Through one-on-one pairings, 11 pairs of participants will engage with each other, focusing on skill development in theatre administration & management, tailored to meet each participant’s expressed needs like human resources, budgeting, governance,  contracting, planning, production support. These pairings will meet from March 2023 to June 2023 on a regular basis, as established by each pairing.

This cohort of participants will have an opportunity to connect and exchange ideas with each other in different meetings throughout the year, to share in development, challenges, successes, with an emphasis on developing a network of emerging leaders.

In addition to this, Rising Tides will host plenary professional development sessions with IBPOC industry leaders; as well as inviting these participants to attend optional Open Door sessions during the program as well.

Open Door is an initiative that offers the growing community of IBPOC arts administrators and managers a virtual space for building connections, awareness, and learning exchange through informal monthly gatherings.

Created by a collective of arts leaders from across Canada, Open Door is an opportunity for aspiring, emerging, and established IBPOC administrators to come together to share ideas, concerns, challenges, support, and solidarity. Participation is free and open to all interested and aspiring IBPOC administrators. 

These virtual meetings will provide a safe and encouraging space for skill development exchange, networking, and expanding social capital. In alignment with our Open Door Community Agreement and value of inclusion, while Open Door centers IBPOC administrators, other self-identifying equity-seeking administrators are also welcome to attend.

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

This program is proudly supported by the The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation (Metcalf Foundation) through its program: Booster Fund: Supporting Racialized Arts Workers.

We thank all the participating theatre companies in developing this program including:

Belfry Theatre, Native Earth Performing Arts, Obsidian Theatre Company, Urban Ink, Green Thumb Theatre, Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), Persephone Theatre and Nightwood Theatre.

We also thank the Rising Tides Advisory Circle for working with PACT to bring this program from the ground-up:

Melissa Tsang, Urban Ink Theatre
Naz Afsahi, Nightwood Theatre 
Breanne Harmon, Persephone Theatre
Isaac Thomas, Belfry Theatre
Michael Sinclair, Obsidian Theatre
Boomer Stacey, PACT