Eligibility requirements
Applications for the 2026 Mentorship Matchup program are open to potential mentors from May 1 to June 5, then open to potential mentees from June 19 to July 24.
The program is open to artists who reside or work primarily in Waterloo region and can demonstrate a clear, active commitment to their practice.
All applicants must:
- be Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- complete an application and provide all requested information
- be able to attend an in-person orientation session and program kick-off on Thursday, September 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. at 44 Gaukel Creative Workspace
- commit to spending 20 hours of time dedicated to mentorship collaboration activities between mid-September and mid-December 2026
Mentor applicants should be:
- professional artists with 10 or more years of experience in a particular field of creative practice
- willing to share their knowledge and provide constructive, careful guidance to less experienced artists
Mentee applicants should be:
- emerging artists who do not require a grant or resources from this program
- 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 and select applicants to participate using these considerations:
- clear description and general viability of potential mentors' knowledge-sharing abilities or 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 in submitted 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.
Fewer mentor-mentee pairings than expected may fulfill the project criteria. In that case, we may re-open the application process or elect to support a smaller cohort.
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 $300 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. All participants will also be provided with limited DIY access to 44 Gaukel Creative Workspace, including a locker inside the facility, from mid-September to mid-December 2026.
Program schedule and evaluation
- Friday, May 1 to Friday, June 5: program application window for mentors
- Wednesday, May 20, 5 to 7 p.m.: drop-in info session about the program at 44 Gaukel
- Monday, June 8 to Monday, June 15: A&CI staff evaluate and select potential mentor participants
- Friday, June 19 to Friday, July 24: program application window for mentees
- Monday, July 27 to Monday, August 10: A&CI staff evaluate and select potential mentees
- Friday, August 14: A&CI staff notify all participants accepted into the 3rd cohort
- Thursday, September 10, 6 to 9 p.m.: 3rd cohort orientation and kick-off event at 44 Gaukel
- Monday, September 14 to Monday, December 14: self-directed collaboration period for mentees and mentors
- Monday, November 2, 6 to 9 p.m.: mid-program check-in opportunity at 44 Gaukel
- Friday, December 18: deadline for post-program survey submission and invoicing
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.
Subscribe to the Kitchener Arts newsletter to be notified about future program cohorts and other opportunities.
Application
Applications for the Mentorship Matchup program are only accepted through QReserve.
If you have questions, please send us an email or call 519-783-8294.
