impact & pathways - curiousworks€¦ · • writers group • aftrs taster - designing worlds...

IMPACT & PATHWAYS

WHO WE ARE

CuriousWorks shapes Australia’s cultural future by unleashing the next generation of community arts and cultural leaders to create an innovative, accessible arts and media scene.

We are a Western Sydney based community arts and cultural development (CACD) company that runs creative programs with diverse communities. Through deep, long-term engagement and inclusive art making we produce powerful, cultural artworks that engage at the grassroots.

Our work fosters social connection and supports strong and culturally vibrant communities.

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WITH A LITTLE, WE CAN DO A LOT

From 2013 - 2018, on an average annual turnover of $650,000, CuriousWorks has impacted the individuals and communities we work with in three significant areas:

SOCIAL IMPACT

3200 Direct Participants in our arts, community grassroots & social

enterprise programs

Initiated through partnerships with:

We’ve built thousands of new relationships within our target communities in the last six years!

79% reported positive feedback on the value of the engagement*

73% recognised positive social outcomes in their community*

114 industry partners

129 community partners

87 government departments & local councils

45 education partners

OUR IMPACT

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With over 50,000 hours of engagement and training

CULTURAL IMPACTWe’ve delivered significant projects, workshops and cultural events in the last six years!

248 Performances, Exhibitions & Screenings

691 Creative Workshops

155 Projects & Programs75,000

live visitors attended these events and a further 850,000 saw our work

online.

Through this work we have identified and nurtured 91 emerging community voices and produced over 67 powerful artworks

that engage at the grassroots and connect us.

ECONOMIC IMPACTWe support the Australian arts sector and improve employment outcomes for young people and emerging creative leaders.

Our projects provide work for an average 60 people each year, one third of them emerging young artists from Western Sydney.

Over the past 6 years we have had over 70 Curious Creators involved in over 30,000 hours of mentorship, training, artistic & community projects and paid on-the-job work experience. They have collectively earned more than $280,000 in this time.

Our social enterprise program has provided 20% of our company income since 2013, and given us more than $700,000 over that time to reinvest in our Emerging Artist and Community Programs.

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Who are the Curious Creators? Curious Creators is the name given to the emerging artists that are a part of the CuriousWorks Ensemble, a cross-disciplinary, multi-arts, grassroots program for Western Sydney artists. They come from different cultural backgrounds, different areas of Western Sydney and are embarking on different journeys as artists and cultural leaders. We’ve selected a handful of Curious Creators and mapped out their artistic journeys so far. We’ve included as much as was possible, from training programs and masterclasses, to social enterprise jobs, to collaborating together on artistic projects in and outside of CuriousWorks. Though we’ve selected what we consider to be career milestones, it’s important to remember that all these artists are still early in their careers. We’re excited to see what comes next!

PAT H WAY SF O R C U R I O U S C R E AT O R S

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KEY PROJECTS

RIZ

Riz was CuriousWorks first feature film, created with a cast of debut actors, and a crew filled with Curious Creators being trained under mentor artists. For many of the Curious Creators, this was their first experience working on set, and their first production credit.

LAS ROSAS

Las Rosas is a 6-part, telenovela-inspired mini-series shot for the web. The artistic team was entirely led by Curious Creators, including the directing, writing, shooting and editing.

BEYOND REFUGE

Beyond Refuge was a three-year creative development program for artists who share an asylum seeker and refugee experience to create unique film and photo-media projects.

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KEY WORKSHOPS

WRITERS GROUP/URBAN STORIES:

The Curious Creator’s Writers Group is a place for Curious Creators to write, share and give feedback to each other on independent projects. Las Rosas, Let Me Know When You Get Home, Tip of My Tongue and Prone to the Drone were all initially written at the Writer’s Group. Urban Stories is the name given to the end-of-the-year showcase of the various works in development created in Writer’s Group, as well as throughout the CuriousWorks program.

PROFESSIONAL QUARTERLIES

Professional Quarterlies (PQ) is part of the develop-ment training program provided by CuriousWorks. Ex-perienced artists and community arts workers provide artistic skills and industry training to emerging artists on everything from new media equipment, to storytelling, to grant writing.

MAKERS SPACE

Makers Space is a new media program, providing a plat-form for emerging artists to explore, play and create stories through new technology. Artists in this program participate in a dynamic series of media workshops and masterclass to develop skills in creative production and optical, audio, interfaced and interactive media. When CuriousWorks began, online video was the latest in ac-cessible, DIY story-telling innovation. Now, with online video streaming entering the mainstream, Makers Space is continuing this tradition of boldly exploring the newest story-telling mediums.

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• Riz (feature film): sound assistant, production assistant, extra

• Myth (Laka & When the Tide Comes In): sound assistant

• Laka (feature film): sound recordist

• When the Tide Comes In (multi-platform, film): sound recordist

• Urban Stories: writer• Riz - Kurinji - Brittle Bones

(music video): Pproduction assistant

• Riz - Kurinji - Right, Right (music video): production assistant

• Riz - Kurinji - Maybe the Medicine (music video): production assistant

• Beyond Refuge: assistant producer

• BIO Festival: workshop facilitator

• Fairfield Youth & Community Centre Film Workshops: director, assistant producer, workshop assistant, sound operator, editor

• Beyond Refuge: Production Assistant

• WOW Festival- Kids Reporters: facilitator & editor

• ReFill: Workshop Assistant• Settlement Services

International Workshops: facilitator

• Las Rosas (webseries): co-writer & sound recordist

• Boundless Festival: panel speaker

• Wentworth Journey Project: sound recordist

• WOW Festival - Kids Reporters: facilitator

• Beyond Refuge - Table Talks: participant

• Beyond Refuge: sound recordist on 2 short films

• Refill • Urban Stories: artist

• Prone to the Drone (short film): writer & actor, also did promotional interviews

• WOW Festival - Kids Reporters: lead facilitator & editor

• Makers Space - Just Visiting (VR): actor

• CC Website Reflection Post: writer

• CuriousTV: sound operator

• Writers Group • AFTRS Workshop (WS)- Digital Content Producing

• Bundanon Writers Retreat• PQ: Blake Ayshford

Screenwriting WS• Foxtel Writers Room led by

Blake Ayshford• PQ: Jamie Andrei WS• PQ: Vincent Ngo Screenwriting

Industry WS

• PYT Writers Intensive Performance to Screen WS

• PQ: Julie Kalceff Webseries WS• AFTRS 3-Day Innovation Lab • PQ: Clare Atkins Screenwriting

WS

• AWG Notetaking Masterclass • Writers Group• AFTRS Taster - Designing

Worlds WS

• Public Speaking mentoring by Shakthi

• PQ: FS7 and Sound WS• Makers Space Masterclass

- Eyejack App AR, Bryce Pemberton

• Phoenix Eye - Tiger Cops (TV series): crew, 1 episode

• Phoenix Eye - The Subcontractor (short film): crew

SHAWN SPINA

CW OPPORTUNITIES

CW TRAINING

OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE CW

Connected to CuriousWorks since 2013

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

• Take Two - Don’t Stop (music video): actor

• PYT Ensemble

• Bring It On Festival

SHAWN’S PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Writers Group/Prone to the Drone

Shawn Spina has been steadily working on his independent writing in the CuriousWorks Writer’s Group since 2015. Through Writer’s Group, his writing has steadily increased in skill and confidence. It led to the creation of his first short film, Prone to the Drone, which he wrote and performed. It premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2019.

Las Rosas

Shawn Spina was one of the six co-writers on Las Rosas, his first project as a co-creative lead. He was also the lead sound recordist on Las Rosas and has worked in sound recording on many artistic projects and social enterprise jobs, furthering his industry training with paid, on-the-job experience.

WOW Kids Reporters

Shawn Spina has been a facilitator of the WOW Kids Reporters every year since 2017. In 2019, Shawn became the lead facilitator of the WOW Kids Reporters program and organized the first WOW Fest livestream.

PYT Ensemble

Though Shawn has had minor acting experience, it was his experience as the lead on Prone to the Drone that inspired him to further pursue acting. The PYT Ensemble program supports a diverse group of emerging artists through masterclasses, workshops, theatre making and performance training.

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• Riz (feature film): camera assistant, extra

• Myth (Laka & When the Tide Comes In)(multi-platform): camera assistant

• WOW Festival • Liverpool Library Public

Program - 5 short films: documentation

• WOW Festival • Riz - Kurinji - Brittle Bones

(music video): DOP • Riz - Kurinji - Right, Right

(music video): DOP • Riz - Kurinji - Maybe the

Medicine (music video): DOP• Laka (multi-platform): camera

assistant • When the Tide Comes In (multi-

platform): camera assistant • Beyond Refuge: artist• ReFill: assistant artist• Settlement Services

International - New Beginnings Festival: documentation

• First Nations Young and Old Cultural Exchange (short film): camera operator

• ReFILL: documentation• Madam Weigel Exhibition:

documentation

• Refill: Film interviews and edit (2019)

• Moon Landing Project at CPAC: Camera Operator (2019)

• Parramatta North Heritage Festival (2019)

• CuriousWorks Vision Video: Camera Operator (2019)

• DARTS Panel at AFTRS: Documentation (2019)

• Ingham Institute: documentation (2019)

• Liverpool Seniors Festival, Childhood memories project: DOP & Editor (2019)

• Writers Group • PQ: Jamie Andrei WS• PQ: Blake Ayshford

Screenwriting WS• PQ: Vincent Ngo Screenwriting

Industry WS• AFTRS WS- Digital Content

Producing • Bundanon Writers Retreat


• PQ: FS7 & Sound WS• Makers Space • Makers Space Masterclass

- Eyejack APP AR, Bryce Pemberton

• Makers Space Masterclass - Curtis Taylor Collisions VR

• Phoenix Eye Traineeship• Phoenix Eye - Tiger Cops (TV

series): camera operator, 1 ep• Phoenix Eye- The Subcontractor

(short film): camera operator• KIIS FM- Easter Show

Segment: videographer• Academy (TV series): camera

operator, 9 eps• Captain Fizman (TV mini-

series): DOP, 1 ep

ADAM MCPHILBIN

CW OPPORTUNITIES

CW TRAINING



2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

• Liverpool Library Public Program - 5 short films: documentation

• Las Rosas (web-series): DOP• WOW Festival: documentation• ReFILL: assistant artist• Six-Chanel Art Commission

for Amala Groom & Casula Powerhouse: camera operator

Ɇ AFTRS Diploma in Camera Fundamentals

• Vikings Now (TV series) - Trailer : DOP

• A Day in the Life of Lap (short film): DOP

• Roses (short film): DOP• L.I.T This is Different (short film):

DOP

• ABC - Nightwalkers ( TV series): DOP

• Playstation VR Promo: camera operator

• Mai Bich Planet (TV mini-series): camera operator, 1 ep

• Luciana Valentina - Wind-Up Dolls (music video): videographer

• Bring It On Festival

ADAM’S PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

ReFILL

Adam McPhilbin first met CuriousWorks through the ReFILL Program at Miller High School when he was in Year 7. Since 2016, he’s returned to his high school every year to support the next generation of ReFill participants.

Laka

Laka is a multi-platform project, a cross-cultural love story that consists of a feature film, audio-visual installation and VR experience. This was one of Adam McPhilbin’s first major roles as a camera assistant on the feature film portion; he travelled across Sydney, Brewarrina and Arnhem Land to shoot the project.

AFTRS Diploma in Camera Fundamentals

In 2016, Adam McPhilbin and Dani Sitto were both accepted into the AFTRS Diploma in Camera Fundamentals program. Not only did this provide a certified foundation in his future as a visual storyteller and cinematographer, it also connected him to many of his past projects

Phoenix Eye Traineeship/Tiger Cops/ABC Nightwalkers

Adam McPhilbin has been working with frequent collaborators Maria Tran and Adrian Castro since 2017 and has continued working within the Fairfield community with Phoenix Eye Productions. Most recently, he’s worked with Adrian Castro as the DOP on Nightwalkers, a horror comedy that was selected for the Digital First Comedy Initiative, run by CreateNSW, ABC and Western Sydney I.C.E (Information + Cultural Exchange).

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• Connecting to Country/Learning Ground Workshops: facilitator

• WOW Festival • Magnetic Places• Broadening Horizons

(documentary): director, editor, DOP

• Las Rosas (web-series): co-writer, director (2017-2018), also did promotional interviews (WebFBI radio interview, 2018)

• Boundless Festival: panel speaker

• Beyond Refuge - El Baile (short film): director

• WOW Kids Reporters: facilitator

• FUNPARK: facilitator

• Prone to the Drone (short film): director

• FUNPARK: artist in residence• Beyond Refuge - El Baile (short

film): director • CORE- She Can Project:

facilitator

• Writers Group• AFTRS WS- Digital Content

Producing • AFTRS 3 day Innovation Lab• PQ: Blake Ayshford

Screenwriting WS

• Curious Women • Makers Space Masterclass


• Phoenix Eye - Tiger Cops (TV series): crew, 1 ep

• Blacktown Creative Arts Award for Las Rosas

DAISY MONTALVO

CW OPPORTUNITIES

CW TRAINING



2016 2017 2018 2019

• PYT: administrations & communications coordinator

• Chifley Young Women of the Year Award for community work

• Roadshow Writers Room • AFTRS Directing Course• The Shadow’s Clock (short film):

voice acting

DAISY’S PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

FUNPARK – Chifley Young Women of the Year Award, Broadening Horizons

In 2014, Daisy Montalvo was part of the original FUNPARK Festival, where she became passionate about her community, and determined to fight back against the stigma her hometown faces. Since then, many of her projects are a deliberate challenge against mainstream media coverage of Mt Druitt. She received the Chifley Young Women of the Year Award for her work in community, including her documentary Broadening Horizons, and is now the co-ordinator and Artist in Residence of FUNPARK.

Las Rosas

Las Rosas was Daisy’s first major production as a writer and director. Much of the story was inspired by Daisy’s personal experience growing up Latina in Mt. Druitt, as well as a personal love for telenovelas.

Beyond Refuge: dialogues

Daisy was one of five commissioned artists to create a work for Beyond Refuge: dialogues. Her work, El Baile de la Cachiporra, is a cinema poem based on her cousin Josselyn and her migration story, as well as her love of dance.

PYT

In 2019, Daisy Montalvo started as PYT as their Administrations and communications coordinator. Between her work at PYT and FUNPARK, this is her 1st year transitioning into working full-time in community arts.

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• Riz (feature film): script supervisor, production assistant, extra

• Penrith Women’s Health Centre: film & edit

• Urban Stories: writer • Boundless Festival: panel speaker

• Las Rosas (web-series): co-writer, showrunner, social media manager (2017-2018)

• Breakthrough! Program

• Writers Group: facilitator • Let Me Know When You

Get Home (play)- creative development with Valerie Berry as director: writer

• Beyond Refuge: script supervisor on 2 short films

• Tip of My Tongue (short film): script supervisor & script editor

• Urban Stories: artist & facilitator

• Prone to the Drone (short film): producer

• CuriousWorks Staff: Communications & Social Media Officer

• Let Me Know When You Get Home (play) - creative development with Valerie Berry as director. Long Table and Reading of the Play: writer

• CC Website Reflection Post: writer, content manager

• CuriousTV: project manager

• Writers Group • PQ: Blake Ayshford Screenwriting WS

• Foxtel Writers Room led by Blake Aysford

• Bundanon Writers Retreat• AFTRS 3-Day Innovation Lab

• AFTRS 3 day Innovation Lab • AWG Notetaking Masterclass • PQ: Grant Writing WS

• PQ: FS7 & Sound WS• Makers Space• Makers Space Masterclass


• Makers Space Masterclass - Murasaki Penguin Installations & Performance Art

• Makers Space Masterclass- Curtis Taylor Collisions VR

• Curious Women

• Phoenix Eye - Tiger Cops (TV series): crew, 1 ep

• Phoenix Eye - The Subcontractor (short film): crew

MIRANDA AGUILAR

CW OPPORTUNITIES

CW TRAINING



2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

• Blacktown City Arts Fund for Creative Development for Let Me Know When You Get Home

• The Shadow’s Clock (short film): voice acting, continuity

MIRANDA’S PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Writers Group

The Writer’s Group was started by S. “Shakthi,” Shakthidharan in 2015, but it has been led by Miranda Aguilar as its lead facilitator since 2016. In 2018, she helped produce Urban Stories. Through the writer’s group and its products (e.g. Las Rosas, Prone to the Drone), Miranda has further honed her skills as a text editor and producer.

Las Rosas

Miranda was the showrunner, one of the co-writers and social media manager of the Las Rosas webseries. She not only acted as the lead script editor, but also organized the successful Kickstarter that funded the webseries post-production.

Let Me Know When You Get Home

This is Miranda’s first full-length play, which she’s been writing since 2015, and working towards production since 2018. It’s coming-of-age story about growing up queer in Western Sydney. Its development has been supported by the CuriousWomen program, as well as Playwriting Australia, The Q Theatre, Blacktown Arts Centre, Siren Theatre, Riverside Theatre and PYT

CuriousWorks Staff

In 2019, Miranda started working part-time as the Communications and Social Media Officer for CuriousWorks. She has used her position to contract other Curious Creators to write creative reflections for the website and share their perspectives.

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• Riz (feature film): actor • Las Rosas (web-series): script supervisor, editor (2017-2018)

• SLAFF Pachamama: shoot & edit

• Tip of My Tongue (short film): editor

• Prone to the Drone (short film): continuity & editor

• CuriousWorks Vision and 2018 year in Review video: editor

• CuriousTV: editor

ɖ AFTRS WS- Digital Content Producing

ɖ PQ: Vincent Ngo Screenwriting Industry WS

ɖ AWG Notetaking Masterclass ɖ PQ: FS7 & Sound WS ɖ Makers Space ɖ Makers Space Masterclass

-Eyejack App AR, Bryce Pemberton

ɖ Makers Space Masterclass - Curtis Taylor Collisions VR

ɖ Makers Space Masterclass - Murasaki Penguin Installations & Performance Art

Ɇ Phoenix Eye- Tiger Cops (TV series): crew, 1 ep

CRISTOBAL OLGIUN HERNANDEZ

CW OPPORTUNITIES

CW TRAINING



2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

• The Shadow’s Clock (short film): director, editor

• The Ghost of Kelly Winters (short film): director

• Mr Oud - Under the Skin (music video): editor

• Mr Oud - Lightning McQueen (music video): editor

• Own Youtube Channel: (started in 2016)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW-qfTTKckZ4z8d4eV-Ndig

CRISTOBAL’S PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Riz

Cristobal Olguin met CuriousWorks through Riz, where he made his acting debut as Alejandro, Jose’s kid brother with a passion for filmmaking. Since then, true to art, Cristobal has started studying film at UTS, and is far more interested in being behind the camera than in front.

Las Rosas

Cristobal next major project after Riz was Las Rosas. He brought to the project an incisive editorial eye towards the script and film editing process.

Tip of My Tongue, Prone to the Drone

Since Las Rosas, Cristobal has been often contracted as an editor, particularly for major narrative projects produced by CuriousWorks. Both Tip of My Tongue and Prone to the Drone premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The Shadow’s Clock, Ghost of Kelly Winters, Youtube channel:

Cristobal has worked consistently as a filmmaker and storyteller, including music videos, short films and essays on filmmaking. As a creative lead, he often collaborates with other Curious Creators, regardless of whether or not it’s a CuriousWorks project.

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• Riz (feature film): 2nd assistant director & assistant editor

• Penrith Women’s Health Centre: film & edit

• When the Tide Comes In (multi-platform, film): assistant director, script development/co-writer

• Urban Stories: writer • When the Tide Comes In,

(multi- platform, theatre, film): assistant director, script development/co-writer

• Las Rosas (webseries): production assistant

• When the Tide Comes In (multi- platform, theatre) - PWA supported creative development workshops with dramaturg, Iain Sinclair, and reading of the play: co-writer

• Prone to the Drone (short film): assistant director


• Liverpool Seniors Festival, Childhood Memories Project: facilitator

• Writers Group • AFTRS WS- Digital Content Producing

• Bundanon Writers Retreat• Foxtel Writers Room led by

Blake Aysford• PQ: Blake Ayshford

Screenwriting WS• PQ: Vincent Ngo Screenwriting

Industry


• PQ: Julie Kalceff Webseries WS• AFTRS 3-Day Innovation Lab • PQ: Clare Atkins Screenwriting

WS

• AWG Notetaking Masterclass • PQ: Grant Writing WS

ɖ Curious Women

• Filigree Films: data wrangler

ANDREA BEATEN

CW OPPORTUNITIES

CW TRAINING



2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

• CuriousWorks Staff: finance and administration assistant (2018- 2019)

2012

• CuriousWorks Internship• Nepean Youth Channel

ANDREA’S PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Riz

Riz is the first feature film Andrea worked on. She was the second assistant director, assistant editor and data wrangler. On set she meet Vincent Tay and Iqbal Barkat who work at Filigree Films. She then worked on a Filigree Films project as a data wrangler.

Writers Group

Andrea joined Writer’s group when it first started in 2015. She developed her character Valerie who is part of the When the Tide Comes In universe. In 2016, she presented a couple of scenes from Valerie’s story at Urban Stories.

When the Tide Comes In

When the Tide Comes In is a multi-platform artwork set in a near future Australia shaped by climate change. Andrea has been co-writing with S.Shakthidharan and Aimee Falzon since she started working on the project in writers group. In 2016, When the Tide Comes In was launched at Carriageworks, followed by a theatre show a Riverside Theatre later that year.

In 2017, Play Writing Australia supported dramaturgical sessions with Iain Sinclair and a reading of the play. When the Tide Comes In is still currently in development.

CuriousWorks Staff

Starting in late 2018, Andrea started working at CuriousWorks as a part-time staff member, working on the administration and finance side of the company. It’s a step towards being able to transition into fully working in arts and community.

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• Let Me Know When You Get Home (play)- Creative development: camera assistant

• Wentworth Journey Project: production assistant, editor (2018-2019)

• FUNPARK: assistant facilitator• Prone to the Drone (short film):

camera assistant • Let Me Know When You Get

Home (play)- Long table and reading: documentation


• CuriousTV: videographer

• Curious Women • PQ: FS7 & Sound WS• Quota Speaking Engagement

with Vanessa• Represented CW at National

Youth Summit, Adelaide

• UWS - Helti Fuja (‘Healthy Future’) - Vanuatu (documentary): editor, cinematographer

SIVANI YADDANAPUDI

CW OPPORTUNITIES

CW TRAINING



2018 2019

SIVANI’S PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Let Me Know When You Get Home

Sivani first came to CuriousWorks by being brought on by another Curious Creator, Diego Murillo, to aid in the documentation of the creative development. She has since joined the Let Me Know When You Get Home team as its lead documenter, joining a team largely made up of other queer women of colour.

Journey to Social Housing

This was Sivani’s first major project with Curious Works, as well as her first project working as a Production Manager. She worked as a producer, videographer, facilitator and editor on the project. After primarily working in the camera department, this experience expanded her skill set into another side of filmmaking.

Prone to the Drone

Sivani worked alongside established DOP Sky Davies in the camera department. She’s expressed the importance to her of working with other female creatives, particularly in her field of interest, camera operation. The film premiered at Sydney Film Festival, and has been touring across regional Australia with the Touring Film Festival.

Curious Women

Sivani is one of 11 women being mentored under the CuriousWomen program. It not only connects the CuriousWomen participants with diverse female mentors, it also connects the participants to each other, forming a network of female creatives.

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impact & pathways - curiousworks€¦ · • writers group • aftrs taster - designing worlds...

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