We’re undergoing some changes here at Pantograph Punch. To be honest with you, we’re still working through them but we’re pretty excited and think you should be too. This month we have just locked into place a dreamy new team including familiar Pantograph whānau Ataria Sharman and Lana Lopesi, and some newer faces that we are delighted to welcome aboard Ana McAllister, Sinead Overbye and Sherry Zhang 章雪莉.

Over the past few months, we farewelled a number of team members here at Pantograph Punch, our Kaitohu | Director Kate Prior moved into a role as Development Exec at Vendetta Productions, our Kaiwāwāhi | Editor Faith Wilson stepped down to focus on her full-time role as Communications Advisor at Wintec, and our Kaiwhakahaere Tūhononga Kōrero | Communications Manager and Kaituhi | Staff Writer Vanessa Crofskey moved home to Pōneke to take up the role of Director at Enjoy gallery.

With the massive shift in the team, we took some time to sit down with our board and re-evaluate what it is that we had learned over the pandemic year, what we can do better, and where to from here. There is nothing like a pandemic, a sector in crisis, and some huge daunting questions to shake an organisation into a period of reflection and re-evaluation. If anything, we were all reminded just how vulnerable we are, and how much art matters. Rather than just carrying on with business as usual, we want to take the thinking that was done over that time to reorient ourselves so that our team, our writers, and our readers can be supported to create their best work.

To be fair, it is common for Pantograph Punch to have existential crises which lead to reincarnated versions of itself, like this one in 2016, this one we outlined in 2018, and there was another one in 2019 which lead to the current structure of we have of centralised editing and staff writers. So really, we’re right on cue.

One of the main things we landed on this time, however, was making ourselves more sustainable and resilient, so that we can better look after our team, our writers, and you all. Sustainability has always been a part of our plan, and if you think that only three years ago our team was completely made up of contractors and donated time, we think we’ve done pretty well to get to where we are. But there’s still more to do.

Hand in hand with a more sustainable organisation, is a soon-to-be-announced new editorial vision, which will continue to build on the work that we have already started this year. So far this year we’ve published 36 pieces. In March, we had the highest visitors on our new site, ever! We’ve stayed true to our commitment to uplift specific voices with 44% of writing published by Māori, and 31% of writing published by communities of colour (including Pacific and Asian – and not including the amazing writers of the Pacific Arts Legacy Project), 22% of writing from regional authors, and 44% by writers from the rainbow community.

Tasked with that editorial mission is Ataria Sharman. Ataria is shifting from her previous role as Kaiwāwāhi Kaupapa Māori | Editor Kaupapa Māori to now lead us into a new editorial direction as our sole Editor. Our two new Staff Writers Ana McAllister and Sinead Overbye, will be joining Ataria on the editorial side of things, publishing timely arts and culture coverage on the site. All of this work will be amplified online by Sherry Zhang, our profusely talented Communications Manager who drives our social media channels and comms strategy. And Lana Lopesi will be working with the whole team to lead a strategic revisioning in this period of growth and transition, which will include recruiting a new permanent director in the second half of the year, so keep an eye out if you think that is for you! Read more about the team and their visions for the site below.

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MEET THE NEW TEAM

Ataria Sharman, Kaiwāwāhi | Editor

In addition to being a writer and editor, Ataria (Ngāpuhi, Tapuika, Pākehā) is the creator of Awa Wahine and a Creative Northland board member. Ataria has a Masters of Arts in Māori Studies and her dissertation was on Mana Wahine and the Atua Wāhine. Hine and the Tohunga Portal, her children’s fiction novel, was selected for Te Papa Tupu 2018 and will be published by Huia Publishers this year. Ataria grew up in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and now lives in Whangārei, Te Tai Tokerau with her partner Te Piha Niha.

“I find it hard to condense what I’m going to do as the Editor at The Pantograph Punch as I feel that I change my mind on this so easily. It could also be laziness or self-protection; if I never pen it down, no one can hold me to account for not doing it. But the first words that do come to mind for me as I write this are ‘fresh’ and ‘balance’. Fresh as in, that essay you open up, and as you read, it touches you with that kind of wow-energy. Then balance like, publishing pieces that intersect at the edges of form and art practice, diversity, experience vs emerging, social issues across cultures and differing perspectives.”

Ana McAllister, Kaituhi | Staff Writer

Ana (Te Atianga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou) is a poet, performance artist, protest organiser, academic and researcher. Ana describes herself as a mana wāhine Māori intersectional feminist. Growing up as a self-proclaimed white-passing diasporic Māori, Ana has occupied both Pākehā and Māori spaces whilst simultaneously never completely fitting in either. Ana’s work occupies a complex space within Te Ao Māori; interweaving responsibilities to tikanga Māori, mana wāhine, with contemporary ideas of sexuality, modern cultural identities, and social media.

“I feel very honoured to be surrounded by such a team of awesome writers. I love the freedom given to me by Pantograph Punch and I'm excited to continue to speak loudly and proudly as a wāhine Māori.”

Sinead Overbye, Kaituhi | Staff Writer

Sinead (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) is a writer and research assistant who lives in Wellington. Her work has been published with Starling, Sport, Turbine Kapohau, RNZ and other places. She is a member of Rangatahi o te Pene, a group of Māori writers who in 2019 published Te Rito o te Harakeke – A Collection of Writing for Ihumātao. She is also a current editor of Stasis Journal, which is a live digital journal publishing work that is being created during lockdown.

“I feel that there's a tidal shift happening in the way we as Māori, and takatāpui specifically, are allowed to exist and thrive in the world. I'm honoured to be in a position where I can write and reflect on these things, in the company of such awesome and encouraging writers.”

Sherry Zhang 章雪莉, Kaiwhakahaere Tūhononga Kōrero | Communications Manager

Sherry is our Communications Manager. She is currently finishing her Law degree at The University of Auckland. She has written for Starling, Re:News and The Spinoff. Her play Yang/Young/杨 is being produced by Auckland Theatre Company for 2021’s Here & Now Festival. She is one of the editors of The Agenda, a zine focused on the intersectionality, contradictions and juxtapositions of being Queer in Aoteroa. Sherry is also the editor of Āhua collective, a new platform showcasing QTBIPOC creatives artists. She is touring the South Island this year, producing OTHER [chinese], a live documentary theatre interested in unpacking Chinese Identity in New Zealand. She is based in Tāmakai Makaurau, and is a first generation Chinese-New Zealander.

“The experimentation in the way stories and information are presented online really excites me. Movements, change and discourse are happening in these hubs, and Pantograph Punch will always be working to serve, listen to and engage with our diverse communities. In being a conduit for open, genuine conversations that pushes to decolonising the space. As tauiwi, I’m invested in the ways our migrant communities can engage deeper with tangata whenua.“

Lana Lopesi, Kaitohu Taupua | Interim Director

Lana (Satapuala, Siumu, Pākehā) is a writer and researcher based Tāmaki Makaurau, Editor-in-Chief for the Pacific Arts Legacy Project, and previously Editor-in-Chief of The Pantograph Punch from 2017-2019. Additionally, Lana is the author of False Divides and her forthcoming Bloody Woman will be released later this year.

“I like to think of myself as a ghost of Pantograph Punch, constantly popping up in ways that surprise even me. Having such a long history with the organisation I am really excited to support this amazing creative team and their vital conversations. I am stoked to be working with the organisation in this period of growth and looking forward to helping settle in our new permanent director before the end of the year.”

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