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APPLY TO THE YES (YOUTH ENGAGEMENT SCARBOROUGH) Program - PERFORMANCE COHORT! 💸📝

  • 5 hours ago
  • 2 min read

Youth Engagement Scarborough (YES) is a grant program that supports young leaders in creating community-driven arts projects in Scarborough. Participants receive project funding, one-on-one mentorship from a working artist, and hands-on project management training. 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.


Deadline: Friday February 27th @ 11:59pm. Learn more and apply here!


Are you part of the 2026 Fringe Festival, age 15-30, and have a connection to Scarborough? You may be eligible for a YES performance grant. Learn more here!


Cohort 5 – Performance

This cohort supports performance-focused projects. Projects involving getting on your feet and developing a show, or running performance-based workshops should apply to this cohort. Your project may include writing elements, but the primary goal should be to create something that lives in performance.


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


What is the YES Showcase?

  • The showcase is an event produced by Guild Festival Theatre to celebrate, present and even pitch you and your project alongside other YES participants and invited guests.

  • There will be minimal lighting, sound, technical, and staging elements available. There will be no rehearsals in the space, just a simple tech the day of the event.

  • You can share up to 15 minutes of work—this could be an excerpt, a full piece, or a work-in-progress showing, etc.

  • Any related costs (e.g. actors, props, costumes, materials, etc.) should be included in your grant budget.

  • If you choose to produce your own event (reading, show, cabaret etc), you will still be required to present at the YES Showcase. Please include the associated costs to your event (rentals, directors, technical needs etc.) in your grant budget.


Application Timeline

  • Application Deadline: Friday February 27th @ 11:59pm

  • Funding Released: Early April

  • Project Period: January 26 – August 24, 2026

  • Skills-Building Workshops: TBD (One evening in April and one in June)

  • YES Showcase: Week of August 24, 2026 (One Full Day TBD)


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? Contact at outreach@guildfestivaltheatre.ca with any questions!

 
 
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