The very brilliant Daisy Montalvo (FUNPARK Program Producer and first on the left) took this team selfie in early October at our last Staff Wellbeing Day, led by the equally awesome Andrea Nealy (Admin and Finance Officer and 3rd from the left). Alongside some Mental Health at the Workplace training from Black Dog Institute, we took the time to work on personal and workplace strategies for self-care, mindfulness and burnout. In the time since, these strategies have felt particularly important.
The aftermath of the Voice Referendum, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the associated rise in racism we've seen has left many experiencing grief, fear, despondence and overwhelm. As a team, we’re checking in with each other and with artists and peers close to our organisation that are experiencing distress. We hope you’re all travelling gently and finding some comfort in your communities too. Our doors are open to anyone in the sector that wants to drop in and share a moment of solace.
It's hard to share "life as normal" news at times like these, but we do so to honour the good work of the artists, participants and artsworkers we have the privilege to be collaborating with at this time.
A New Home for CuriousWorks
After many years of being housed on the third level of Casula Powerhouse, CuriousWorks has officially moved to our new home base at Fairfield HQ. Moving has been bittersweet, but we’re happy to now be (literally) on the ground in our new home still in South West Sydney.
Get in touch and make a time to drop in. We'll give you the grand tour of the space and our new neighbourhood.
Meet the Curious360 Artists
Curious360 has officially kicked off with our cohort of Curious360 artists:
✨ Mohammad Awad ✨
✨ Diamond Tat ✨
✨ Carielyn Tunion ✨
✨ Sharon Mani ✨
They’ve been working with lead creative producer and technical director Elias Nohra as well as creative producers Samantha Barahona and Miranda Aguilar through a series concepting workshops, and are now in the midst of pre-production. These four artists will be working together on an exciting anthology screen work that will premiere mid-2024. Look out for more info about these artists and their upcoming work on our website and socials.
“What does peace mean to me?”
Students from Liverpool Boys High School and Liverpool Girls High School are exploring what peace and wellbeing means to them through Utopia: Painting for Peace and Wellbeing project. In a series of workshops led by artist Emmanuel Assante, and in partnership with Western Sydney University, students are exploring ideas around peace and cultural wellbeing through art-making and the Cultural Wellbeing Framework. You can learn more about the project on our website at the link below.
Curiously West has had a busy second season so far! Alongside their fortnightly Thursday sessions experimenting and exploring film techniques and discussing films during PYT Fairfield’s Popcorn and Pencils sessions, Curiously West has also been developing their first short film project together on alternate Saturdays. We’re excited to see what they make.
You can keep up to date with them on their socials, or you can RSVP join their next Thursday session.
FUNPARK Updates on #LightUpBidwill
The FUNPARK Youth Leadership Community have been steadfast in their quest to #LightUpBidwill. Some of the FUNPARK representatives attended the Bidwill Community BBQ, alongside special guest Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM. A representative from the YLC presented a letter and report to Tony on the urgent need to light up Bidwill Reserve. With over 200 signatures from concerned residents, we’re optimistic that the council will recognise the gravity of this issue. Here’s to free sausage sizzles and a safer and more accessible future for our community!
Stay up to date on all things FUNPARK!
Save the Date! - New Beginnings on January 27, 2024
CuriousWorks is thrilled to once again be a part of the New Beginnings Festival presented by SSI.
We’ll be showcasing the extraordinary talents of artists Ali Rezvani, Leila Beigli and Khishkok Abdo from our 2023 Refugee Artist Development Program. We’ll also be presenting two live mural painting experiences, led by visual artists Shiva Dadvar and Emmanuel Asante. You can read more about the artists and their works on our website at the link below.
The New Beginnings Festival will be at the Australian Maritime Museum on January 27, 2024. Save the date and join us at the festival as we celebrate the meaningful works developed by our featured artists.
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CuriousWorks Fairfield City HQ 17 Kenyon Street,
Fairfield, NSW 2165 Australia
Working with artists and communities in South West Sydney, we actively shape a future culture that is vibrant, democratic, generative, and relevant for Australia and beyond. Let’s keep this going. Support our work today!
