Rising Tides

 

If you have any questions about the Rising Tides Mentorship Program please contact Rising Tides' Program Program Coordinator Andrea Demars at andread@pact.ca. 

About Rising Tides

Rising Tides is a paid, multi-faceted skill development and mentorship platform designed for IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour) performing arts administrators and managers. The initiative intends to fill a gap in the Canadian performing arts sector around the training and mentorship of developing and mid-career IBPOC administrators and managers by providing a program specific to the needs of this underserved community. 

Rising Tides was initially launched as a pilot program in 2023, led by PACT, Native Earth Performing Arts, Obsidian Theatre Company, Urban Ink, Green Thumb Theatre, Pacific Theatre, and Nightwood Theatre. 

Through one-on-one pairings, five pairs of mentees and mentors will engage with each other through monthly meetings that focus on skill development in theatre administration tailored to each participant’s expressed learning goals. These goals include topics on alternative leadership and programming models, budgeting, governance, contracting, strategic planning, audience development, and marketing. In addition to meeting regularly throughout the year, mentees will also participate in four plenary sessions between September 2025 and April 2026. Finally, in April 2026, the cohort will meet in-person at PACTcon 2026 for fellowship and additional programming.  

Applications are now closed for the 2025-2026 Rising Tides Program. 

Thank you to everyone who expressed interested and applied. 

 

Meet The Rising Tides Participants

Thank You! 

This program is proudly supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, through its Innovation and Development program.

We thank all the participating theatre companies past and present in developing this program.