Ontario Arts Council Theatre Creator’s Reserve
Theatre Direct is honoured to be a third-party recommender for this program to support artists creating and writing theatre. We will be accepting applications to the program until December 15, 2012. (PLEASE NOTE OUR ALLOCATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THIS SEASON-PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHECK BACK IN THE FALL)
Click Here to access the application forms
Theatre and performance based work for young people including children, youth and pre-schoolers. We have a specific interest in encouraging work from cultural diverse artists and writers/creators exploring new stories related to a child’s experience of disability or that increase awareness and senstivity to issues of inclusion and access. We are open to a range of mediums and disciplinary arrays including dance, music and design driven work.
Criteria:
- clarity and quality of proposed project
- quality of writing reflected in sample work
- relevance or interest of story and subject matter
- clear sense of intended audience
- degree of experimentation or innovation in project
- clearly stated need for support and viability of achieving goals stated in project intention
The cover letter and project description will be the primary focus in determining how the project fits Theatre Direct’s criteria and its relationship to our mission and mandate. A resume confirming the artist’s professional standing will also be required.
Each applicant will be asked to describe their project or concept as well as their stated writing/creation goals as they relate to their request. In instances where no support material is available for the proposed project, samples of previous work will be requested as examples of the standard at which the playwright or practitioner is operating. We will strongly encourage applicants to make an appointment to discuss their project before applying-this can be done in person or over the phone.
The applicant is free to submit any support material they feel is appropriate with the caution that Theatre Direct is not in a position to return all material unless a self-addressed envelop is enclosed or other arrangements are made.
Finally, we will continue to encourage as much as possible, a meeting or phone call to discuss the artist’s project and ideally to provide any guidance or feedback in order to better support their creation and development process.
Applications will be reviewed by Artistic Director Lynda Hill and decisions made with reference to the criteria of the program and our stated interests.
In general we try to provide as many opportunities for support and therefore rarely recommend amounts higher than $3,000 in order to make best use of our budget. Beyond this, we determine amounts based on the applicant’s stated needs and our assessment of the application’s viability of achieving the project’s goals.
Artist Professional Development
Among Theatre Direct’s top education priorities is the professional development of emerging artists in the Canadian theatre community. TDC supports artists through a range of opportunities covering all areas of theatre production. Some positions are volunteered while others are funded through various granting organizations with the support of TDC. We warmly welcome donations to ensure the continuation, growth, and prevalence of each of the following programs.
Mentoring
Mentorship allows emerging artists with little to no experience in an artistic field to be paired with an established artist on a project to project basis. In this capacity the mentor will both lead by example while also engaging the emerging artist in an ongoing dialogue as to their process. This will allow the emerging artist the opportunity to learn by listening and watching with contributions where appropriate and applicable as decided by the mentor.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a project-based opportunity for emerging artists to learn from hands on experience. Apprenticeships allow emerging artists to work alongside established artists in the area of interest. Apprentices will already have initial background and experience in the area of interest and will have exhibited a dedication to the craft. Apprenticeships can occur in the field(s) of directing, designing, management, dramaturgy, artistic direction, marketing, and education and outreach. Theatre Direct encourages passionate, driven, and dedicated artists looking to learn more in these areas to contact the theatre to discuss potential collaborations. The length of the apprenticeship is determined by the course of work/study.
Internships
Internships allow Theatre Direct the opportunity to employ artists and administrators for a period of time that fills a required staffing demand while allowing emerging artists who have proven themselves in the area of interest to take on significant responsibility and grow through the experience of managing their own projects. Internships can take place in the fields of artistic direction, dramaturgy, general management, education and outreach, assistant production management, and marketing.