Posted by Guild Festival Theatre
Guild Festival Theatre’s Youth Engagement Scarborough (YES) Program – Performance Cohort Applications Open
Youth Engagement Scarborough (YES) is an exciting new grant program funded in part by the Canada Service Corps designed to empower youth to lead dynamic, community-driven arts projects in Scarborough! Through this program, you’ll receive funding to cover project costs, one-on-one mentorship from a working artist, and hands-on project management training. If you’re a passionate young leader eager to inspire and connect with your community through art, this is your chance!
We’re looking for creators of live performance projects! Whether you’ve been performing for years or are just starting your journey, we want to support you. If you have a performance piece or a creative idea you’ve been dreaming about, this program will give you the funding and mentorship to bring it to life—all while collaborating with and engaging other youth.
The program will culminate in an exciting YES Showcase, where you’ll have the opportunity to share your project with an audience in a way that is meaningful to you and your community.
Ready to turn your ideas into reality? Join us and make your mark!
Applications are open at guildfestivaltheatre.ca/yes
Who is Guild Festival Theatre?
For more than a decade, Guild Festival Theatre has enchanted patrons at beautiful open-air productions at the stunning Greek Theatre in Scarborough’s iconic Guild Park. Scarborough’s only professional theatre, GFT is proud to champion local arts and culture and has been honoured with numerous awards and commendations, including “Best Live Theatre” (Scarborough Mirror), the Urban Hero Award (Metroland Media), the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award, the King Charles III Coronation Medal, and two Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
What You Get
-
A grant between $1,000 – $5,000 to fund your project
- Mentorship from a professional artist
- Hands-on project management and creative training sessions
- A chance to engage your community & connect with other young artist leaders
- A showcase to share your artistic project.
Timeline
- Applications Open: Monday, May 5, 2025
- Info Session: Tuesday, May 27 (6-8pm) – RSVP Here
- Applications Close: Sunday, June 1 @ 11:59 PM
- Program Orientation: Monday, June, 23 2025 (Evening)
- Skills-Building Workshops: TBD
- YES Showcase: Week of August 25th (One Evening)
Who Can Apply?
- Youth (ages 15-30) with a connection to Scarborough
- Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and youth with a granted refugee status
- Performing Arts-based projects that engage multiple youth in the community
- No prior professional creative or project management experience needed—just passion and creativity!
- Priority will be given to:
- Indigenous youth
- Visible minority/racialized youth
- Youth with disabilities
- 2SLGBTQ+ youth
- Newcomer youth
- Youth from official language minority communities (OLMC)
- Youth living in rural or remote areas
- Youth from low-income households
Not sure if you qualify? Reach out! ✉️ outreach@guildfestivaltheatre.ca