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From the Desk of Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony Director of ArtReach Celebrity deaths can certainly have an impact on people world wide, particularly if the person left a great legacy and were loved by fans and admirers of their work. Most often despite not knowing a celebrity artist personally, an individual's personal connection to the art can leave one feeling sad and affected. In certain cases, such as this Sunday’s untimely death of artist, entrepreneur and community advocate Ermias Asghedom, widely known by his artist name Nispey Hussle, the loss can have a detrimental effect on entire communities as the personal connections to the art and community work have profound impacts on people. As the Director of an Arts serving organization which works with a majority of young, racialialized and marginalized artists and community leaders, I found myself barely able to function and deeply grieving on Monday following the news of Nipsey’s death; I was fortunate to be working from home, as being at the office wouldn’t have been an option (I was an emotional mess). I then thought about how many of the young people, particularly those from the Black community who experience this kind of trauma on a regular basis were feeling and thought, I hope that space was made for them to be able to self care and grieve, even though I know that is rare and often difficult due to a number of factors. As part of my own grieving I posted my condolences and respect to Nipsey on my own personal social media pages, but also thought to check in with a few folks who I thought would be emotionally, mentally and maybe even physically impacted by this news. Nipsey Hussle was not just some run of the mill rapper, he was a huge community leader and advocate for not only his community in South Central Los Angeles, but I like to think world wide. His actions, words, art, investments and entrepreneurial spirit offered Black artists, leaders and entrepreneurs to become more, invest in their community and flourish. His music reflected the journey of many who were navigating their own journeys out of poverty and marginalization while overcoming violent traumas, inequitable treatment and racism. Even his relationship with actress and model Lauren London was a counter example of the negative stereotypes cast on Black relationships; as per their recent GQ cover they were #BlackCoupleGoals. Nipsey was a beacon of hope to many people, particularly young Black men looking for an alternative route to success in industries where they are either not welcomed or pressured to adapt lifestyles that are unsustainable and continue to break down the Black community. His impact was beyond South Central Los Angeles, as my Instagram stayed flooded with personal stories from Toronto creatives, leaders, entrepreneurs, fans and young people of the way in which he impacted their lives. With that being said, I end this letter by urging those who do community engaged work, whether you are on the frontline or in a managerial position to check in on your staff, check in on your co workers and peers, check in on your program participants, particularly those who saw themselves reflected in Nipsey Hussle and may also have had some of their hope for making change knocked out. This is the kind of grief that seeps into you mentally, emotionally and physically which is surely deeply affecting organizations, communities and individuals alike. Lastly, I am gladly making myself available to anyone who wants to reach out who needs someone to talk to and just let their grief off their chest and share in commemorating the legacy of a great man who was doing great things for himself, his family, his community and worldwide. You can find me on all social channels at @paulinaokieffe or @artreachto or by email paulina@artreach.org As the late Tupac Shakur said, “We got to keep our head up!” Rest in Peace Nipsey Hussle (1985-2019) With love and light, Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony Director Artreach

Into hip-hop? Want access to professional music recording opportunities? Interested in taking your talents to the next level? Then keep reading to learn about ArtReach grantee, The Dirty B-Sides! The Dirty B-Sides are one of Toronto’s leading hip-hop music collectives, working to create an open door for youth to learn, join, and expand in their own ventures! Funded by ArtReach in 2018, they offered a community-based performance workshop series that worked to create a sustainable culture surrounding live hip-hop performances, teaching professional skills, and improving quality and ethics of artists. The project concluded with a professional recording session for six Toronto musicians. ArtReach team member, Zvi, was able to sit in on this live recording session and see the success of the project firsthand. He notes, “the level of professionalism of the music The Dirty B-Sides was putting on was fantastic to witness. We were able to listen to two different youth artists perform and record live with the band. The amount of talent and experience in the room from the musicians and young artists was a fantastic experience and was really inspiring”. In reflecting on the goals of the project, Band Leader Donny Milwaukee spoke to the importance of being able to, “incorporate some sort of high school program and education. We want to make knowledge sharing a lot bigger than what it is, and allow people to learn what they can’t from schools or the internet”. He further shared how important it is to build relationships and partnerships with youth and adults with the same interests and passions, as there is so much that can be learned from one another and everyone can bring in new and different lived experiences. When asked where he sees the program going in the future, Donny tells us, we’ve “been doing things like this without support- finding artists stuck in their career and wanting to help them through live recording sessions. We’ve done video shoots before but looked towards arts-based grants to make this project happen, as it wasn’t sustainable before. Ideally we want everyone to catch up on the technology side of things in the music industry, and once caught up and everyone is on the same page, we can take our work to the next level and allow for more artists to get involved in the program. Another goal of ours is to get artists ready to go and perform around the world, which would get the program known internationally”. If you want to check out the great work The Dirty B-Sides are doing and get involved in their programming, check them out on their website or on Instagram @wethebsides!

“I have never felt so open and comfortable exploring the different ways of art. This is the first time I’ve truly felt my voice and expressed without fear or hesitation”, shares a program participant of HARVEST. “My performance and presentation has dramatically improved. Bringing validity and power to my words, and intentionality to my music as well”, echoes another. A third notes simply and powerfully: “I feel like my inner poet has woken”. Not surprisingly, project participants have commented about the need for opportunities ‘like this’. From September to November 2018, artists and project coordinators Majd Sayed and Virginia Jahyu facilitated HARVEST, a youth-led interdisciplinary arts series that offered strength-based creative cultivation to a group of youth from Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities across the GTA. Held in Regent Park, this project offered both access to an anti-violent art space and politically conscious creative exploration to a group of youth who are often systemically denied these services. Through HARVEST, youth developed creative arts skills (specifically in performing arts and creative writing), gained the opportunity to develop a strong support network, and were able to increase their sense of belonging, well-being, and creative confidence. How does a project like this start? Majd, a displaced AFAB non-binary queer Palestinian artist, and Virginia, a queer, second-generation East Asian Canadian artist and poet, met at a training program for Expressive Arts Therapy. At that time, the two held a deep interest in creating safe spaces for marginalized, queer identified peoples, particularly low-income Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. Majd and Virginia came up with an idea to carry out the work of expressive arts in the communities they both belong to- poetry and social justice was a path that fit the objective of community arts empowerment, and with that in mind, HARVEST was born. From there, the search began for financial support via grants to carry out their idea of offering an intermodal arts workshop series, leading them to ArtReach. “Without this financial backing, we would not have been able to rent a space, provide meals, offer tokens, or provide quality art supplies. This gathering of BIPoC, queer youth was made possible by ArtReach”, states Majd and Virginia. After receiving this grant and partnering with Springtide Resources and The Create Institute, the program was ready to launch. Looking at the effect the program has had on participants and community members, Majd and Virginia reflect, “We have received largely positive and supportive feedback from the community. Participants expressed their desire to use the creative activities they learned at HARVEST in their personal life and share it with friends. Throughout the six weeks, participants became more confident in their own artistic and creative abilities as well as their willingness and desire to share their art work. This created an extremely inspired and non-judgmental space for community art and expression that was not there at the beginning of the project”. So what’s next for HARVEST? Since wrapping up the series in December, Majd and Virginia have entered a time of reflection and review before making decisions on any future programming. However, they shared that, “after the completion of the project, a couple of the youth participants organized a poetry and art gathering night where they facilitated some of the activities we learned together at HARVEST within their own communities and friend groups”. From this, it’s clear that however Majd and Virginia decide to proceed, the spirit of the creative fire stoked through HARVEST and the desire to continue supporting one another in the artistic development process will carry on.

An organization plans for a project with specific objectives and targeted results in mind. Some organizations may have a fixed project team with a project manager, whereas, some organizations will appoint their existing functional managers to take up projects. A project manager should possess some key skills to lead a project. Communication Skill – A project manager should have good communication skill. A project can fail miserably if there are communication gaps. Communication is crucial right from the start of the project. A project manager should have good listening skills and also be able to comprehend information quickly. At the initial stage of a project, a project manager should have the ability to understand the objectives of a project. A project manager should have a clear understanding of what the client or stakeholders want to achieve with the project. Without being able to understand the objective and the results expected from the project, a project manager cannot proceed with working on the project. A project manager should be able to communicate what is required of the team members. Listening to the team member's ideas as well as grievances are critical for a project. A project manager should be clear in informing the clients about the progress of the project at every stage as well as motivate the team and give directions to them at every stage. Time Management – Scheduling and managing different functions on time is the key to run and finish a project on time. It is crucial to organize the tasks and prioritize them. A project manager should delegate tasks to team members and give them a deadline to finish the work on time. A project manager should monitor if the work is being done and will be completed on the stipulated time to avoid any last minute hiccups. Analytical Skills–A project manager should possess the skill of analyzing everything to reach the desired results. When a project manager starts working on a project, analysis has to be made to understand the risk involved, the changes it will bring about in the organization, budget involved in the project, market changes, and the impacts of the end result of the project. If a manager fails to analyze the various factors involved in the success of a project, the project will fail. Teamwork– A project is teamwork. The group of employees with the right skill set and passion come together to achieve the targeted result. A project manager should have the capability to understand team member’s strengths and weaknesses and allot work accordingly. If work is allotted according to their strengths, it is easy to achieve the desired results. Leadership & Risk Management – Leadership quality is important for all managers and a project manager is no exception. A project manager should be able to lead his team members till the end of the project without any conflicts. Even if there is a conflict, a project manager should be able to handle and sort it out without impacting productivity. There are times, a project manager has to negotiate with stakeholders and vendors, and they will be required to be assertive to get his/her work done for the success of the project. Every project has a certain amount of risk involved. A project manager should be able to identify the risks involved in every project. The decisions or changes made during a project may have adverse effects on the working of a project. If a project manager fails to identify the negative impacts, the project may fail or come to a standstill. It is important for a project manager to be able to analyze the risk involved in a project to overcome them. Handling Stress – A project manager should be able to handle stress. A project is completely on the shoulders of the project manager. Whether a project is a success or failure, a project manager will be responsible for the results. It is a role where stress involved is quite high. To take on each day with the same zest and zeal, a project manager has to have 8 hours of sleep every night. It is important to sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow for a good night’s sleep. Otherwise, it will lead to disturbed sleep and will impact negatively at work. Speed reading – Many people have poor reading habits. A project manager has to read an insanely good number of emails, legal documents and business case studies for his/her project. A project manager may not have the luxury of time to spend hours on reading. Also, spending hours on reading emails and documents will impact productivity and time management. Time is crucial for any project, so managing reading time is also important. A project manager should have the skill to read at a faster rate than the normal reading speed. The normal speed of reading is 200 to 250 words per minute. A person with speed reading skill can read around 400 to 1200 words per minute. A manager should be able to read at least 600 to 900 words per minute. There are various techniques to learn speed reading. A project manager can practice speed reading through skimming or scanning through a document, avoid vision regression, avoid long pauses while reading, and avoid sub-vocalization. Subject Matter Expert – A project manager should know the products/services of his/her organization. Only if they knows the product well, then they will be able to make profitable and wise decisions for the project. To conduct meetings and discussions about the product/services with vendors, stakeholders, clients, and team members, a project manager should know his/her product in and out. Without knowing the product, the project will be a failure. Quality Management – A project manager with an efficient team can finish a project in a stipulated time. However, the quality of the result is as important as finishing a project on time. If the result achieved is subpar, the success of the project is short lived. Sleep: Another important aspect when it comes to improving your overall productivity and increasing your project management skills is getting good sleep. A person who has 8 hours of sleep has a huge advantage over others when it comes to having an alert mind which results in better communication and quick issue resolution. In today’s fast paced world we can’t expect to have enough time to sleep but you can make that up by choosing a good mattress, ensuring that you sleep at regular hours and avoid checking your phone a minimum of one hour before you sleep. A project manager has to possess all these qualities to be successful in leading a project. They has to lead a team with efficiency and achieve targeted results. It is a challenging role to be a project manager. The success of a project impacts the working of an organization. It has a strong impact on the budget, profits, and productivity of an organization. A client or stakeholder will appoint you as a project manager only if they see the skills in you to be a successful project manager. It is important for a project manager to constantly work on improving their skill and knowledge. Author: Jimmy Cowan, myspeedreading.com

Mat Plummer is a filmmaker, film teacher at Seneca College, and a three-time ArtReach grant recipient. In 2008, Mat founded The Film Stars Project, a non-profit organization that teaches filmmaking to youth living in priority neighborhoods in Toronto. Film Stars gives young people the opportunity to learn the various skills required to produce documentaries, newcasts, and feature films, and also provides skill training in photography and make-up for film and photography.

Joel Zola is a Toronto-based poet, artist, community-changemaker, and three-time ArtReach grant recipient. After spending years navigating the streets of Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto, in 2014 Joel founded Street Voices, a media platform for street-involved and at-risk youth to share their stories, artwork, and opinions with the world. Through weekly workshops, live performance events, and publishing opportunities, Street Voices uses art to empower racialized and marginalized youth throughout the city of Toronto.

Stand up and say to yourself in a loud, low voice, “KA-pow!” or “SOMEONE STOLE MY BICYCLE!”, while bouncing up and down, rocking side to side, or walking in a circle. This warm-up exercise opened a session of The Hideout Media Lab program- preparing their actor-participants for filming by releasing any discomfort form their bodies. From September to December 2018, Illumine Media Project ran The Hideout Media Lab, a community-based arts initiative which brought together a group of youth from the Scarborough region to experience both media analysis and media creation. Building on a previous pilot project, this series of workshops gave participants the opportunity to analyze themes in Illumine Media Projects’ youth-created web series, How We Grow, in order to reflect on their own neighbourhoods and communities, as well as to create and develop their own artistic projects, through script-writing, acting, filming, and recording. Project Coordinator Sama Kokabi tells us, “We would show an episode, talk of themes, and let youth come up with their own”. Participating youth developed both their artistic skills and leadership skills by determining the content of the film and through their use of the available film equipment. But while able to choose their own paths for the project, youth were never left alone in their endeavors. Thanks to the amazing project team, youth had a technical support system for each creative session of crafting their film. During the project, participants developed a film that follows the story of a female immigrant student’s life as a cricket player while she works through the rough terrain of balancing school friendships with fellow peers and extra-curricular activities, all while aquainting herself with a new country and culture. This experience not only lead to the production of this film, but also gave youth the skills needed to develop future film projects of their own. In interviewing Sama, she notes that the project was about trying to produce a “film with a meaningful message”. She explained the need to incorporate diverse communities into the film, and that the project needed to provide youth with the ability to talk about or write about what they are seeing in the world around them. A key focus of the project was to consider what different communities were going through and what their take on the content was. What’s next for the Hideout Media Lab? While the 2018 sessions were based solely out of the L'Amoreaux Community Recreation Center in Scarborough, the group hopes to expand future rounds of programming to other areas of the City, opening the project up to a wider array of participants. On behalf of ArtReach, we would like to congratulate The Hideout Media Lab on completing their final film, and for a very successful program! (Check out the film here!)

ArtReach has created a new guide to support you through the preparation, writing, and submitting of your grant to ArtReach's granting program! Click HERE to check it out! The guide will walk you through an overview of our funding program, guidance on how to answer each question in ArtReach's grant application form, how to complete a strong budget and workplan, where to submit your application, and a list of resources to provide you with additional support! Our next funding deadline is February 1, 2019. Learn more at artreach.org/grants

NEW ARTREACH GRANTING PROGRAM DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2019! ArtReach is distributing $300,000 in grants to youth arts projects in Toronto! This funding is available thanks to ArtReach’s partnership with the Toronto Arts Council. Learn more about this partnership here. We are currently accepting applications from young people running projects in Toronto that: Increase access to quality arts opportunities that encourage creative expression and involve meaningful engagement of youth (ages 13 – 29) in Toronto Promote social inclusion and provide opportunities for youth to develop leadership skills, capacity and opportunities within their communities and the initiatives they lead Provide opportunities for youth to benefit from both the intrinsic (e.g. enjoyment, creative expression) and instrumental value (e.g. community engagement, skills development, social change) of the arts Involve youth in project development, implementation and evaluation Involve artist(s) with relevant experience and reach into participating communities To ensure that you are eligible to apply and to confirm the correct funding stream for your project, please click here to review our program guidelines. Further information and application instructions can be found on our website here. GRANT WRITING AND ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS Want to know more about how to write an amazing grant application? Check out our Grant Writing 101 Toolkit, Videos (Good Habits, Top Tips, The Basics), or Resources Page! If you’re planning on applying for the upcoming deadline and think you could use some extra support, we’re host a Grant Writing 101 Workshop on December 13th, 2018 (RSVP here) and a second workshop in January 2018. More information on this workshop to come. Have questions or concerns? First time applying for a grant? Accessibility needs? Want to set up time to talk with a grants manager? Email grants@artreach.org!

ArtReach is looking for new volunteer members for our Resource Development Advisory Committee! Please see the job description below. To volunteer with us as a Fundraising Committee Member please email a letter and resume to info@artreach.org with “Fundraising Committee Member Applicant” in the Subject Line. Position: Fundraising Committee Member Reporting To: Director Position Type: Volunteer ArtReach's mission is to support local arts initiatives that engage excluded youth. This is carried out through the provision of resources, mentorship, tools and skill-building opportunities for young artists, youth leaders and youth-led groups and organizations in Toronto. Overview: The role of the Fundraising Committee is to ensure that the organization remains financially viable and self-sustainable in order to continue to serve the youth arts and grassroots organizing community. This committee provides support by developing and implementing fundraising strategies and actions raising funds for ArtReach through fundraising efforts, providing recommendations for strategic marketing, as well as engaging and maintaining relationships with donors who align with and wish to support ArtReach in carrying out its mission. As a member of the Resource Development Advisory Committee your responsibilities will be as follows: Attend meetings as required- at least once per quarter, and more frequently as required by the committee or task workload. Supporting the development of a three-year fundraising plan Ongoing individual and team capacity building in fundraising practices Creating and coordinating fundraising events (at least one large event annually)Contribute to decision-making in all areas of activity of the committee. Provide creative and respectful input to deliberations of the committee Take on and fulfill specific tasks related to planning and execution of activities and reaching goals set and agreed to by the committee Report to the committee Chair and fellow committee members with comprehensive notes on assigned tasks regularly or in a timely or agreed to manner Term of Office: Fundraising Committee members are appointed to a two-year term. Qualifications: Sincere interest and/or related experience in fundraising Sincere interest and/or related experience in supporting youth arts and culture Transferable skills in one or more areas of fundraising, marketing, communications, public relations, promotions, stakeholder relations, or volunteer supervision Time and energy to contribute as a member and volunteer to the committee and related tasks, events, and activities Personal commitment to productive participation Personal Commitment: Until further refined through more robust record keeping, it is anticipated that the Fundraising Committee Team members should make a basic commitment 10 to 15 hours on average per month including: work at home, attendance at Committee meetings, and time contributed as a volunteer with events and activities.

On Thursday October 6th, the Youth Arts Pitch Contest brought a whole new energy to the Toronto Centre for the Arts. The Contest is a signature project of the Cultural Hot Spot, which shines a spotlight on arts, culture and community in a particular neighborhood each year in order to inspire new ideas about where culture thrives in Toronto. This year’s Hotspot was North York. - View photos from the event - - Watch video from the event - Photography credits: Anora Graham and Buruk Kebedom Videography credit: Corex Youth Arts Pitch Contest: Winners' Profiles 2016 Community Arts Group Category: Sashoya Shoya Oya Creative Enterprise Category: Dymika Harte/ UNSGND The Youth Arts Pitch Contest is an annual event in which ArtReach and the City of Toronto Arts and Culture Services come together to create a space for young people to creatively pitch their projects or business ideas to an audience of their peers, for a chance to win some real money to make those ideas a reality. The lower gallery of the Toronto Centre for the Arts quickly filled up as nearly 100 people came to support their friends, family and community members as they courageously made their way to the stage to pitch their ideas to a panel of 5 judges. This year’s judging panel was an all star lineup of artists and business entrepreneurs who were impressive in their ability in balancing supportive feedback with just the right amount of constructive criticism. The panel included cultural curator and artist, Tika Simone; singer-songwriter, Zaki Ibrahim CEO of Corex Creative, Dwayne ‘Dukez” Holness; Award winning MC, MC Ebone; and visual artist, Kofi Frempong. The judges deliberated for a good amount of time before announcing winners as the competition was indeed fierce this year. 8 contestants pitched their ideas in two different categories. For the Community Arts Project and Production category, Sashoya Simpson (Sashoya Shoya Oya) set the bar high with her pitch, pulling both audience and judges to the edge of their seats with her powerful theatrical presentation. Using a brilliant mixture of English and Jamaican Patois, Sashoya really took the crowd on a journey into her community of Jane and Finch, and how her 8 week project of bringing professional theatrical training to develop skills and explore Jamaican folkloric traditions, would greatly support the youth in developing skills and reconnecting with their cultural heritage and identity. Sashoya was met with a standing ovation and an abundance of praise. Following hers, presentations were made by Jega Delisca who came dressed to impress to pitch the Carefree Black Boy Project- a project which focuses on creating spaces where black males can explore themselves without limitation. The Broke Gallery was pitched by Keisha Jame who intrigued the audience with her idea around providing a gallery space for emerging artists 16-35 to share their work with no cost to the artist for a one night exhibit. Finally, Cecilia Garcia presented an amazing pitch for her project Next Stages, which looked at working with newcomer youth to break down language barriers through theater and support them in navigating the City more comfortably to instill a real sense of belonging. The Creative Business and Career Development category was just as tough, starting with Dymika Harte, CEO of UNSGND Graphics who wowed judges not only with her dynamic pitch, but also with custom hats and t-shirts with each judges logo on it; talk about a strong first impression. The uber talented Krump crew BUCC N' FLVR followed up with a hard hitting pitch complete with powerful dance moves and a support system that kept the room buzzing for the entire pitch as many members of the audience cheered and joined in on the dance cypher between the actual pitch presentation. Scarborough was definitely in the house and came to represent. Priyome Enterprises, a business idea presented by Quentin Vercetty and Stephen Surlin, was a multifaceted pitch that supports this social enterprise offer general graphics design services specializing in 3D modeling and printing custom chess pieces as well as giving opportunities to youth to learn how to create their own chess pieces. Finally, Sydanie held it down for her peers who wear the multiple hats of both artist and parent. Her pitch included a live birthing of her dream project, Gestation, a visual and audio soundscape that connects community to Sydanie and her art from the perspective of what it means to be a young parent of color. Once the presentations were completed and the judges went to deliberate, the nights MCs, local DJ and Supreme Hype Man, Felix “Flex of all Trades” Cabrera and Toronto Emcee Zakisha Brown entertained the crowd with raffling off cool prizes while Zakisha had the crowd moving to the beat and bars she let go on the mic. After a very tense 15 -20 minute judging period, Kate Fraser, who coordinated the Pitch, and Andrea Raymond-Wong, Community Cultural Curator for Cultural HotSpot, prepared to hand out the giant cheques which were to be presented to the winners. The room sat in silent anticipation as winners were announced for each category. In the Community Arts Projects and Productions, Sashoya Simpson took first place and a cool $5,000, followed up by Jega Delisca received $2,000 for his project. Both Keisha James and Cecilia Garcia's projects received runner up prizes of $100 in addition to consultation sessions with Kim Katrin Milan and Yasser Pervaiz. For the business categories, Dymika Harte of UNSIGD walked away with $5,000 to support the development of her graphics and branding company, while Bucc n’ Flavor placed second and received $2,000 to support their need to create business development sessions to turn their crew into a professionally marketed dance company. Both Priyome Enterprises and Sydanie also received a $100 prize and consultation sessions with Kim Katrin Milan and Yasser Pervaiz. The best thing about the pitch is that every single person walked away a winner. The energy continued long after the Pitch was over, with community celebrating with one another as clean up started to take place and the Corex Creative team conducted a mini photoshoot in the main lobby with all the winners. The spirit of art and business entrepreneurship came alive that night and served as a reminder that young people in this city are hungry to pursue their dreams and carve their own path; they just need the support to do so. As The Youth Arts Pitch is part of that support system, ArtReach, the City of Toronto’s Arts and Culture Services, and this year Freedom Fridays as a new partner, are all proud to be a part of that system. Special thanks to the Toronto Centre for the Arts and North York Arts for their support around providing such an amazing space for young people to spend a night pitching for their dreams. Author: Paulina O'Kieffe

On Thursday October 8th, 2015, ArtReach x City of Toronto Cultural Services, were proud to present the 2015 Youth Arts Pitch Contest. Again hosted through the City’s Cultural Hot Spot, this year’s Pitch Contest was held at the The Assembly Hall in South Etobicoke. - View photos from the event - Photography credit: Idil Jeilani, Ale Higuera, Ebti Nabag Youth Arts Pitch Contest: Winners' Profiles 2015 Community Arts Group Category: Our Space Creative Enterprise Category: Alicia Harris The Youth Arts Pitch Contest is an annual event produced by ArtReach and Toronto Arts & Culture Services with the goal of supporting young artists and entrepreneurs from underserved communities. Participants from across the city apply for a chance to pitch their idea live in front of an audience and panel of judges made of esteemed members of Toronto's arts community. This event provides training towards putting together a successful pitch, and offers young artists access to hard-to-find financial resources for unique elements of their work. Contest participant Alicia Harris explains- “being a young artist is a scary. It's even scarier when you decide to make a career out of it. There are people continuously telling you that you won't get a job, and that you just can't do it. The Youth Arts Pitch Contest believes in young artists, like myself. Beyond the monetary prize, the guidance and workshops and most importantly the support, has been truly life-changing”. “Winning the prize money will allow OurSpace to pursue arts-based projects to address the needs of young guys who like guys in the city. We will empower young guys to share their stories with the community.” Having won $5000, Our Space looks forwards to launching the project shortly. “It was affirming experience, tapping into our strengths rather than criticizing our weaknesses. It has reinforced my confidence as a creative and affirmed the importance of creating art.” Thank you to this year’s fantastic judges- Drex Jancar (Co-Founder, The Remix Project), Fly Lady Di (choreographer, dancer), Keita Juma (rapper, producer) and Tiffany Hsiung (filmmaker), and our host, the ever-hilarious Darrel Gamotin. This year’s contestants included: Alicia Harris, Dominique Morris (for Perfect Keys Academy), Dynesti Williams, Triangle & Seed, OurSpace, Justin Brown (for Smile Toronto), Leila Dey & The Dey Dreamers, and Lido Pimienta (for Electric WOC). And the winners are... Community Arts Category: First: Our Space Second: Justin Brown Finalists: Leila Dey & The Dey Dreamers, and Lido Pimienta Creative Enterprise Category: First: Alicia Harris Second: Domonique Morris Finalists: Dynesti Williams, and Triangle & Seed

On Thursday October 30th, 2014, ArtReach and City of Toronto Cultural Services, in partnership with the RBC Royal Bank and The United Way, were proud to present the 2014 Youth Arts Pitch Contest. - View photos from the event - - View video from the event- Photography credit: Idil Jeilani, Ebti Nabag, Miguel Arenillas Videography credit: Kevin Vinson Youth Arts Pitch Contest: Winners' Profiles 2014 Community Arts Group Category: Fiona Clarke Creative Enterprise Category: Wild Moon Jewelry The arts are a powerful and motivating way that youth are involved in their communities. Whether it’s in someone’s basement, or through a community program – young people are creating art all over this city. ArtReach’s annual Pitch Contest works to support youth aspirations in the arts, by giving them the chance to win up to $5,000 for their community arts or business based ideas. But this is more than just an event- “the pitch contest challenged me on so many levels. I’ve had the opportunity to pitch for funding before, but I’ve never done a creative pitch with other people. Through the experience I learned how to be a better leader and how to deliver an entertaining pitch in front of a panel of judges. I was also able to meet new friends and establish connections that I didn’t have before. It was hands down one of the most exciting experiences of my life”, said XyXv’s Anthony Gebrehiwot. Asia hoped the prize money would help her with funding to attend a Jewelry Arts Academy for Goldsmithing in Trinidad and Tobago as well as to hire an assistant to help with existing demand, two key pieces she felt she was missing. In her pitch, she used a combination of audio/visual projection and live models to entertain and win over the crowd.  “Preparing for the pitch contest was a challenge because I really wanted to win but was made nervous by my amazing competitors – I was already aware of and inspired by their work” says Asia, “I have connected with some of the other finalists and even made plans to collaborate on future work which is dope! I’m looking forward to that.” The 2014 Pitch Contest was hosted at the Scarborough Civic Centre, 2014’s Toronto Cultural Hotspot, and was hosted by the amazing Femi Lawson and Kayla Greaves. Also, thank you to our wonderful judges: Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, Bryan Brock, Jalani Morgan, Tara Muldoon, and Caroline Mangosing. And as always, ArtReach and our partners congratulate all contestants in the 2014 Youth Arts Pitch Contest for their passion, bravery and talent! This year’s contestants included: XyXv Photo, Jellytoofly, Black Like We, Wild Moon Jewelry, CoreX Media, Alien Nation, and PIQUE Toronto. And the winners are... Community Arts Category: First: Black Like We Second: XvXy Photo Finalist: Jellytoofly Creative Enterprise Category: First: Wild Moon Jewellry Second: CoreX Media Finalists: Alien Nation, and PIQUE Toronto

ArtReach, in partnership with City of Toronto Cultural Services and Manifesto hosted its fifth annual Youth Arts Pitch Contest on Friday, September 21, 2012 at the Art Gallery of Ontario. - View photos from the event - - View video from the event - Photography credit: Yannick Anton Youth Arts Pitch Contest: Winners’ Profiles 2012 Community Arts Group Category: Ill NANA / Diversity Dance Company Creative Enterprise Category: 88 Days of Fortune Seven finalists competed for $15,000 in cash prizes in two categories: Creative Enterprise and Community Arts. Ever enthusiastic, our hosts Femi Lawson and Shannon Boodram kept the show going and the crowd eager to see the finalists give their all for the panel of judges that included: Michee Mee (Canada's First Notable Female MC); Kim Crosby (Social Entrepreneur/ Artist); Kay McConney (Executive Minds); Memo (Spoken Film); and Mike Prosserman (UNITY Charity). ArtReach’s annual pitch contest is a testament to the breadth of art forms being nurtured, evolved and celebrated in Toronto's communities. We saw classically trained dancers presenting new forms of movement that both entertain and empower; we were introduced to innovative ideas of how creators with cutting edge sounds can financially sustain themselves; and we heard about film concepts that explore diasporic experiences from a female's perspective. ArtReach's Pitch Contest supports finalists from beginning to end. Workshops on creating and presenting a pitch are provided in preparation for the big night. The Pitch Contest itself provides participants with an invaluable opportunity to gain direct feedback from influential individuals in the arts, entertainment, and business sectors. Money awarded goes to supporting creative and artistic endeavors that enrich our communities, while empowering young people. ArtReach congratulates all the winners and participants of the 2012 Youth Arts Pitch Contest and thanks them for the impact they are making through their dedication. Contest participants included: Ill Nana/DiverseCity Dance Company, La Salsa Colorada, Muna Egeh, Bones & Arrows, Tumbleweed Instruments, 88 Days of Fortune and The Real Sun. And the winners are… Community Arts Category: First: Ill Nana/DiverseCity Dance Company Second: Muna Egeh Creative Enterprise Category: First: 88 Days of Fortune Second: The Real Sun Special thank you to all of our contributors and sponsors: Art Gallery of Ontario, Urbanology Magazine, First Leadership Limited, and CMANGO DESIGN.

ArtReach Toronto, in partnership with Manifesto, City of Toronto Cultural Services, and the Grassroots Youth Collaborative hosted its fourth annual Youth Arts Pitch Contest on Thursday, September 15, 2011 at the 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education. - View photos from the event here - - View video from the event here - Photography credit: Yannick Anton Videography credit: Adam Zivojinovic Youth Arts Pitch Contest: Winners' Profiles 2011 Individual Artist Category: Raquel Da Silva Community Arts Group Category: Boss Magazine Host Big Norm kept the enthusiastic crowd entertained as they watched and cheered on the nine youth finalists. The finalists competed for a $5000 prize in one of three categories - Community Youth Arts Group, Youth Arts Entrepreneur, and Individual Artist. Second and third place prizes were also awarded, totaling $10,000 in value. The finalists worked their hardest to impress an esteemed panel of judges that included: Michee Mee (Canada’s First Notable Female MC), Ravi Jain (WhyNot Theatre); Kay McConney (Executive Minds); Che Kothari (Executive Director of the Manifesto Festival); and Rosina Kazi (LAL). Contestants used a variety of creative ways to get their message across – from live musical performances, to theatre, dance, fashion, videos and photography displays. The audience was treated to a display to some of Toronto’s top youth talent. Last year’s winner in the Individual Artist category, Cassandra “Cassy” Walker, returned for a special theatrical performance. The 2010 winner in the Entrepreneurship Category, Adam Zivojinovic, also impressed the audience with samples of his recent film products. ArtReach Toronto’s Pitch Contest supports finalists from beginning to end. Workshops on creating and presenting a pitch are given in preparation for the big night. The Pitch Contest itself provides participants with an invaluable opportunity to gain direct feedback from influential individuals in the arts, entertainment, and business sectors. Money awarded goes to supporting creative and artistic endeavours that enrich our world while empowering young people. ArtReach wishes all the winners and participants of the 2011 Youth Arts Pitch Contest big congratulations. Contest participants included: Boss Magazine, Herculine Barbine, Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance, Chips, Blair Photography, Rep Clothing, Raquel Da Silva, Red Slam Collective, and Shi Wisdom. The winners were: Individual Artist Category: Raquel Da Silva Community Arts Group Category: Boss Magazine Youth Arts Entrepreneur Category: CHIPS Thank you to all of our sponsors: Urbanology Magazine, Salazar Studios, Royalz Clothing, Laidlaw Foundation, Sway Magazine, First Leadership Limited, Hightop, Fourth Dimension and CMANGO DESIGN