SHOPFRONT
Contemporary Arts & Performance
Shopfront has four full time staff members and numerous contracted artists
ARTISTIC DIRECTORs/ CEOs: CAITLIN NEWTON-BROAD and HOWARD MATTHEW
Howard Matthew is the new co-artistic director of Shopfront along with Caitlin Newton-Broad who together have recently arrived from London. He is a visual artist who works with performance, film and video. Howard’s practice also extends to teaching and outreach programs where he has taught in a broad range of contexts from early years to adults with learning disabilities. Most recently he worked as a Creative Agent for A New Direction (Creative Partnerships) in London as well as an artist for Tate Modern B turbine generation program.Contact Howard
Caitlin Newton-Broad is a collaborative artist interested in place, situation and community. She trained as a theatre director at The Victorian College of the Arts, (AUS) and has worked as director, dramaturg, tertiary teacher, project manager, producer and writer in Australia and internationally. Work includes Artistic Director of PACT, a contemporary arts space for young and emerging artists in Sydney and Project Manager for Blast Theory. She was Associate Director of Performance Space Sydney until March 2008, when she relocated to London, before the birth of her daughter, Olive. Recently she has been working on the UK Creative Partnerships arts in education program. Contact Caitlin
GENERAL MANAGER: NERIDA WOODS
Nerida Woods has been the General Manager at Shopfront since 2005. She has 20 years working in the performing arts in both the UK and Australia as a stage manager, production manager, technical consultant and Company manager. In 1990 she journeyed to the UK to study with Arts International; a one year intensive residency, where she trained in directing, performing and theatre making. This led her into work as a camera operator, editor, performer, assistant director, and company manager touring throughout the UK with various companies.
She was a stage manager at the Opera House for many years and technical manager at Star City entertainment. Following Star City she established Theatresafe – consulting on OHS and theatrical installations for performing arts organisations throughout NSW. She was production manager in the site specific Shopfront performances How Sachi Lost his Leg, Shimmerer and Wadya call me? (2004) as well as Regional coordinator of St George Artstart festival, 2003 and 2005. She has a Bachelor of Arts; Communication (Media Production). Contact Nerida
OUTREACH DIRECTOR: SARAH EMERY
Sarah is a multi-arts practitioner with a passion for communities. She has been the Outreach Director at Shopfront since September 2008 and in that time has worked with young people from across Sydney and regional NSW to produce work from their ideas, stories and experiences using devised performance and multi-media. Highlights for Sarah at Shopfront include being the Outreach Director on Detours & Destinations- a collaboration between Shopfront, Heaps Decent and the Sydney Opera House to engage young people in Western Sydney; collaborating with Margot Politis to establish Bodylines – a movement ensemble for young people with disabilities and working as a resident artist at Fairfield Intensive English Centre since 2009. Sarah attended the VCA CCD leadership program in 2010. She is also a qualified teacher. Contact Sarah
PRODUCER: SASKIA VROMANS
Saskia has worked as a Production and Stage Manager for Night Sky Productions, on productions including The Servant of Two Masters (2009), Twelfth Night (2008), The Comedy of Errors (2007) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She was the Production Coordinator on An Italian Straw Hat for the East Coast Theatre Company (2007) and has worked as Associate Producer and Production Manager for the Coogee Arts Festival (2007 – 2009). Saskia was the Stage Manager for Shopfront’s 2008 production (lost toy story), and has been engaged as a casual arts administrator for Company B – B Sharp, event coordinator and assistant producer for Casula Powerhouse, joining Shopfront in 2009 as Producer. Saskia has attended training at ABAF, studied at The Actors Centre Australia and the NIDA Open Program. She was also Associate Producer for Sam Hawker and Tangent Productions for the downstairs Belvoir 2008 season of Homebody Kabul. Saskia has a BHSc – Occupational Therapy (CSU). Contact Saskia
Positions Vacant. For more information contact gm@shopfront.org.au
CHAIRPERSON & ACTING TREASURER: IAIN CROSSING (Board member since 2005): Iain is the Director of Inspirational Workplaces Pty Ltd, an Organisational Psychology consultancy that helps businesses, including some of Australia’s biggest companies, develop their culture and leadership capabilities. Between 1996 and 2006 he also produced 20 independent theatre productions in venues around Sydney including his swansongs ‘Hurlyburly’ (2005) and ‘Lord of the Flies’ (2006) at the Stables Theatre. He was the General Manager of the Tamarama Rock Surfers theatre company for almost 3 years, has produced 4 short films (one funded by Screen NSW), and has a unit production management credit on an Australian feature film.
SECRETARY: ELIZABETH HRISTOFORIDIS (Board Member since 2010): Liz Hristoforidis has a background in commerce (marketing), law and management. Her experience has primarily involved corporate and financial services regulation with a focus on governance, policy development, compliance and risk management. Liz was previously classically trained as a singer, and maintains a strong interest in the arts. Liz was also a member and chair of Canterbury Youth Council over a number of years, is a volunteer with the Starlight Children’s Foundation of Australia granting wishes to chronically and terminally ill children, and is now a parent herself. She is a keen advocate of young people and the need to ensure that, as our future leaders, they are given the opportunity to express themselves and be heard – an opportunity that an organisation as unique and wonderful as Shopfront provides.
TREASURER: Position Vacant
DIRECTOR: CAITLIN NEWTON-BROAD (Board member since 2011): Caitlin is the new co-artistic director of Shopfront. See Staff Profile for details.
DIRECTOR: TARA MORRIS (Board member since 2008): Tara has been a member of the Shopfront senior ensemble in past years and appeared in several productions. In 2006 Tara was involved in RAW, a short season of new works, and was the multimedia operator on POP UP! Tara is a talented multi-media artist, and is currently employed in the television industry. Prior to becoming a board member, Tara was a Youth Representative for Shopfront.
DIRECTOR: KATIE SHORTLAND (Board Member since 2009): Katie is a freelance producer who has worked across all aspects of the arts; including funding, production, publicity and marketing. Katie was the inaugural research fellow with the Centre for Screen Business, AFTRS from 2006-2009, where she developed and launched the first automated production software tool. She has also worked closely with the California University of Technology on developing predictive market theory for box office prediction. She is currently the Business Affairs Manager for Cordell Jigsaw Productions and The Wiggles International Pty Ltd.
DIRECTOR: AUGUSTA SUPPLE (Board Member since 2009): Since graduating with honours in Performance Studies from the University of Sydney, Augusta has worked extensively in theatres in Canada and Australia. In Canada she worked as a dramaturge/ assistant director on several community theatre projects, founded the Guelph Youth Theatre and wrote/directed musicals and plays for children. Since returning to Australia she has worked extensively to promote Australian writing. She is the season Artistic Director for Brand Spanking New and the Project Coordinator for Off The Shelf for Queen St Studio. Augusta writes feature articles, commentary and reviews for Spark Online and Australian Stage.
DIRECTOR: ALESHA ELBOURNE (Nee Murray) (Board Member since 2010): Having always had a passion for creative arts Alesha completed tertiary education in Cert IV Digital Arts and Media at TAFE and a Communication – Theatre/Media degree at Charles Sturt University. After completing this training she joined Shopfront in the first year of the Artslab program (2007) and has since worked on several Shopfront productions including A City of Shadows and Ice, (lost toy story), Superperfect, RAW and several Junior Ensemble productions. Alesha looks forward to her role on the board and the opportunity to give something back to the organisation, offering her skills and enthusiam to the improvement and evolution of the Shopfront community.