CURIOUS CORE

Photo of Miia in front of a tree. She is wearing a colour shirt, white headband, dangly earrings and has long strawberry/ginger hair.

DIRECTOR OF IMAGINATION

Miia, Founder and Director, has led with curiosity throughout her extensive career as an educator, mentor & creative.

Having worked for over 15 years in education in various forms, her career in curiosity came to full bloom after observing how strikingly powerful fostering curiosity in young people could be, as well as realising how it could improve her own mental health. As an entrepreneur, creative consultant and producer, curiosity is how she has always made things happen.

MIIA FORBES

Looking at the world with wonder, every day my curiosity can be inspired by many different things: from grand experiences & culural institutions, to one written paragraph, or simpy spotting something tiny that I had previously missed when walking along my road.
One area I am particularly interested in is psychology, and I am always looking to further my learning in it . I am forever fascinated about how minds work: about the way we think, act and feel, our motivations and about human behaviour in general. I have dreams of doing a Phd in Education & Psychology one day (focusing on empathy was the plan, but it might now just have to be curiosity..)

Kate has chin length blond hair with waves in it, blue eyes and is wearing a leopard print poloneck style top

PRODUCER OF WONDER

Kate Watts, our creative Producer, has used curiosity to fuel an esteemed career spanning fashion, project management and entrepreneurship.

As Producer of Wonder, Kate brings her creative flair and keen eye for design to all visual elements, from graphic design and curating curious spaces to creating artwork itself.

KATE WATTS

My curiosity is almost always sparked by something visual. I am forever curious about how people choose to dress and style themselves as their portrait to the outside world. I am curious about how fashion can make you feel and how this outward projection of yourself can actually have huge effects on what happens on the inside.

Photo of Rosie smiling. She has shoulder length brown hair with highlights. She is wearing a scarf and camel coat.

CURIOUS CREATIVE PRODUCER

Rosie is an award-winning and BAFTA-nominated Senior Producer with over a decade of experience producing some of the nations most-loved TV programmes.

Curiosity is the driving power behind her work, particularly when it comes to uncovering people’s stories; everyone has a story to tell, and she believes being curious about people’s lives can lead to real-life magic.

ROSIE SMITH

Ruby has short hair, red spectacles and is standing in a field with a fence and trees in the background

My curiosity is sparked by people and their stories! I love a chat, and I love to hear how people's experiences have shaped them.

CURIO-PERATIONS DIRECTOR

Ruby is a ceramicist, actor, writer and teacher whose approach in these diverse fields is made up of recognising the joy of what’s possible, as well as celebrating where you’re at.

As a meticulous organiser, Ruby is responsible for helping all Curious Agenda’s various projects to get over the line. Her performance background also makes her a perfect curiosity cultivator at events or workshops.

Ruby Russell

My curiosity is often sparked by fiction, in any form. Fiction and stories are always the things that catch my attention, because it's something that can literally go anywhere. I get curious about how different stories come from different people; how one person's mind can go in a vastly different direction to another person's. How our experiences shape what threads our imagination will follow.

CURIOUS Collaborators

CURIOSITY COORDINATOR

Amber is a Community Developer

AMBER ROSE THERON

Wendy is stood side on to the camera in a pale yellow coat with large lapels. She has blue eues and blond wavy hair

My curiosity is sparked by

Get to know some of our highly talented and experienced collaborators…

COURAGE & CURIOSITY PARTNER

Wendy is an award winning, international speaker, trainer and intergovernmental and private company consultant, who specialises in encouraging teams and individuals to move with courage. As well as collaborating on training combining the linked traits of curiosity and courage, as a mentor, she brings expertise in delivering to corporate aims.

WENDY ADDISON

My curiosity is ignited immersing myself in Nature, because Nature yields awe-inspiring discoveries that create meanings & feelings of connection & wonder. Through curiosity, I’m able to recognise my place in the passage of ages, by grasping the intricacy, beauty & subtlety of life. This gifts me with a soaring feeling, a sense of elation, gratitude & humility combined.

CURIOSITY-INSPIRED COLLABORATOR

Richard is a world-renowned actor, improviser, comedian, writer and musician famous for adding creative layers to shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway? and for holding a Guiness World Record with the Comedy Store Players. With Curious Agenda he consults and leads improv workshops within training programmes.

RICHARD VRANCH

I'm curious about how the Universe works. About how things are connected. About technology evolving faster than humanity. About what we have in common. About why people believe things which are evidently false. About things which we can't yet imagine.

YOUTH CURIOSITY AMBASSADOR

Charlie is a musician, creative, producer and technician passionate about the power of curiosity and music to change young lives for the better. Alongside Curious Agenda, he informs youth strategy and develops event logistics.

CHARLIE Johnson

I’m curious about how sound can travel and how it can be manipulated into different spaces. I am also curious about how music, community and helpfulness combine to make the world better, and how to use these to create a fulfilling place in the world for myself.

CURATOR OF ARTISTIC WONDER

Esme is an interdisciplinary freelancer and ‘Can-Do Creative’, currently working as a singer, immersive actor and events producer. She also runs the immersive event Cabarave amongst a team, and has previously found herself producing plays, managing festival stages and walkabouts, and supporting Curious Agenda during their arts festival in Hastings. Highly adept at inspiring curiosity, Esme works on Curious Agenda’s training programmes, as well as event production.

ESME SARFAS

When i find myself lacking in creativity or a zest for life I often turn to the works of others. Reading books, watching films, listening to music ...all of this stuff is incredible and at our fingertips. Another thing I think is important is to remain playful and childlike. Be silly. Actively try it. Write a silly poem about spaghetti or hop down the street. Ask a friend to put you on their shoulders.
Curiosity, in my opinion, comes from an acceptance that we do not and cannot know everything, and frees you up to have wonder in you again, just like in childhood. When I unlock my playful, childlike side I can find basically anything curious! We live in a curious world, we are just so used to it we forget! Sometimes remembering how a TV remote is essentially a magic wand and thinking about what a bus would look like to an ant can reframe the world into a once again magical and curious place.

CURIOUS BUSINESS ALCHEMIST

Kasperi is the Head of Commercial at Carmoola, a direct-to-consumer fintech company taking power away from the hands of dealerships. Prior to working for Carmoola, he has worked at some of UK's other major start-ups such as ClearScore and Cazoo, although prides himself in otherwise avoiding C-words! With Curious Agenda, he helps bridge the gap between commerciality, curiosity and creativity.

KASPERI LEWIS

I’m curious about how to help make the world a better, less unequal place. About how education about inequality could be the key to resolving almost all of our societal imbalances. About how to maximise quality of life well into the later years. About how curious and creative individuals can leverage my commercial skills to turn their passion into a new life. About how Arsenal didn’t win the premier league last season!

MUSICAL VISIONARY LEADER

Jim is a talented professional drummer, musician and teacher with over 25 years experience teaching and running workshops. He also creates and directs successful community projects like Worthing Steel Band. Jim has a wealth of experience running workshops which have featured at events including The Arundel Festival, End Of The Road, Greenbelt, Camp Bestival and more. Jim’s steelpan workshops have been a highlight of Curious Agenda’s events and Jim also brings his expertise to curious training.

JIM BERNARDIN

People's backstories, how they became who they are, what life events shaped or inspired them, their direction, with work, skills and passions and relationships. Character traits. These things pique my curiosity; how we grow, change and become who we are, and how we all hold the power to affect ourselves and others.