A free professional development workshop series for creative entrepreneurs. The series provides opportunities for artists to gain valuable information, skills and insights on creating and sustaining a creative practice.

Through workshops, roundtables or panels of discussion, industry experts provide their perspective and expertise into a number of topics geared towards artists and small to mid-sized arts organizations. Topics can include:

- self-promotion; 
- communications platforms and techniques: 
- sponsorship and fundraising; 
- creative entrepreneurship;
 -marketing strategies;
- brand identity;
- creative rights protection and more!

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Grant and Project Developlment Clinic

Date: April 4, 2020, 10-4pm

Location: online VIA Zoom

Join us on Saturday April 4 for a 45 minute 1-on-1 session with 1 of 3 experienced grant consultants. Make sure to sign up ahead of time to guarantee your 1-on-1 session, as spots are limited and given on a first come, first serve basis.

Please bring a grant application you've already begun working on to maximize your time with the consultant. The more specific the project, the better! You are encouraged to identify areas of the grant that you would like particular support with.

Accessibility:

If you prefer another mode of communication than video conferencing, we can also fofer your consultancy via phone call, chat via Zoom, or another option of your suggestion.

Consultants:

Kevin Reigh (Toronto Arts Council,10-1pm) has over 14 years of experience working in the arts/not-for-profit sector, having previously worked at dance Immersion, the Canadian Music Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) and Unity Charity in various administrative, fundraising and outreach capacities. He also founded Mosiah Grant Writing + Creative Communications to help independent artists and smaller not-for-profit organizations navigate the world of grant writing and proposal development. As a writer and spoken-word artist, Kevin has released one album (Ground Provisions) and a volume of poetry (Love. Universes. All Things.) and has collaborated with numerous musicians and dancers throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Kevin also contributed a spoken-word piece, The Real Deal, to Paranoid Jack’s acclaimed album of electronic and house music, The Last of the Funky Cyborgs, and his work was also included in T-Dot Griots: An Anthology of Toronto’s Black Storytellers.

Peter Kingstone (Toronto Arts Council,1-4pm) is a Toronto-based visual artist and curator, working primarily in video and photography. As an independent artist, Peter’s installation pieces have been shown across Canada and internationally, and he was awarded the Untitled Artist Award in 2005 for his installation The Strange Case of peter K. (1974-2004). Peter holds a degree in Philosophy/Cultural Studies from Trent University in Peterborough and a Masters of Fine Art focusing on video and new media from York University in Toronto. Peter has presented at many conferences on the ideas around storytelling and social engagement. Peter started in September 2012 as the Acting Visual/Media Arts Program Manager at Toronto Arts Council.

Margo Charlton has worked in the arts as a theatre artist, producer, consultant and arts funder. Most recently she worked at Toronto Arts Council (TAC) and Toronto Arts Foundation (TAF), first as a grants program manager and then as their research and impact manager. She has a Masters of Environmental Studies from York University where she focused on the impact of arts on communities. As a consultant, she has conducted program evaluations, strategic plans, and research projects for a wide variety of organizations including: Urban Arts, ArtsStarts, Arts for All, Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council. She is currently working as an arts consultant and can be reached at margo@weareproceess.ca

Kim Dayman is an artist, arts advocate and cultural leader living and working in the City of Toronto. Chosen as one of the Toronto Arts Council’s Cultural Leaders in 2018 she believes in increasing equity through critical thinking, civic action and artistic engagement. She has 15 years of experience as an Arts Manager across the GTA with organizations such as The Living Arts Centre, Art Starts and Lakeshore Arts. While with Art Starts Kim was pivotal in developing a micro-granting program for artists through the Platform A initiative. Having individually and collaboratively written applications over the past 10 years she has garnered nearly 2 million dollars in revenue through grant programs.

PLEASE NOTE:

• We will try our best to accommodate your needs. Please email eva@torontoarts.org with accessibility requests as soon as possible so we can help you get the most out of this opportunity!
• Participants are limited to one ticket per event. If you order more than one ticket, all but one will be canceled. Please do not book time slots on someones behalf without notifying us- it's important we can talk with the artist directly to ensure we can provide the necessary support.
• You will be asked to send your grant in process ahead of time so your consultant can review it in advance and bring comments/suggestions for improvement to your meeting. If you do not have a grant in process, you are still encouraged to attend your session.
• You are strongly encouraged to cancel if you think you will not attend. Not showing up to your session without notice takes the opportunity away from another artist who could benefit from it, and sees valuable programming money spent on an empty seat. Be a good neighbour and be honest!
• Children are welcome to accompany their caregiver(s) as required. Please let us know 1 week in advance if you require childcare support during your consultation.
• Coffee and snacks will be provided for participants.
• No tickets left? Email Eva at eva@torontoarts.org to be added to the waitlist, or drop by anytime to take the spot of a no-show. Please note we can not guarantee a spot or maximum wait time if you choose to drop-in.

Questions or concerns? Email eva@torontoarts.org

RSVP here.

PAST WORKSHOPS

Project Development 

Saturday, June 15th, 2019, 10 AM-4 PM

East End Arts, 450 Broadview Ave

Join us on Saturday June 15 for a 30 minute 1-on-1 session with 1 of 3 experienced project development consultants. Make sure to sign up ahead of time to guarantee your 1-on-1 session, as spots are limited and given on a first come, first serve basis. Please bring a project you've already begun working on to maximize your time with the consultant. The more specific the project, the better! Refreshments will be provided while you wait. Consultations with consultant Chris Gehman and an ASL Interpretter are provided from 10-11AM and 11AM-12PM. 

Register here.

Melissa Foster, North York Arts

Melissa has over 10 years working in various roles throughout the public sector. In her career, she has collaborated on several community arts projects and facilitated arts programs both abroad and within Toronto. Melissa is the Program and Outreach Director for North York Art where she oversees the programming vision and creative design, as well as the management and administration of both on-going and special projects. Her primary focus is on the development and implementation of professional support services for artists; looking towards creating sector-wide collaborations and community-driven, participatory arts-based programming. Outside of her role at North York Arts Melissa continues to create and facilitate community programs that incorporate her experiences in both the social service sector and the arts. Most recently, she co-facilitated a workshop, Reclaiming Tkaronto/Toronto: Transforming Lenses Around Mental Wellness for the Myseum Intersections Festival. Melissa holds a BA (hons) in Theatre Studies as well as a Community Arts Practice Certificate from York University. She also holds a post-degree diploma in Arts Management from Western University. 

Julian Carvajal, Art Starts

Julian is a colourful Colombo-Canadian Media Artist, Arts Manager, Producer and Arts & Culture Promoter. He has over 15 years of experience in managing and delivering large scale arts festivals, coordinating personnel, producing shows, marketing, budgeting, managing staff, and building community and media relations. 

Chris Gehman, VTape

Chris Gehman is a filmmaker, curator, educator and critic. He is familiar with many funding systems for individual artists and arts organizations, particularly in media and visual arts. His films have screened at festivals and other venues around world; his film Dark Adaptation (2016) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and screened at the 2017 Berlinale. Chris was Artistic Director of the Images Festival from 2000 to 2004, and has also worked as a programmer for Cinematheque Ontario and TIFF. Currently, he is Finance Manager at Vtape, Canada's leading non-profit distributor of artists' videos. As an independent programmer, he has organized screenings for venues including Experimenta (Bangalore), Image Forum (Tokyo), Lago Film Fest (Italy), and the Ann Arbor Film Festival (USA). Chris was editor of Explosion in the Movie Machine: Essays and Documents on Toronto Artists’ Film and Video (LIFT & Images Festival, 2013) and co-editor, with Steve Reinke, of The Sharpest Point: Animation at the End of Cinema (YYZ Books, 2005); his writings on experimental media have appeared in critical anthologies, and in periodicals such as Millennium Film Journal, Cinema Scope and Take One. He has served on the boards of directors of a number of arts organizations including the Hand Eye Society (2015-19); Images Festival (2006-09); Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (President, 1999-2001); and Pleasure Dome (1994-97).

Grant Consultations: 1-on-1

Saturday, July 20th, 2019, 10 AM-4 PM

Tea Base, 200 Spadina St., Lower Level (behind the stage)

Join us on Saturday July 20 for a 30 minute 1-on-1 session with 1 of 3 experienced grant consultants. Make sure to sign up ahead of time to guarantee your 1-on-1 session, as spots are limited and given on a first come, first serve basis.

Please bring a grant application you've already begun working on to maximize your time with the consultant. The more specific the project, the better! Refreshments will be provided while you wait.

Register here.

Marta Keller, Mural Routes & Paralia Newcomer Arts Network

Originally from Spain, Marta Keller-Hernandez is an arts administrator who moved to Toronto in 2012. She holds degrees in Tourism and Humanities, a Masters in Social Media Marketing from the University of Alicante (Spain), and became an international student of the Culture and Heritage Site Management program at Centennial College in 2013. In Toronto, Marta has worked with a wide range of arts and culture organizations such as Black Artists’ Networks Dialogue, Latin American Canadian Art Projects and Sur Gallery, Heritage Toronto, and Art Starts. Currently, she is Managing Director at Mural Routes. Marta is the co-founder and Director of Programming of Paralia Newcomer Arts Network, a Toronto-based non-profit that supports newcomer artists by providing them with the skills and resources needed in order to establish an artistic presence in Canada. She is also the recipient of the 2017 Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship grant from the Toronto Arts Council in the capacity of mentor and a 2018 Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab fellow.

Kevin Reigh, Toronto Arts Council

Kevin has over 14 years experience working in the arts/not for profit sector having previously worked at dance Immersion, the Canadian Music Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) and Unity Charity in various administrative, fundraising and outreach capacities. He also founded Mosiah Grant Writing + Creative Communications to help independent artists and smaller not-for-profit organizations navigate the world of grant writing and proposal development.

Chris Gehman, VTape

Chris Gehman is a filmmaker, curator, educator and critic; he is familiar with many funding systems for individual artists and arts organizations, particularly in media and visual arts. His films have screened at festivals and other venues around world; his Dark Adaptation (2016) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and screened at the 2017 Berlinale. Chris was Artistic Director of the Images Festival from 2000 to 2004, and has also worked as a programmer for Cinematheque Ontario and TIFF. Currently, he is Finance Manager at Vtape, Canada's leading non-profit distributor of artists' video. As an independent programmer, he has organized screenings for venues including Experimenta (Bangalore), Image Forum (Tokyo), Lago Film Fest (Italy), and the Ann Arbor Film Festival (USA). Chris was editor of Explosion in the Movie Machine: Essays and Documents on Toronto Artists’ Film and Video (LIFT & Images Festival, 2013) and co-editor, with Steve Reinke, of The Sharpest Point: Animation at the End of Cinema (YYZ Books, 2005); his writings on experimental media have appeared in critical anthologies, and in periodicals such as Millennium Film Journal, Cinema Scope and Take One. He has served on the boards of directors of a number of arts organizations: the Hand Eye Society (2015-19); Images Festival (2006-09); Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (President, 1999-2001); and Pleasure Dome (1994-97).

Digital Project Development Consultations

Date: August 14-16, 2019 (various times- see Eventbrite for times and tickets)

Location: online 

Miss out on our Project Development clinic in June? Fear not, we got you covered! Join us from the comfort of your laptop for a 30 minute one-on-one consultation with arts educator Sun- the Phoenix. 

Sun brings a lot of expertise in Best Practices in Community Arts Education to the screen. Topics you might want to discuss with her include:

• using the arts as a tool for empowerment

• equity and inclusion: going beyond the buzzword

• creating safe space to invite authentic engagement around our identities and experiences

• understanding healing and well-being as acts of revolution

• the importance of artistic integrity, technique, and creativity in the arts and arts education in community spaces 

Be sure to sign up for your time spot in advance! Register here.

Upcoming workshops

Grant Consultations: 1-on-1

Date: Saturday, November 2, 2019

Location: George Chuvalo Community Centre, 50 Sousa Mendes St, Toronto

When: 10AM-4PM

Join us on Saturday November 2 for a 30 minute 1-on-1 session with 1 of 3 experienced grant consultants. Make sure to sign up ahead of time to guarantee your 1-on-1 session, as spots are limited and given on a first come, first serve basis.

Please bring a grant application you've already begun working on to maximize your time with the consultant. The more specific the project, the better! Refreshments will be provided while you wait.

Register here.

Consultants

Catalina Fellay-Dunbar, Toronto Arts Council, 10-1 p.m.

Catalina joined the TAC after many years as a dance artist, educator and advocate. Her professional dance experience, although varied, has long focused on a personal heritage in Flamenco and classical Spanish dance. Catalina’s academic interests prompted the pursuit of a BFA and MA in Dance Studies at York University, an MA from the Drama Centre at the University of Toronto, and certification in Movement Analysis from the Laban Institute for Movement Studies. As a PhD candidate in Dance Studies at York University, her research examines the intersections between cultural policy and dance arts from fluid, pluralistic perspectives. Catalina comes to the TAC after serving as co-chair of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists – Ontario Chapter.

Erika Hennebury, Toronto Arts Council, 1-4 p.m.

Erika is a cultural planner, artist and producer from the Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia. Erika has been an artist, programmer and cultural producer in Toronto for over 20 years. She has served as Artistic Producer for Public Recordings Performance Projects, Small Wooden Shoe, and humdansoundart, Producer for Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Festival Director for the Rhubarb Festival, and Associate Artist with Halifax’s Secret Theatre and the Notary Public and Co-artistic Director of Les Vaches. She holds a Masters in Environmental Studies, Urban Planning, from York University and a certificate in Municipal Cultural Planning and Development through UBC. As Manager of Strategic Programs at Toronto Arts Council, Erika’s grants program portfolio includes Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, and Animating Toronto Streets.

Michael Du Maresq

Michael is a consultant who founded his consulting company mDm Consulting in November, 2005. The company’s work includes strategic and artistic planning and research for non- profit organizations. mDm Consulting has completed work for a cross‐ section of over 30 non- profit companies and organizations including: Dreamwalker Dance Company, Timmins Symphony Orchestra, fu‐GEN Asian Canadian Theatre, Toronto Fringe Festival, Ontario Arts Council and Art of Time Ensemble. Michael is currently Managing Director of Leading Edge After Performance, a collaborative initiative between the dance and sport sectors that seeks to explore and improve career transitions for professional dancers and elite athletes. Michael served as Grants Officer at Toronto Arts Council for various disciplines including Dance, Music and Literary Arts and was Associate Theatre Officer from 2011- 2013. Michael was an independent dance artist choreographing, performing, touring and producing work for over 20 years. 

He is also a volunteer and activist. Michael was a co- founder of Series 8:08 and committee member of Dance 2020. He also served as Board member and Board Chair of Dance Umbrella of Ontario for over 10 years. He was a founding artist and is a past Chair of the Artists’ Health Centre Foundation, which co-°©‐founded and partners with the Artists’ Health Centre at Toronto Western Hospital. He volunteered in a significant role as Venue Operations Manager for Pan Am Games 2015 and as a Sport volunteer for the 2017 Invictus Games.

Sari Zon

Sari is the Director of Development at Art Starts. She is a writer, curator and arts educator with 25 years in the Toronto Arts arena. Sari is passionate about empowering artists and communities to overcome barriers through program development, artist promotion and career coaching. Sari serves as a mentor and board advisor to artists and small arts organizations across disciplines, runs grant writing workshops for artists, sits on artist selection juries and is currently the recipient of the Toronto Arts Council's Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship Grant. In her own practice, Sari works in and teaches the ancient art of encaustic painting and her works are held in private and corporate collections across North America. Sari holds a BA(hons) in Fine Arts Studies from York University.