About me

I am a freelance writer, journalist, arts publicist and media professional based in Adelaide, South Australia, with more than 14 years experience working in the media.

I reach more than half a million readers every week with my opinion column for News Corp newspaper the Sunday Mail, and have had articles published in Elle Australia, Cosmopolitan, Cleo, Australian Women's Weekly, SA Weekend, the Adelaide Review, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail, Sunday Mail, Sunday Magazine, Escape, News.com.au, Rendez View, Kill Your Darlings and other major publications. << Click here to view my portfolio >>

I also manage publicity and strategic media campaigns for top Australian arts organisations, with past clients including the Adelaide Festival, Windmill Theatre, the SALA Festival, Adelaide Fringe, the Feast Festival, Strut & Fret Production House and the Adelaide Festival Centre, as well as Adelaide Carols by Candlelight and Mary's Poppin bar. << Click here to view my services >>

I appear frequently on Australian television and radio as a social commentator, and enjoy regular spots on ABC Radio Adelaide. I am also a board member at Adelaide's premiere contemporary dance company LWDance Hub.

I'm obsessed with travel and whisky cocktails (both at the same time wherever possible), and when I'm not wasting time on Twitter you'll find me ranting about TV and pop culture on my blog, Bland Canyon, where my episode recaps of shows such as Australia's Next Top Model, The Bachelor and RuPaul's Drag Race have earned me a legion of celebrity fans including Ian "Dicko" Dickson, Alex Perry, Michelle Visage and Courtney Act.

portfolio

selected magazine features / newspaper articles / radio work

Services

public relations // media services // social media // corporate writing

With more than 14 years' experience in journalism, publicity and strategic communications and expertise in web and digital media I am able to gain a unique advantage for clients across a diverse range of areas.

With my expert knowledge and extensive contacts in journalism, entertainment and the arts I can help your company achieve its media goals, from writing press releases, staging media events and creating totally click-worthy social content to devising an entire public relations campaign.

Public relations and strategic communication
Web & social media management
Media release creation and distribution
Corporate writing and editing
Content creation

Click here to see some of my clients and previous public relations and media work, or contact me to find out how I can help you.

"Petra Starke was an ideal publicist on our first Adelaide Festival: connected, efficient and intelligent, but most of all working with a great sense of reality, not to mention of humour. I'd work with her again in a heartbeat." - Neil Armfield AO, Artistic Director 2017 Adelaide Festival

"Petra is the ‘golden goose’ who lays golden eggs each and every time! She is charming, super talented and witty, she has enormous experience, skill, is IT savvy and an excellent writer and proof reader. She has an extensive network of industry peers in journalism, entertainment and the arts and is a passionate advocate for the arts. Feast Festival’s 2014 editorial, media coverage and visibility far exceeded our expectations under Petra’s expert hand. It was a pleasure to work with her, I can’t recommend her highly enough." - Catherine Fitzgerald, 2014 Feast Festival Artistic Director

"I would immediately recommend Petra as an excellent arts and culture publicist – highly skilled, experienced and knowledgeable in devising, managing and implementing consumer campaigns that deliver on brief and budget, every time. Petra is incredibly creative, passionate, energetic and above all, highly competent - our company always lands enviable coverage across so many different media outlets. It’s also a great pleasure to work with such a friendly and talented person on a regular basis." - Adam Rossetto, Marketing and Corporate Relations Manager, Windmill Theatre