Why Not Theatre, in partnership with the National Arts Centre, is excited to announce the 2024 iteration of ThisGen Fellowship. ThisGen Fellowship is a national initiative that supports BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) women and non-binary performing arts practitioners get to the next stage in their careers through training, mentorship, paid learning opportunities, and peer-to-peer connection.
We are passionate about creating a future where BIPOC women and non-binary people have support, are celebrated, and have the resources and networks they need to thrive in the arts sector. By making connections to institutional leadership, enhancing valuable skill sets, and building a network of peers, ThisGen is a launchpad for Canadian cultural leaders.
“I felt deeply armed during my time in ThisGen. I have come to the realization through my work with these incredible women both teachers and peers, that there is space for our work, and not only that, we have the right to make it.”
Natasha Mumba, 2021 ThisGen Fellow
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APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTEND : Deadline to apply is Saturday, December 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST
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About the 2024 Fellowship
The 2024 Fellowship will centre around the collaboration between Directors and Designers. Eight Fellows will be selected as part of the 2024 cohort, and applicants may apply to participate in either the Directing Stream or the Design Stream. The program will begin in May 2024 and run until the end of August 2024 (exact dates of activity TBD).
The Directing Stream is designed for applicants interested in developing their skills as stage directors, while the Design Stream is designed for applicants interested in developing their skills in all aspects of performance design.
Program structure
Running over the course of four months, ThisGen Fellowship 2024 commences with a 1-month online paid training program featuring a faculty of internationally renowned arts leaders, followed by an in-person residency in Ottawa hosted by the National Arts Centre. Fellows will then develop a research proposal as the fellowship will culminate in a 2-week lab designed to allow each Fellow to explore and apply all that they have learned to their research question.
Timeline
(exact dates and times TBD)
May 2024: Training Seminars (5/week for 1 month), online
June 10-14 2024: NAC Residency, Ottawa
July 2024: Lab Prep, online
August 2024: Exploratory Lab, Toronto
Past ThisGen mentors and faculty members have included:
- Alyssa Simmons (Creative Producer & GM of The Public Theater, USA)
- Dawn Walton (Founder of Eclipse Theatre, England)
- Denise Bolduc (Director, Indigenous Arts at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Canada)
- Josette Bushell-Mingo (Head of Theatre Department at Stockholm University, Sweden)
- Julie Nagam (Artistic Director of Nuit Blanche Toronto, Winnipeg)
- Kate McGrath (Director & Chief Executive of Fuel, UK)
- Latiana Gourzong (Technical Director at American Repertory Theatre, USA)
- Leslie Ishii (Artistic Director of Perseverance Theatre, USA)
- Madeline Sayet (Executive Director of Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program, USA)
- Maiko Yamamoto (Artistic Director of Theatre Replacement, Vancouver, Canada)
- Nataki Garrett (Artistic Director of Oregon Shakespeare Festival, USA)
- Nicole Brewer (Acting faculty at Yale School of Drama, USA)
- Rachael Maza (Artistic Director of Ilbijerri Theatre Company, Australia)
- Rachel Chavkin (Tony Award-winning director, USA)
- Ronee Penoi (Director of Artistic Programming at Arts Emerson, USA)
- Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway (Founder of Artistic Directors of the Future, UK)
- Stephanie Rolland (Independent Creative Producer, USA)
- Syrus Marcus Ware (Visual artist and political activist, Toronto)
- Tobi Kyeremateng (Independent Producer, London, UK)
- Ty Defoe (Core Member of Indigenous Directions, USA)
- Weyni Mengesha (Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre, Toronto)
- Yvette Nolan (Multi-award winning playwright & director, Saskatoon)
Past ThisGen mentors have included:
- Akram Khan (Olivier Award-winning choreographer, England)
- Amrita Ramanan (Director of Lit Development at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, USA)
- Antoine Hunter (Director of Urban Jazz Dance Company, USA)
- Crystal Pite (Olivier Award-winning choreographer, Vancouver)
- Elisheba Ittoop (Acclaimed sound designer, USA)
- Julie Fox (Dora Award-winning set designer, Toronto)
- Kama La Mackerel (Multi-disciplinary artist, Montréal)
- Kirsty Housley (Tony-nominated theatre director, England)
- Lily Shearer (Co-Founder of Moogahlin Performing Arts Inc., Australia)
- Lisa Fa’alafi (Co-creator of the international smash hit Hot Brown Honey, Australia)
- Marcus Youssef (Siminovitch Award-winning playwright, Vancouver)
- Mimi Lien (Tony Award-winning designer, USA)
- Peter Lyne (Technical Director of Indigenous Theatre at the NAC, Ottawa)
- Pitseolak Kilabuk (Director of Operations of Inuit Broadcasting Corp, Iqaluit)
- Ramesh Meyyappan (Multi-award winning theatre artist, Scotland)
- Wesley Enoch (Past Festival Director of Sydney Festival, Australia)
All applicants must:
- Identify as women and/or non-binary*;
- Identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Colour);
- Have a practice in the performing arts with a focus on either Directing or Design;
- Have 5 or more years of professional practice in the performing arts;
- Short-listed candidates must be available for interviews from January 15-19, 2024;
- Be available between May 2024 - August 2024 for Fellowship activities (exact dates TBD) .
*Note: ThisGen Fellowship is a Trans-inclusive program.
Application details:
- Application form
- Application deadline extend : Deadline to apply is Saturday, December 30th, 2023 at 11:59pm EST
- Successful applicants will be notified by February 2024
For more information visit: https://whynot.theatre/work/thisgen-fellowship/
If you have any questions about the application process, email Mary Anderson.
