador
2019 Two time finalise for Australian Podcasting Awards (No Feeling Is Final)
2019 Community Workforce Development Grant to create Big Feels @ Work program (Big Feels Club)
2018 Marie Claire "50 Ones To Watch"
2017 i-D "Young People Changing the World"
2016 Next Wave Festival Writers in Residence
2015 YES/NO jewellery range in collaboration with Melbourne-jeweller Corin Adams
2012 Runner-up, Harold Schenberg Art Award
2011 Footlocker Art Prize Finalist (Art Gallery of NSW)
2011 VCA Women’s Art Award
2011 & 2010 Commissioned for Victoria Harbour Young Artist Initiative (Lend Lease)
2008–2007 Department of Education and Ballarat Fine Art Gallery awards
2008 Contemporary Sculptors Inc. Award for the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery Next Generation Art Exhibition
2007 Clarice Beckett Prize for Art
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & PERFORMANCES
2026 No Feeling Is Final – Live, Science Gallery Melbourne (upcoming)
2023 Big Feels Club Events Series, Science Gallery Melbourne
2022 No Feeling Is Final – Live, Capitol Theatre, The Big Anxiety Festival
2021 UP CLOSE, MOD. Gallery SA (Two Years of Crying)
2018 No Feeling Is Final live performance, ABC’s OzPod conference
2017 Stay Soft performance, Melbourne Writer’s Festival
2016 ALL, Neon Parlour, curated by Accidental Discharge
2015 The Girlfriend Experience, Found Festival, Testing Grounds, Melbourne
2014 That Sexy Show, MICF (sold-out)
2013 We Should Know Better, MICF
2013 Bedroom Songs, Melbourne Now, NGV
2012 Producer and host of Your Life The Musical on SYN FM
2012 This Is Your Song, Hatched, PICA
2011 Footlocker Art Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
2011 Footlocker Art Award, Gallery of NSW, Sydney
2011 Is it Straight?, George Paton Gallery, Melbourne
2011 Rising – Victoria Harbour Young Artist Initiative exhibition, Melbourne
2011 Floor to Ceiling, VCA Student Gallery
2011 I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours, VCA Student Gallery
2010 Victoria Harbour Young Artist Initiative exhibition, Melbourne
2010 Vitrine, Worth Ryder Gallery, University of California, Berkeley
2009 Proud Exhibition, VCA Margaret Lawrence Gallery
2009 Eleven Exhibition, VCA Student Gallery
2009 The Invisible Generation, VCA Margaret Lawrence Gallery
2008 Social Fabric: Past to Present, Maryborough Goldfield's Gallery
2008 Next Generation Art Exhibition, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat
SPEAKING, FACILITATION, SECTOR EXPERIENCE
Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (Expert Advisory Committee, 2019–2021)
Guest speaker / facilitator: Melbourne Writers Festival, Emerging Writers Festival, Audiocraft, OzPod, Creative Victoria Remix, Neami National, General Assembly, Etsy Australia, Next Wave
SELECTED PRAISE
"Darkly funny" – The New York Times
"Total magic" – The Atlantic
"Something rare" – TIME
“Mental health explored like never before” – The Financial Times
“Masterful storytelling, artistic excellent, and a distinct creator voice” – Apple Podcasts
"Director’s Choice" Award Winner – Third Coast International Audio Festival
2021 Australian Mental Health Prize – UNSW Sydney
Contact
www.honoreastly.com
honoreastly@gmail.com