RISER Goes National, Expanding to Support Independent Artists in Edmonton
We are thrilled to announce that RISER is going national! With generous support from the Government of Canada and the RBC Foundation, Why Not Theatre is embarking on a national expansion of RISER, starting in Edmonton in February 2022 and expanding into other Canadian cities in 2023.
What does this mean? The collaborative producing model for independent artists we founded in 2014 is now expanding across Canada to support more artists. RISER was created to address the challenges of producing independent theatre. RISER brings together senior leadership from the theatre community with emerging artists in order to maximize existing infrastructures, share resources and risk, help build new audiences, and support a commitment to create and innovate.
The first branch of RISER’s national expansion is RISER Edmonton, and we’ve partnered with the incredible folks at Common Ground Arts Society (CGAS) to achieve this. RISER will provide support for four Edmonton-based shows in 2022, including in-kind resources and a year-long producing mentorship and training program. The inaugural senior partners are Edmonton Fringe Theatre, Citadel Theatre, Catalyst Theatre, and Azimuth Theatre.
“We are thrilled to once again shine the spotlight on a new generation of theatre creators through RISERx 2023,” said Why Not Theatre’s Co-Artistic Director Ravi Jain. “Ten years ago we approached our sister theatre organizations with an audacious idea: let’s pool our knowledge and resources and create a shared platform for emerging artists to develop and present their work. Luckily, they agreed, and the rest is history.”
–Ravi Jain | Founder & Co-Artistic Director, Why Not Theatre
“Why Not Theatre and Performance at TMU are both dedicated to pushing boundaries in contemporary performance and creating meaningful change in the industry. I love the fact that a company as important and integral to Canada as Why Not Theatre welcomes teaming up with Performance actors and production students, to put on beautiful, necessary performances that engage with communities beyond the campus. Thank you Why Not for helping make this possible.”
–Cole Lewis | Head of Acting, Toronto Metropolitan University.
“Partnering with TMU offers new opportunities for collaboration and learning for our 2023 cohort of directors, actors, technicians and designers. We could not think of a more fitting way to celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary than adding this new layer of engagement. Thanks to TMU for helping make this iteration a reality.”
–Miriam Fernandes | Co-Artistic Director of Why Not Theatre
“RISER Regina and the emerging national RISER network will be a game-changer for our independent artists. The cooperative producing model supports underserved artists in bringing their stories, their issues and their new creative visions to the stage. Through intensive mentorship and a supportive network of senior organizational partners and artists, RISER encourages risk taking at a time when many arts organizations are programming cautiously for pandemic recovery. RISER will help us energize and transform the face of performance in our community--and mobilize a network for the exchange of new work and underserved artists across the country.”
–Mary Blackstone | Chair, Steering Committee, On Cue Performance Hub
“RISER Edmonton is an inspiringly collaborative approach to theatre creation that will ensure emerging artists are well-supported in the development of new work, while providing meaningful connection to senior leadership in our community. It’s a win-win for everyone: we share the risk, we resource the next generation of theatre artists, we invest in the future of Canadian theatre, and we close the mentorship gap that exists in those in-between years when artists need the most support to transition from emerging to established.”
–Beth Dart | Artistic Producer, Common Ground Arts Society
“RISER is by design entirely collaborative. We were able to develop and refine RISER in Toronto with the help of a community of Senior Partners and a talented roster of artists. Since the model has been such a successful platform in supporting underserved artists in Toronto, we wanted to bring it to other major city centres across Canada to support more artists all across the country. We’re excited and humbled to start this journey in Edmonton, a city brimming with more theatre artists per capita than any city in Canada. We couldn’t be more grateful to both the RBC Foundation and Canadian Heritage in helping us to share this vision and impact change on a national level.”
–Ravi Jain | Founder & Co-Artistic Director, Why Not Theatre
"RISER Project is going to help shape the future of theatre in Toronto. Instead of waiting around for existing systems to evolve, Why Not Theatre has taken it upon themselves to bust shit apart and look at it from a different angle, to actively try to actually change things. It’s brave and it’s damn exciting."
–Norah Sadava and Amy Nostbakken, creators of Mouthpiece and RISER Project artists
"True champions of the independent artist. I'm constantly floored by their commitment to truly giving me and all the other artists a platform."
–daniel jellani ellis, creator of speaking of sneaking and RISER Project artist
Are you an Edmonton-based artist looking to present and create new work? Read more about RISER Edmonton and apply with CGAS. Applications are due April 16, 2021.
RISER is just one of the ways we’re making room for more artists and audiences, empowering and connecting everyone through art. In 2023, RISER will be coming to another Canadian city near you. Stay tuned for more information about RISER Toronto.
RISER is made possible through the generous support of RBC Foundation, TD Bank Group, the Government of Canada, and a network of Senior Partners. The first three years of RISER were made possible by Toronto Arts Council’s Open Door program.
