/ Application Period: Monday, December 16, 2024 - Thursday, January 16, 2025 / Program Period: Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - Saturday, March 22, 2025



“Our mission is to disrupt, distort, and transform the Canadian arts sector.”

COHORT #1


Between October 19 and November 23, 2024, we proudly launched our first-ever Cohort! Mentees Zineb Allaoui (Touch Grass founder nurturing Ottawa’s ballroom culture), Candide Uyanze (creative technologist advocating for accessible digital media), and Fanta Souare (artist and poet exploring storytelling through radical love) embarked on a comprehensive development journey online and in-person in the Digital Arts Resource Centre and Club SAW.  

This included hybrid programming, a shadowing opportunity, and personalized one-on-one coaching sessions. We concluded the cohort with the presentation of their refined project proposals and the awarding of their $5,000+ honoraria.

Guided by mentors René Dumaresque and Stefana Fratila (CRIP RAVE), Naledi Sunstrum (musician and educator), and Willow Cioppa (playwright and educator), mentees participated in Interactive Workshops covering Accessibility Planning, Live Sound 101, Harm Reduction, Safe(r) Spaces, and Bystander Intervention Training.

The Lunch & Learn series, led by Rachel Weldon (Debaser), Katie Manners (Debaser), and Sandra Ngenge Dusabe (Debaser, The Moving Art Gallery). This three-part series focused on Event Planning Fundamentals, covering topics such as Event Financials, Operations and Management, Partnerships, and Outreach. Mentees also received access to detailed toolkits with templates and resources to support all stages of event planning.

Additionally, Nick Schofield (SAW Centre) led a hands-on Live Tech Production Shadowing Session, where mentees applied their skills in a real-world production setting, gaining valuable insights from soundcheck to teardown.

Mentees’ final projects will be presented throughout Spring and Summer 2025.