Not-for-profit production company Co-Curious has bolstered its creative ranks, welcoming author and scriptwriter Clare Atkins, producer Kali Reid, and actor Bali Padda.
Atkins will serve as story producer, with Reid to take on the role of creative producer while jointly heading up the Screen Program, and Padda joining as head of new work, stage.
The trio will work alongside Co-Curious CEO, Annabel Davis, to develop projects and initiatives via the company’s model of supporting writers from underrepresented backgrounds.
Atkins comes to Co-Curious with two decades of experience in the Australian television industry, having most recently served as development executive at the ABC, where she supported the story and script development on dramas and comedies, including Stateless, Fires, Significant Others, Operation Buffalo, The Heights, Les Norton, Diary of an Uber Driver, Content and Here Out West.
Reid was also involved in Stateless and The Heights through her role as scripted development coordinator at Matchbox Pictures, also helping to develop Glitch and Secret City, and acting as associate producer on Clickbait. She is also known for executive producing the Screenability Film Makers Fund for Create NSW in 2019. Prior to television, Reid was a curator and produced live work for Sydney Festival, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Art & About, Underbelly Arts Festival, and Carriageworks among others.
In Padda, Co-Curious have a director, producer, actor development executive, and dramaturg with nearly three years of experience as an industry development executive at Screen Australia. Throughout the past decade, he has consulted for the screen and arts industries on creative projects, industry and business strategy, diversity, equity and inclusion, and talent/artist development. Padda made his professional directing debut with stage production Guards at the Taj and has developed projects with Playwriting Australia, National Theatre of Parramatta, the ABC, Griffin Theatre Company and other independent artists.
Davis said wealth of experience that Padda, Reid, and Atkins brought to the company was “extraordinary”.
“Their demonstrated commitment to supporting creatives from underrepresented backgrounds and their extensive network of stakeholders will be an asset to the company,”
“We look forward to embarking on this new chapter of the company’s growth with this dynamic and talented team.”
A division of arts organisation Curiousworks, Co-Curious’ slate includes feature film Khana, written by Arka Das, alongside Blake Ayshford, and supported by Screen Australia’s Generate program.
In addition to its Stories From Another Australia program, supported by The Ian Potter Foundation, Screenrights Cultural Fund and Screen NSW, the company is also working with four writers from under-represented backgrounds in Western Sydney this year to develop their own series ideas sponsored by Netflix’s Creative Equity Fund.
Davis said Co-Curious would move to build on its body of work across theatre and screen in the next 12 months in order to meet a set of ambitious new goals.
“Counting and Cracking in theatre and Here Out West in screen have helped us refine our unique model of development with a firm focus on learning and further refinement in years to come.”