ABOUT WORKING IN THE ARTS (2022–2023)

Working in the Arts: Resources and Pathways for Newcomers is a series of training sessions, and access to information and resources, to help support newcomer and immigrant artists and arts professionals achieve career success in Toronto/GTA and beyond.

This program aims to streamline the pathway to careers in the arts and culture sector by providing relevant information for:

• settlement and employment service providers looking to better equip their clients.
• arts organizations seeking to engage newcomer and immigrant artists and arts professionals.
• newcomer and immigrant artists and arts professionals looking to build awareness and knowledge about careers and career resources in the arts and culture sector.

This pilot initiative will focus on settlement organizations, arts organizations, and newcomer artists and arts professionals in Toronto/GTA, with relevance for communities and organizations across Canada.

WorkInCulture is pleased to be working in partnership with Airsa, the Immigrant Writers Association, the Institute for Creative Exchange, Paralia Newcomer Arts Network and the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council to develop and deliver Working in the Arts.

TRAINING SESSIONS

Registration is now open for Working in the Arts' free series of informational webinars happening on the first Thursday of the month from February to May 2023!

Although the webinars will include resources specific to Toronto/GTA, we encourage all those interested to attend.

Session 1: Overview of the Arts & Culture Sector and Career Opportunities for Newcomers
Date: Thursday, February 2, 2023
Time: 2:00–3:30 pm ET
This webinar will provide an overview of career pathways in the arts and culture sector in Toronto/GTA for newcomers and immigrants looking to start or build a creative practice, provide arts management/administrative/office support for arts organizations, or explore entrepreneurship or social enterprise.
Panelists: Yazmeen Kanji, Advocacy & Outreach Lead, BIPOC TV and Film; Jacoba Knaapen, Executive Director, Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA); Flora Shum, Outreach Co-ordinator, CARFAC Ontario
Moderator: Diane Davy, Executive Director, WorkInCulture
Register here.

Session 2: Grants & Funding Opportunities for Newcomers
Date: Thursday, March 2, 2023
Time: 2:00–3:30 pm ET
This webinar will provide an overview of the grant and funding landscape for the arts and culture sector, highlighting the major granting and funding bodies as well as opportunities available to newcomer and immigrant artists and arts professionals specifically.
Speakers: More information coming soon!
Register here.

Session 3: A Panel Discussion with Newcomer & Immigrant Artists
Date: Thursday, April 6, 2023
Time: 2:00–3:30 pm ET
This webinar features a panel of newcomer and immigrant artists speaking about their experience pursuing a career and supporting their artistic practice in Toronto/GTA. The panel will discuss artistic communities and networks, types of training and education available, resources for those building or supporting an artistic practice, and more.
Speakers: More information coming soon!
Register here.

Session 4: A Panel Discussion with Newcomer & Immigrant Arts Administrators
Date: Thursday, May 4, 2023
Time: 2:00–3:30 pm ET
This webinar features a panel of newcomer and immigrant arts managers/administrators speaking about their experience pursuing a career in Toronto/GTA. The panel will discuss the range of roles that exist across different arts organizations and companies, skills-building considerations, resources to sustain and grow an arts administration career, and more.
Speakers: More information coming soon!
Register here.

RESOURCES

Coming soon!

Resources and information on careers in the arts will be shared here throughout the program. Stay tuned for video interviews with Local Art Serving Organizations (LASOs) and newcomer-focused and/or serving arts organizations, recordings of the webinar sessions, and more.

Interested in receiving updates on upcoming Working in the Arts training sessions and resources?
Please sign up here to be added to our Working in the Arts mailing list.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Working in the Arts is based on recommendations from a 2021 WorkInCulture needs assessment that explored the challenges, barriers and opportunities of Navigating a Career in the Arts for Newcomers.

The needs assessment found that while settlement organizations (70+ in the GTA) are generally the first point of contact for immigrants and provide a wide range of helpful resources and support, they often lack insight into the arts and culture sector and opportunities for careers in the arts. At the same time, the arts community has a range of services and programs that can help immigrant artists and arts professionals navigate the Canadian arts and culture ecosystem and provide career support, but they often lack contact with newcomers.

In response, Working in the Arts brings together both settlement and arts sector organizations to create more efficient wayfinding and to enhance the resources each offer to support newcomers and immigrants who seek to pursue a career in the arts.

If you have any questions about Working in the Arts: Resources and Pathways for Newcomers, please contact:

Stephanie Draker
Program Manager
stephaniedraker@workinculture.ca

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.