BC Culture Days is calling for emerging artists residing in B.C. to apply to their annual ambassador program.
Every year, the BC Culture Days Ambassador Program offers the opportunity for a range of artists in B.C. to expand their practice and develop creative, community-immersed programming for Culture Days.
The 2023 Ambassador Program is centred around the theme of Accessibility and Inclusion, according to a news release. Applicants will be asked to answer how their proposed Culture Days activities will apply accessibility practices and create inclusive spaces for their community members.
“With this year’s program, we’re asking artists to consider how accessibility and inclusion meaningfully serve our communities,” said Nazanin Shoja, BC Culture Days program director. “The ambassador events, which will take place across the province during Culture Days, will offer opportunities for low-barrier participation in arts and culture for all.”
Applications are due by Feb. 28 and emerging artists of all mediums are invited to apply.
“Individuals who self-identify as Indigenous, black, a person of colour, disabled, deaf, hard of hearing, crip, chronically ill, mad, trauma-impacted, neurodivergent, 2SLGBTQQIA+, and those who are culturally invested in disability and related communities are encouraged to submit applications,” the release read.
BC Culture Days also prioritizes regional artists who reside and work in rural or remote areas.
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Culture Days is an annual celebration of creativity that encourages local participation in arts and culture through free or pay-what-you-may community events across the country. This year, Culture Days will take place from Sept. 22 to Oct. 15.
The chosen emerging artists will each receive a $1,000 production budget and artist fee to plan, coordinate and present a free Culture Days activity. The ambassadors will also act as spokespeople for Culture Days from July to October, according to the release.
To support their own professional development, each ambassador will receive an additional $2,000 to participate in a six-month mentorship with an established artist, starting in May.
BC Culture Days is partnering with Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture to provide the ambassadors with accessibility training and consultation to better support them as they plan and present their activities to the public.
Visit BC Culture Days’ website to read the full call for emerging artists and to submit an application.
BC Culture Days is administered through the Society to Bridge Arts and Community (Bridge Society), a registered charitable organization that has a mandate to promote awareness of arts and culture by establishing bridges between the general public, the private sector, arts organizations, and individual artists.
— NEWS Staff, submitted