Austeja Spokauskaite (2002) is a Lithuanian-born actor and multidisciplinary artist who calls Melbourne, Australia, home. Her work is raw, emotional, and unapologetically real— blending performance, image poetry, psychology, and mysticism. Austeja is drawn to the places where identity unravels, where questions ache, and where honesty is the only way through. Since she was a child, Austeja has always had the nature of a silent observer, taking in every detail. Nevertheless, her teachers felt her artistic abilities and kept pushing her into the spotlight: "I think everyone else knew I would be an actress way before I did," Austeja admits. Her journey is stitched together with fine arts, design, youth theatre, and film school."Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I struggled with being an 'octopus' and juggling numerous activities, amidst peers who concentrated on perfecting a single skill. I've come to realise that my abilities as an actress are enhanced by my background in graphic design, and the same goes for the opposite; this influence is reciprocal" After the conservatory of arts, Austeja moved to Australia for graphic design studies, only to realise: "Graphic design is just another office job...But with plants and mid-century chairs. Making websites for corporates is not for me." Now, on the edge of earning a Bachelor of Acting, she’s finally free — restless, driven, and fiercely collaborative, she creates in any medium that lets her feel alive. The significant shift in her surroundings upon moving from her homeland compelled Austeja to explore what unifies larger groups of individuals: "Starting my creative journey in Australia was daunting and isolating, yet the variety of viewpoints led to rapid personal growth. Shortly after, I experienced a fulfilling  sense of connection and began to understand the essence of being human." Her diverse cultural heritage, in-depth exploration of psychology, and acute empathy, along with her view of art as a spiritual practice, distinguish her from others.