ArtworksTO Newcomer Stream

This program provides newcomer creatives with training, mentorship, and a $5,000 paid work opportunities in media arts or arts education.

The ArtWorksTO: Newcomer Program, funded by the TD Ready Challenge is designed to help 25 new Canadians build long-term careers in media arts and arts education. Through strategic partnerships with OCAD University, Work in Culture and industry organizations, participants will receive credentialed education, industry mentorship, and paid work placements to develop practical skills and build professional networks.  

The program is structured in two specialized streams, Media Arts and Arts Education, and includes wrap-around support and alumni engagement.

What Participants Receive 

1. Credentialed Education 
Delivered in partnership with OCAD University, participants receive stream-specific training: 

• Media Arts Stream: Courses in Project Management and Social Enterprise for Artists, focusing on industry workflows, budgeting, and entrepreneurship. 

• Arts Education Stream: An in-person course at OCADU focused on designing inclusive, engaging arts education programs, and an online course in Project Management.

• For both streams:
  • Participants will have the option to choose one elective course at OCAD U.
  • Each selected participant will receive a $150.00 stipend for up to three OCAD U courses they enrol in.

2. Mentorship 
Participants are matched with professionals from the creative industries for: 

• One-on-one mentorship to build personalized guidance and support 

• Group mentorship session for peer learning and broader network-building 

3. Paid Work-Integrated Learning 
Each participant receives a $5,000 contract to contribute their skills to a community-based or industry-hosted creative project building hands-on experience and a professional portfolio. 

 By addressing systemic barriers such as a lack of credential recognition and limited industry access, this initiative positions newcomer artists as essential contributors to Canada’s creative and cultural economy. 

Program Details

Who it’s for: 

• Newcomer artists with backgrounds in media arts or arts education seeking professional integration and career development. 

• Applicants must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents or have an application pending for Permanent Resident status or be a Protected Person (approved refugee claimant). 

• Applicants must have a SIN (Social Insurance Number) 

• Applicants residing in GTA (City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York)  artists as essential contributors to Canada’s creative and cultural economy. 

eligibility Criteria

Stream 1 – Media Artists:   

• Must be practicing media artists whose careers have progressed beyond the early stages, either in their countries of origin or in their first years in Canada, but who may still face challenges in establishing themselves professionally in Canada. Media arts may include disciplines such as graphic design, photography, UX/UI design, digital illustration, animation, film, sound art, and interactive or web-based media.  

• Must present a portfolio that showcases a consistent personal artistic voice or statement, professionalism, quality of execution, as well as demonstrated technical skills and artistic control in one or more media (e.g., video, film, digital arts, installation, sound art, etc.).  

• Must have participated in a minimum of 3 group exhibitions or public showcases, either in their country of origin or internationally. This can include exhibitions, screenings, festivals, digital showcases, collaborations, finished pieces or other forms of public presentation relevant to their discipline.   

Stream 2 – Arts Educators:   

• Must have a background in arts education, including experience in teaching or leading community-based arts programs, and/or working in educational or cultural institutions (e.g., universities, colleges, schools, libraries, museums, community centers), whether in their countries of origin or, for those who may have started in Canada, still facing challenges in establishing themselves professionally in this country.  

• Must have experience in developing or delivering arts education content appropriate to the context in which they have worked.  

• Applicants should have a personal artistic practice, a portfolio, and a history of exhibitions or public showcases, as this stream is intended for practicing artist educators. Evidence of active artistic practice will be required.