Call For Submissions

ArtReach Toronto and Manifesto, in partnership with City of Toronto Cultural Services and Toronto Community Housing Corporation invite you to participate in a pitch contest. If you are a young artist or a group of artists, between the ages of 16 and 24, we want to hear from you!

We want to discover and support some of Toronto’s finest artistic talent and encourage community participation through the arts!
Win $5000 to support your community youth arts project, start your arts-based business or take your career to the next level!

The arts are a powerful and motivating way that youth can be involved in their communities. Whether it’s in someone’s basement, or through a community program – young people are creating art all over this city. ArtReach Toronto, Manifesto, City of Toronto Cultural Services, and Toronto Community Housing Corporation want to support youth to pursue their aspirations in the arts. We invite you to submit your ideas to us, which could land you a spot in front of our esteemed panel of judges for a live and interactive pitch contest!

To apply you must be:

• An artist or part of a group of artists
• Between the ages of 16 and 24
• Developing an artistic project or are serious about your arts initiative

ArtReach Toronto encourages artists working in a broad range of art forms to apply, including dance, drama, music, carnival and circus, film and video, TV and radio, new media, fashion, creative writing, visual arts, crafts, hip hop, design, multi-media, urban arts and more.

Prizes:

Nine lucky submissions will be chosen to pitch their ideas live on Tuesday September 15, 2009 for a chance to win one of three $5,000 prizes awarded to participants in the following categories:

• Community Youth Arts Groups (i.e. theatre groups, collective of filmmakers)
• Individual Artists (i.e. singers, poets, MC’s)
• Youth Arts Entrepreneurs (i.e. clothing designers)

Exciting runner up prizes will contribute to bringing awareness to your project or art!

Process:

• To enter, you must submit a one to two page (maximum) proposal answering the series of questions listed below, pitching your idea to the committee by the deadline of Monday August 31, 2009.
• Nine lucky finalists chosen to make their pitch will be announced on September 4th, 2009! ALL finalists are required to attend an evening workshop entitled How To Make a Pitch. This session will be held on Tuesday September 8th, 2009.
• Finalists will then pitch their ideas LIVE on Tuesday September 15, 2009 making a creative, energetic, inspiring and convincing presentation, pitch or performance in less than 5 minutes!!
• A panel of knowledgeable, high profile judges will provide on the spot feedback to all finalists and award three winners with the grand prizes of the PITCH CONTEST!

Deadline for Entries: Monday August 31, 2009

Submissions are to be placed online. If you prefer to send in your application package by mail, or in person, please drop it off between Monday to Friday (9am and 5pm) to the address below:

Mail / Drop-off Address: Youth Arts Pitch Contest ArtReach Toronto C/O Laidlaw Foundation 365 Bloor St East, Suite 2000 Toronto, ON M4W 3L4 If you have any questions, please feel to email us at contest@artreachtoronto.ca

Pitch Contest Application 2009

1. Contact Person(required)
2. Email address(required)
3. Phone number(required)
4. Address(required)
5. City(required)
6. City Ward (Toronto Only) find out here
7. Postal Code/ZIP(required)
8. Art form(required)
9. Contest Category Community Youth Arts Groups (i.e. theatre groups, collective of filmmakers) Individual Artists (i.e. singers, poets, MC’s) Youth Arts Entrepreneurs (i.e. clothing designers) (required)

The Questions

1. Briefly tell us about yourself as an artist, group of artists or entrepreneur, and why the funding and opportunity to showcase your artistic talents is important to you and your career or project.(required)
2. Tell us about your art form and the importance of arts and culture to you and your group or community.(required)
3. If you live in or serve a Toronto Community Housing neighborhood, tell us how your idea will help the neighborhoods you work in.
4. Tell us how you plan on presenting your idea in a creative, energetic, inspiring and convincing way to the judges and audience in 5 minutes or less.(required)
5. Tell us how the funds will support you to implement your project or help you to get to the next level, as well as what the funds will be used for.(required)
6. We welcome additional materials! Please upload a sample of your work (i.e. videos, music, documents, etc).

1. MAKE YOUR PITCH!