National Training Program Celebrates 8 BIPOC Women & Non-Binary Performing Arts Professionals from Across Canada

April 30, 2024 – TORONTO (Canada) – Why Not Theatre, in partnership with the National Arts Centre, is proud to announce the cohort for ThisGen Fellowship 2024. This national initiative is an accelerator for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) women and non-binary* performing arts professionals that provides paid training and mentorship opportunities with world-class artists, national residency gatherings, and peer connection. The program offers a unique opportunity that equips participants with the skills, networks, and resources to expand the kind of work seen on Canadian stages, as well as reimagine the process of making it.
*ThisGen Fellowship is a Trans-inclusive program. 

In 2024, ThisGen Fellowship will focus on the collaboration between directors and designers, with eight artists selected for the cohort. "I am thrilled to share the incredible lineup of Canadian and international artists who are part of ThisGen Fellowship 2024,” said Why Not Theatre’s Co-Artistic Director Miriam Fernandes. “ThisGen is unique in the Canadian training landscape, in that it provides the opportunity for Fellows to learn from international arts leaders. This year we have assembled a cohort of designers and directors together to nurture this powerful collaborative relationship and provoke a deeper understanding of the collision between the practices.”  

THISGEN 2024 FELLOWS

Selected from 87 applicants from across Canada, the ThisGen 2024 Directing Fellows are Arthi Chandra, Lisa Karen Cox, Roshanak Jaberi, desirée leverenz and the ThisGen 2024 Design Fellows are Ashley Au, Samay Arcentales Cajas, Meghan Cheng, and Sarah Uwadiae.  

This year’s program starts with an online paid training intensive led by internationally renowned artists, followed by an in-person residency at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa from June 10-14. The fellowship will culminate in a two-week hands-on lab in Toronto where the Fellows will apply their learnings in an exploratory setting.  

Now in its fifth year, ThisGen Fellowship has been committed to redefining the future of cultural leadership in Canada by advancing the careers of 40 BIPOC artists. "The connections I made both in Canada and internationally through ThisGen Fellowship were invaluable,” shared Vanessa Sears, a 2022-23 Fellow whose mentorship was with Lileana Blain-Cruz, a Tony-nominated director who invited Sears to New York City to observe rehearsals at The Metropolitan Opera as part of their mentorship exchange. “That, coupled with the practical knowledge and skills passed on from the faculty and shared within our cohort made the experience truly singular and transformative. I am so grateful for my time and my learning with this program. It has truly evolved my directing practice and inspired new artistic goals." 

By introducing Fellows to leading international artists creating groundbreaking work, the fellowship aims to expand imagination around artistic and leadership practices and equip this generation of cultural leaders in Canada with the tools to shape the future of the performing arts. 

ThisGen Fellowship 2024 faculty from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States includes Omar Elerian (directing), Katie Mitchell (directing), Maiko Yamamoto (directing), Gareth Fry (design), Andy Moro (design), Rajha Shakiry (design), Madeline Sayet (directing), Asa Benally (design), Dawn Walton (directing), Simon Kenny (design), Alex Eales (design), Hana S. Kim (design) and Christian Lapointe (directing).

 "We are so grateful to be partnering once again with Why Not Theatre on ThisGen Fellowship, said NAC President and CEO Christopher Deacon. “This outstanding professional development opportunity will not only benefit its Fellows: by sharing their knowledge going forward, they will help strengthen and advance the Canadian performing arts. We congratulate the 2024 cohort and look forward to welcoming them to the NAC for their residency in June.” 

For more information about ThisGen Fellowship, visit Why Not Theatre.  

ThisGen is produced by Why Not Theatre in partnership with the National Arts Centre. 

THANK YOU

ThisGen Fellowship is made possible by the generous support of Canadian Heritage through the Canada Arts Training Fund, the National Arts Centre and RBC Foundation, with additional support provided by Canada Council for the Arts, Kingfisher Foundation, Lindy Green Family Foundation, Metcalf Foundation, Toronto Arts Council and Youssef Warren Foundation. 

ABOUT WHY NOT THEATRE

Founded in 2007, Why Not Theatre is a Toronto-based theatre company with an international scope. Why Not has established a reputation for inventive and cross-cultural collaborations. Over 15 years, Why Not has developed 55 new works with 81 tour stops to 40 cities and 11 countries, including the world-wide hit A Brimful of Asha, performed more than 300 times globally, and the critically acclaimed Mahabharata. Led by Co-Artistic Directors Miriam Fernandes and Ravi Jain and Executive Director Karen Tisch, the company has an international reputation for creating innovative, cutting-edge theatre, and providing opportunities for artists to be seen across Canada and around the world. Follow Why Not Theatre on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE

The National Arts Centre (NAC) is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams — the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety — and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Intisar Awisse  
ThisGen Fellowship Artistic Producer  
Why Not Theatre                
519 589-0781  
intisar@whynot.theatre 

 

Anicée Lejeune 
Communications Strategist 
Programs and Special Projects 
National Arts Centre 
514 237-9553 
anicee.lejeune@nac-cna.ca