Guelph Arts Council and the University of Guelph School of Fine Art and Music will undertake a collaborative project that will support young artists in the critical transition from university to professional life. In launching this project, GAC and SOFAM are grateful for support from the Ontario150 Partnership Program.
Through the project, young musicians and visual artists will work with established-artist mentors and community curators to develop the professional networks and business and management skills that they need to build careers as creative entrepreneurs. Established-artist mentors will benefit from specific training and develop new mentorship skills.
The project aligns with the Ontario150 Partnership Program’s goal of celebrating the sesquicentennial with collaborative projects that engage youth and encourage cultural expression. Specifically, the project will support young artists and promote diversity and inclusion.
Dr. Sally Hickson, SOFAM’s Director, says of the project: “Post-secondary programs like SOFAM’s give young artists a strong orientation to professional life, but learning and networking beyond the classroom ensure successful transitions. We are pleased to partner with Guelph Arts Council in connecting young artists with the broader Guelph arts community.”
Patti Broughton, Executive Director of Guelph Arts Council, notes: “Guelph is home to a vibrant community of artists, and we look forward to working with SOFAM to help young artists build connections in that community, and ultimately to live, work and thrive as Guelph artists.”
Participants in the project will be SOFAM fourth-year students and recent grads. Some spaces in the program will be reserved for young Guelph artists of diverse backgrounds from other schools.
Emerging and established visual artists and musicians in Guelph are encouraged to contact Guelph Arts Council at 519-836-3280 or [email protected] for more information. Application processes for both participants and mentors will be announced.
About Guelph Arts Council:
For forty years, Guelph Arts Council has been dedicated to supporting, stimulating and promoting arts and culture in Guelph. Guelph Arts Council is funded in part by The Guelph Community Foundation and City of Guelph. We also acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and our annual sponsors Meridian and Gary Stewart of CIBC Wood Gundy.
About University of Guelph School of Fine Art and Music:
The School of Fine Art and Music’s BA programs in Music, Studio Art and Art History, and the MFA in Studio Art and MA in Art History and Visual Culture, are renowned for their excellence and for the success of their graduates. SOFAM curricula in all areas, delivered by acclaimed faculty, are designed to combine critical thought and creative practice with crucial opportunities for experiential learning.
