This Generation of BIPOC Leadership has Arrived, Announcing ThisGen 2021 Fellowship
We are thrilled to be announcing our second annual ThisGen Fellowship initiative, the national training and mentorship program supporting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) Female, Non-Binary, and Trans artists. Please give a warm welcome to ThisGen 2021 Fellowship, and the 15 Fellows from across Canada (From Iqaluit, Tkaronto/Toronto, Coast Salish Territories/Vancouver, Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, Treaty One Territory/Winnipeg, and Mohkínstsis/Calgary):
“As a female emerging director of colour, I have never had the opportunity to work with women of colour in my field. It is essential to my artistry and development as a director to have this access to some of the finest women leaders of colour that Why Not’s ThisGen Fellowship is offering.” — Cherissa Richards | ThisGen 2021 Fellow, Directing Stream
ThisGen 2021 Fellowship is a launchpad for Canadian artists to get to the next stage in their careers through training, mentorship, guided self-study, and peer-to-peer connection. The program runs online from February to June, where the 15 Fellows will either develop their skills in stage direction as part of the Directing Stream or in arts leadership as part of the Cultural Leadership Stream.
Directing Fellows will embark on a fifteen-week director-training program taught by a faculty of award-winning directors from around the world, while Cultural Leadership Fellows will be paired with a personalized mentor with experience running an arts organization. Each Fellow, Faculty Member, and Mentor is provided with a fee for their participation in the program. The 2021 cohort of Fellows was selected from across Canada, and applications were accepted in English and ASL.
These Fellows are connected with top-level international Faculty and Mentors who are creating some of the most ground-breaking, innovative work in the world and changing the sector through their leadership. Hailing from Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, Sweden, and the United States, the ThisGen 2021 Faculty and Mentors include:
“I am excited and energized by the incredible cohort we have brought together for ThisGen 2021. As we continue to work remotely, this unique time has afforded us the opportunity to reach across the globe, creating meaningful connections between our Canadian Fellows and International Faculty. The Fellows will have the opportunity to learn from these renowned artists, who are not only making thrilling art, but advocating for and making important change in their communities around the world. In the spirit of “building back better,” we’re investing in Canadian artists who are already doing the work to make positive change in their communities, today.” — Miriam Fernandes | Co-Artistic Director, Why Not Theatre
Click here to find out more about ThisGen Fellowship.
