Shopfront Arts Co-Op

Shopfront Arts Co-Op is the home of youth arts and Sydney’s only cross-artform organisation led by and dedicated to the artistry of Young People. David’s relationship with Shopfront harks back over a decade and remains his proudest and longest running professional affiliation.

From 2014 to 2023, David facilitated film workshops at Shopfront’s home base in Carlton, NSW. He also served as Shopfront’s Partnerships Manager in 2022, filmed countless events and shows, and fostered the creativity of hundreds of Young People. Many of David’s former workshop participants are now his creative peers, with whom he has continued to collaborate.

In 2016, David starred in the ArtsLab production Unit, which was restaged as half of double feature Treats at Belvoir St Theatre. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a staged production by the Senior Ensemble, David helped the Ensemble make the leap from stage to screen. And in 2021, David co-directed Shopfront’s Senior Ensemble show HIT RESET with James Peter Brown, as well as writing the script and designing video for the production.

David maintains an ongoing relationship with Shopfront as a patron, facilitator and friend, and continues to mentor Young People seeking pathways in the arts. His plays Monument and Farewell To Arms were both developed with the support of Shopfront’s Open Shop program.

Shows filmed:

• Citadel (2014)
• Inside//Outside @ MCA (2016)
  • Dignity of Risk – Natalie Rose in partnership with ATYP
  • Welcome to My World – Kevin Ng and Steve Wilson-Alexander
• The Greg Show (Junior Ensemble, 2016) – Kevin Ng and Malcolm Whittaker
• The Hungry Games (Junior Ensemble, 2017) – Natalie Rose and Chris Dunstan
• Conspiracies (Senior Ensemble, 2017) – re:group
• ArtsLab: Treats (2016)
  • Company – Elle Evangelista
  • Ecdysis S/S 16 – Clare Powell
  • The Carousel – Pippa Ellams and Hannah Goodwin
  • Killing Gods – Rowan Yeomans
  • Unit – Kirby Medway
• The Exchange Project @ Funpark Bidwill (2018) – Natalie Rose and Chris Dunstan
• Little Jokes In Times Of War
• Planet B (Senior Ensemble, 2020) – Miranda Middleton and JoJo Zhou
• Elevate Festival (2020) with Rowan Yeomans
• ArtsLab: Unreliable Witness (2021)
  • pollon – Eliza Scott
  • The Infinity Mirror – Lily Hayman and Thomas Doyle
  • what is saudade is yuánfèn is longing – Linda Chen
  • Retitled – Jason Liu
  • no place like tomorrow – Eric Jiang
• HIT RESET (Senior Ensemble, 2021) – David Molloy and James Peter Brown
• Tiny Universe (2021) – Natalie Rose and Margot Politis (Milk Crate Theatre)
  • Behind the scenes
• ArtsLab: Have We Been Here Before? (2022)
  • माँ की रसोई Maa Ki Rasoi (My Mother’s Kitchen) – Pratha Nagpal
  • Everything Working As Intended, Dad – Sophie Ward
  • Of Stars and Streetlights – Albert Lin
  • Paris Nights – Thomas Crotty
  • The Place Before The Place – Kobi Taylor-Forder
  • Fearless Identities – Sylvia Zi Xin
  • PackRat – Robbie Wardhaugh
  • Locomotion – Frank Dwyer
• Exquisite Corpse (Junior Ensemble, 2022) – Malcolm Whittaker, Phil Spencer, Lauren Taylor, Mark Rogers and Bella Whitcher
• The Lies We Were Told – Natalie Rose
• Teen Angst (Senior Ensemble 2022) – Lucy Lana
• In the Event of Moon Disaster (2022) – Nick Vagne
• Negotiation Tactics For The Weak-Willed (2022) – Kevin Tran
• Young Company (2022) – Lauren Oakes
• Where Shall We Meet? (Harness Ensemble, 2023) – Natalie Rose and Jane Phegan
• ArtsLab: Here We Are Again! (2023)
  • Unkissed – Sarah Carroll
  • Dalo Chips & Imli Chutney – Varuna Naicker
  • Whispers & Tea – Sivana Yaddanapudi and Saarah Hanif
• Mums Tell Dad Jokes Too (Junior Ensemble 2023) – Nicole Pingon and Tasha O’Brien
• Fair Play (Ryde Youth Theatre, 2023) – Rowan Bates

Additional Outcomes:

• Created the official Season Launch vids for 2021, 2022 and 2023
• Co-created the AIR MediaLab program, an ongoing multiform arts workshop for Young People at Hurstville Library
• Commissioned and contributed to two public murals – at Engadine train station with Amy Hill (Dewrang Art) and Arncliffe Youth Centre with Merindah Funnell
• Collaborated with Outback Theatre For Young People to make short films with Young People in Berrigan, regional NSW