Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition

#Repost @emilydixphotography ***NOTE: the deadline to apply for a free slot is August 7, 2020. The actual shoot date is still TBA, but will be sometime in August.*** WHAT: A photoshoot to celebrate Toronto indie artists, with priority given to marginalized artists (eg. slots reserved for BIPOC, Mad/Disabled, LGBTQ2+ artists). I would also like to prioritize those who work more behind-the-scenes as opposed to performers, as they are less likely to have the chance to get p...hotos of themselves done, but we'll see how many people are interested. I will include as many as possible. WHEN: TBA, August 2020 SUBMISSION DEADLINE AUGUST 7 WHERE: The Commons Studio - we are shooting here to help support The Commons, which is trying to raise enough money to stay open. Learn more here: https://stagedoorto.com/a-hail-mary-pass-saving-the-common/ WHY: Because the pandemic sucks. The whole state of the world lately, sucks. We need a break, and we want to celebrate the positives in our community, and give marginalized artists a chance to feel beautiful and show off. I will take whatever type of photo you want (within reason/ability), you can use it how you want, and I will include it in my online portfolio & share it on the Toronto Independent Theatre Coalition social media. WHO: I, Emily Dix, will be taking the photos. My boyfriend, Conor Fitzgerald, will likely be there assisting. Those being photographed will be members of the community that apply here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HWGTNWX HOW MUCH: free! But I will happily accept tips to help cover the costs of the equipment, space and cleaning supplies. COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS: I will allow up to 10 people in the studio at once. When you are not being photographed, you need to have a mask on - we could do some fun mask photos as well! We will have 70% isopropyl alcohol to wipe down surfaces, and everyone will be asked to sanitize their hands when they enter. No one will be allowed in if they show any symptoms. Obviously, we cannot guarantee there will be no risk, so use your best judgement. #theaTO #torontotheatre #indieunite #torontophotography #torontophotographer #theatrephotography

#Repost @spacespacerevolution As artists, we get a lot of doors slammed in our faces. This one is always open. #SpaceSpaceRevolution #thecommonstheatre ^^^lets make sure that happens. The Commons Theatre needs your help - if 350 ppl buy a gift card for a 4hr block of space by tomorrow, we can ensure it survives to see another day. Check out our #StageDoorTO article for details.... #community #theaTO #torontotheatre #indieunite #fundraiser #strongertogether #COVID19 #pandemic

Message from our founder, Emily Dix: I'm booking 4 hours at the The Commons Theatre and Studio to do a free photoshoot for Toronto indie artists. I want to do some colourful, fun photos, can be group or individual shots. Priority given to marginalized folks and those who work more behind-the-scenes but everyone is free to apply, I'll include as many as possible. Link to submit is in the event page.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1078516839012293/

The Commons Theatre is in trouble. COVID-19 is going to be wiping out a lot of the smaller rehearsal & performance spaces as we are struggle to pay bills and keep the doors open. This is one where you can help. We need 350 people to buy a $100 gift card. That will get you 4 hours of space that can be used between now and December 31st, as well as an hour of creative coaching from Victoria Velenosi. We know money is tight for everyone, but if we can pull together to do this, i...t will ensure there is still affordable space for us come 2021 when we will all need it. This page has 447 followers. We need 350 of them to make this goal - can you help? https://stagedoorto.com/a-hail-mary-pass-saving-the-common/

COVID-19 has shown many of us the importance of Basic Income, especially for those in precarious industries. Join the conversation, sign the letter and call for Basic Income for the Arts. https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSfXVDX3-WdSkBjzMm/viewform

#indieunite #BasicIncome

More highlights from our recent community survey. 73 Toronto indie artists let us know what theyve always wanted to try but havent had the chance to - 32% said they wanted to be a reviewer/critic, 21% said they wanted to try directing, and nearly 20% said they wanted a chance to design. The main barriers listed included; lack of opportunity for those new to the role (eg no mentorship or training and no chances for the inexperienced), lack of time and lack of money. See the full results on our website. #theaTO #torontotheatre #indieunite #TITC #theatrelife #survey #torontolife

Another insight from our recent community survey, we asked what people disliked about the Toronto indie theatre community. Over 81% said the low/no pay opportunities, nearly 56% stated the barriers in transitioning from indie to professional, and over 54% said they dislike the exclusivity/cliques. So how do we change this? We want to start with breaking through some of these cliques and forming a stronger, more diverse community that has space for all artists. Check out our website to learn more. #theaTO #indieunite #torontotheatre #community #torontolife #TITC @ Toronto, Ontario

The Community Survey results are in! Were going to be highlighting some stats & quotes here but you can read the full thing on our website (link in bio) or check out our FB page to hear our Founder @emilydixto read through them. IMAGE: What do you like about Toronto indie theatre? Of those surveyed, over 73% said they liked the creative productions, nearly 57% stated opportunities for emerging artists, and 55% said they liked the experimental works. #theaTO #indietheatre #indieunite #TITC #torontotheatre #surveyresults @ Toronto, Ontario

Emily Dix reviews the results of our recent Community Survey.

Thank you for your patience in awaiting the discussion of our recent Community Survey results. Today at 5pm we will go live to read the results and invite you to join us for questions, comments, concerns and discussions. Feel free to join us on Zoom or FB, or email [email protected] with anything youd like us to address. The discussion will be recorded and added to our site afterwards. The results can already be viewed in PDF form via our website, [email protected]. #indieunite #TITC #theaTO #torontotheatre #community #Zoom #theatrelife

Something has come up unexpectedly, so we will be delaying the community meeting to go over our survey results. We'll schedule a new time soon - thank you for your patience!

Join us today at 5pm as we discuss our TITC Community Survey results! Feel free to join in with questions, comments or concerns! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6357566268

Read by Emily Dix for accessibility purposes. See thetitc.ca for our PDF version of the results.

Our Community Survey Results are now posted on our website. In a moment, Emily Dix will go live to read the stats for accessibility purposes. Tomorrow, Saturday July 18, join us here at 5pm as we go through the results and discuss the comments. All are welcome to participate. https://www.thetitc.ca//2ed3646c-61f6-4f79-93d4-730ffac9bd

Thank you to everyone who has filled out our anonymous community survey - the results will be made available this afternoon and tomorrow at 5pm we will go live to read the results - we welcome you to join the discussion with any questions or comments that may arise. The survey will remain open as a way for the community to make anonymous submissions, but as always we encourage you to reach out directly at [email protected]. #theaTO #indieunite #StrongerTogether

We are collecting survey responses until this Thursday, July 16. If you haven't already, please take a moment to share your thoughts with us - help us learn how to better serve and support our community. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F6VLLMW

We want to hear from you. Have you filled out our survey yet? We want to know who is out there in our community and how we can better serve and represent you - help us do better. Please take a moment to fill out our anonymous survey and ask your #Toronto #indietheatre friends to do the same. #linkinbio #theaTO #torontotheatre #indieunite

The following is written by TITC founder Emily Dix, but has been edited and approved by members of the TITC. These past few months have been turbulent and artists are feeling the strain. From cancelled gigs to lost venues, major shifts in leadership, calls for accountability and difficult but necessary conversations about racism and discrimination, each day can feel exhausting and sometimes bleak. But now is not the time to give up. Now is the time to come together, acknowled...ge the problems in our industry, and take the time to fix them. Because Toronto theatre needs a change. We live in a city where more than 50% of our citizens are deemed minorities, yet when you look to theatre companies, the artists are overwhelmingly white. This is something we struggle with at the TITC. While the TITC values diversity and wants to encourage it among its members, something about the way weve done this isnt working. When looking at our current Company Member leaders, one thing immediately stands out; we too are overwhelmingly white. This is something that needs to change. The past few weeks I have posted some artist spotlights on Instagram in hopes of amplifying the voices of our diverse peers, but a problem with that has been pointed out to me; its still really my voice. I am sharing their stories but I am the one behind them, which isnt enough. We need real engagement from other members of our community so that we can form a coalition that is truly representative of Toronto indie artists. One that can help support people from all walks of life, and celebrate the variety, diversity and talent of our community. But Ill admit, I dont really know how to start. So we are asking for help. At the bottom of this letter you will find a link to an anonymous survey. It asks about what you like and dislike, want and need out of your indie theatre community. We need honest answers so that we can move forward in the right way. Please take a few moments to fill it out. (Continued in comments).

We want to hear from you! The TITC is working to better serve our indie theatre community and we ask that you take a moment to fill out this anonymous survey and let us know about you, what you want and need from us. If you want to reach out directly, you can email us at [email protected]. Please share! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F6VLLMW

The Canadian Native Flag was designed by Kwakwaka'wakw artist Curtis Wilson. His design for the flag is meant to represent First Nations in Canada to the public. You can buy your own here: https://www.canadiannativeflag.ca/ While you celebrate all the wonderful things about Canada today, make sure you reflect on what needs change as well (message from @emilydixto) #HappyCanadaDay #CanadaDay2020 #CanadianFlag #CanadianNativeFlag #CurtisWilson #amplifyindigenousvoices

COVID may be stopping the march, but it cant stop the pride. Happy #Pride to all the members of our fabulous community - stay safe and healthy and show your pride. #LGBTQ2+ #QueerArtists #PrideMonth #theaTO #torontotheatre #indieunite #TITC

Our next #IndigenousArtistSpotlight is on Theresa Cutknife! Theresa Cutknife (she/her/they) is a queer mixed Nehiyaw and Puerto Rican Iskwew from Maskwacis, Alberta located on Treaty 6 Territory and is a member of the Samson Cree Nation. They have been living and learning in for the past four years and is a graduate of the Centre for Indigenous Theatre. Theresa is an emerging actor, writer, storyteller, curator, and director. She was one of five curators as part of a decentr...alized approach to curatorial decision making, led by Festival Director Clayton Lee, for the 2020 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Prior to COVID-19 Quarantine Theresa was working with Young Peoples Theatre as an Apprentice Resident Artist Educator. #theaTO #torontotheatre #indieunite #IndigenousArtist #IndigenizeYourSpace #artistspotlight #TITC #nationalindigenouspeoplesday #LGBTQ2+ #pridemonth See more

Another important resource we just came across - be sure to check out the DDMAAC site. Through DDMAAC, Stage Left cultivates grassroots conduits of cultural affinity, artistic autonomy and disability justice in Canada's Deaf/ Disability/ Mad Arts domain, and promotes the collective interests of artists whose lived experience of disablement advances artistic and aesthetic non-normativity. https://ddmaac.weebly.com/ddmstc-arts.html

Thank you to Cole Alvis for showing us the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance website - The Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance is a multifaceted organization with geographically and artistically diverse Indigenous performing artists, arts organizations and our allies. You can find information about upcoming jobs and events, download resources like a Smudging document, and sign up to become a member as either a company or individual (you do not have to be Indigenous to do th...is, there is an Ally option as well). Check it out! https://ipaa.ca/

Our next #IndigenousArtistSpotlight is on Cole Alvis! Cole Alvis is a 2 Spirit theatre artist based in Tkarón:to with Métis-Chippewa, Irish and English heritage from the Turtle Mountains in Manitobah. They are a leader of lemonTree creations, manidoons collective and AdHoc Assembly. Recently, they performed in the opera Louis Riel (Canadian Opera Company / National Arts Centre), directed the Dora-nominated play bug by Yolanda Bonnell (manidoons collective / Luminato), as well... as a reimagining of the queer Canadian classic Lilies by Michel Marc Bouchard, and, alongside fellow Dora-nominated Michael Greyeyes, co-directed the Indigenous opera double bill Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin / Gállábártnit (Signal Theatre, Sámi National Theatre Beaivvá, Soundstreams Canada). #theaTO #torontotheatre #theatrelife #indieunite #TITC #twospirit #IndigenousArtist #IndigenizeYourSpace #LGBTQ2 #nationalindigenoushistorymonth #pridemonth

Our next #IndigenousArtistSpotlight is on Aria Evans! Aria Evans is a queer, Toronto-based, interdisciplinary, award winning artist whose practice spans dance; creation, performance and film. She draws on her experiences as a woman of mixed race (Afro-Indigenous, settler) as well as her BFA (2012) to capture meaningful social and cultural themes through her interactive art. With a large-scale vision, collaboration is the departure point to the work that she creates under her company POLITICAL MOVEMENT. Advocating for inclusion and the representation of diversity, she uses her artistic practice to question the ways we can coexist together. www.politicalmovement.ca #theaTO #torontotheatre #indieunite #TITC #indigenizeyourspace #IndigenousArtist #LGBTQ #pridemonth #nationalindigenouspeoplesday