REFILL
Grassroots, Media & Arts Education,
2008 – 2009, 2015 – Onwards
CuriousWorks and Miller Technology High School are partners on the ReFill arts in education program, bringing creative opportunity and connections to the community of Miller, Liverpool and linking our grassroots work with flagship cultural centre, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.
CuriousWorks’ artists and mentors run creative S.T.E.A.M focussed workshops with young people, including hands-on creativity, future-focussed technology and play. The program is part of our mission to develop the talents of young people in the Liverpool area, and to broker opportunities that tap into the incredible, cultural resources of Sydney and to lay down a pathway for future learning.
ReFill was first sparked in 2008 by Khaled Sabsabi and Sally Atkins, with former participant and alumnus from that time, Adam McPhilbin now a core ReFill team member. The partnership has been supported across the past five years by the Crown Foundation and the Packer Family Foundation to deliver the vision of a dynamic, multi-arts program for young people – in order to foster creative networks for life.
CONCEPT
CuriousWorks and Miller Technology High first ran ReFill in 2008 and 2009 and created long-standing friendships between teachers, young people and artists. ReFill (2015-2022) is the second, sustained chapter in our partnership and is a creative industries mentoring and skills development program for young people in the Liverpool LGA.
“If there’s a shining example of how the public and private sectors can work together, then ReFill is it,” according to Arts NSW. You can also learn more background in Screen NSW’s interview with the ReFill coordinators.
The latest program has been made possible with seven years of generous support from the Crown Resorts Foundation’s Western Sydney Arts Initiative. Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, The Australian Film, Television and Radio School and Sydney Museum of Arts and Applied Sciences are among the institutions that have helped to inspire young minds through excursions built into the program.
REFILL 2020
REFILL 2019
REFILL 2018
PERSONNEL
Lead Artists:
ReFILL has had fantastic Australian artists develop the program over the years. Elias Nohra, Vincent McManus and Sarah Emery have all lead the program at different times. ReFILL is a workshop to also amplify the work of emerging local artists, working in their community. Adam McPhilbin, who was a Miller Technology High student in 2008 is now the primary documentary artist working on ReFILL. Local artists, designers and film-makers, Sandra May, Jaime Aguilar, Dani Sitto, Shawn Spina and Tom Christophersen have all contributed their skills. In 2020- 2021 Samantha Barahona and Huy Nguyen are developing new work with young people. From 2015 – 2020, CuriousWorks’ Community Director Caitlin Newton-Broad coordinated the group with support from the whole Curious Creator team. Since leaving CuriousWorks to enter the field of teaching, Samantha Barahona is now the program’s creative producer.
Supported by the Crown Foundation and the Packer Family Foundation’s Western Sydney Arts Initiative.
