For nearly three dozen young artists, a workplace development program run by the City of Toronto was the creative career boost they needed.
The two-year-old ArtWorksTO program connected 35 emerging artists with a months-long paid project with a city department or one of the program's three other partners, plus mentors to help them navigate a media art industry where they might not otherwise feel they belong.
Focused on uplifting Black, Indigenous and other young people of colour, as well as young people from a gender or sexual minority (2SLGBTQIA), the program also provided some of its cohort with a qualification from one of its main partners, the Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCAD), for free.
That was what made the partnership between Toronto Arts Foundation's Neighbourhood Arts Network, the City of Toronto, The Remix Project and OCAD transformative for new graduate Theia Ramsammy, a visualizer and storyteller now looking to exhibit her art and get involved in program facilitation.
“It lets me not have to put my creative pursuits and goals on the backburner just to get by,” they said, adding that rich conversations with mentors — about dealing with imposter syndrome and how to take steps up an industry ladder — were invaluable, as was learning how to constructively say no to prospective work.
“I'm so thankful for all of that,” Ramsammy said.
Niya Abdullahi, who completed last year’s program, told the graduation ceremony held in council chambers at city hall this week that it was important for them to keep creating art because there was an eager audience for it now and future generations will want to see it, too.
“You are supposed to be there and your voice matters,” she said. “What you're saying matters.”
The participants were paid $4,000 for a five-month media, art or design contract with either a division of the city or one of its partners, during which time they were expected to build a relationship with their client, develop a work plan and complete project deliverables.
They also picked up invaluable tips from professionals from marginalized communities who knew some of their struggles and had made it anyway.
“Networking horizontally allows you all to advance vertically,” mentor Zamour Johnson said in an interview after the ceremony. “Being able to tell the students that felt really good, you know, because I remember being in their position and not being able to really speak to anyone.”
The 30-year-old video producer, who works for Shopify, said he learned everything from YouTube and figured things out from there. He was happy the students have an opportunity to avoid some of the previous generation’s hardships.
While some of those challenges are systemic in the industry, some are about breaking through cultural barriers, one participant said.
“I have a medical degree and I absolutely hate it,” said Srutika Sabu, a 29-year-old illustrator. “And a large part of that was listening to parents, especially Brown parents, who fear anything that's related to doing anything creative and uncertain.”
This was the second year the city ran the workplace development scheme and the first to celebrate in person. With additional funding, they were able to offer 10 more spots than in the launch year.
Morgan Sharp / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
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