Eligibility requirements
Applications for the Mentorship Matchup program are currently closed.
The program is open to artists who reside or work primarily in Waterloo region and can demonstrate a clear, active commitment to their practice.
Mentee applicants must:
- be Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- complete the mentee application and provide all requested information
- be able to attend an in-person orientation session and program kick-off
- commit to spending 20 hours of time dedicated to mentorship collaboration activities
Mentee applicants should be:
- emerging artists with a confirmed project grant
- recent postsecondary arts graduates
- newcomer artists trying to acclimatize
- individuals looking to advance their careers in the Waterloo Region arts sector
Mentee applicants must identify an arts project they are actively producing with secured funds or other resources for which they would benefit from mentorship support. Alternatively, mentees can identify an entrepreneurial goal or strategic challenge they are committed to pursuing.
Applications that do not identify a committed project, entrepreneurial goal or strategic challenge will not be considered.
Selection process and criteria
A&CI staff will identify preferred mentee applicants using these considerations:
- clear description and general viability of potential mentees’ artistic project, goal or challenge
- alignment of mentees’ specific project goals with mentors’ experiences and preferences
- compatibility of mentor-mentee schedules, communication and mobility profiles, etc.
Final selections and pairings will be made by the A&CI manager based on the following criteria:
- strength and clarity of details provided by mentee applications
- artistic merit of committed project identified by mentees seeking mentor support
- feasibility of proposed support within the limitations of the program
- anticipated impact of potential mentor on mentees’ current artistic development
Preference will be given to submissions from Black, Indigenous, and racialized individuals, 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, and people with disabilities or disabled people. Staff will apply this preference with the goal of improving the representation of distinct identities in City-funded arts programming. To support our efforts to create inclusive spaces and opportunities, applications from artists or teams that represent other equity-deserving groups can also self-identify.
We may find fewer mentor-mentee pairings than expected fulfill the project criteria. In that case, we may re-open the application process.
Compensation and expectations
All selected participants will be paid for full participation in the program, which includes:
- orientation event attendance
- at least 20 hours of self-directed meetings or connections
- mid-program check-ins with A&CI staff
- post-program recap with A&CI staff
There is no fee to apply or participate in the program. The compensation for selected program participants is $250 per person for mentees and $1000 per person for mentors. Participants receive final payment when the program is completed by invoice or honorarium; mentors will receive a partial payment at the start of the program.
Program schedule and evaluation
The selection and facilitation process, including program schedule, for the program's next cohort will be shared when applications reopen. Subscribe to this page to be notified when applications open for the next cohort.
Program evaluation and feedback will include analyzing participant surveys, emailed updates and other observations from meetings with mentor-mentee pairings and/or individual artists. A&CI staff will compile those inputs to determine and refine the program’s effectiveness and track data related to participant satisfaction, number of meetings or connections, collaborative objectives achieved, and so on.
Application
Applications for the Mentorship Matchup program are currently closed.
If you have questions, please send us an email or call 519-783-8294.
