Artist Call: NExT Program

VIBE Arts is seeking upcoming or early-career Black youth artists between the ages of 16-26 to join Cohort VI of NExT, our Black youth mentorship program.

To apply, you must:

  • Be between the ages 16-26
  • Identify as Black
  • Consider yourself to be an upcoming or early-career artist
  • Have the willingness or ability to travel within Toronto

Application Deadline: Sunday, September 29th, 2024, 11:59 pm.

About the opportunity:

We are looking for applicants to join a group of dedicated, Black youth artists. Upon selection, successful candidates will join our 2024-2025 sixth cohort and will each be granted a residency supported by a roster of NExT Mentors. In these residencies, artists will work towards developing an artwork (or body of) to be celebrated and exhibited with the community in a final exhibition event in March 2025.

Mentees will be required to participate in mentorship sessions, attend a mixer, and participate in numerous PD workshops, including an Artist-Talk, retreat, and the final exhibition event.

For more information, please reach out to Onika at onika@vibearts.ca or Jason at mentorship@vibearts.ca.

Important dates to note:

  • Artists will be selected to join us for Phase 1 by Thursday, October 3rd. Phase 1 will require applicants to participate in pre-requisite workshops (at no cost) to prepare you for completing the final application to be selected for Phase 2. 
  • Artists that are selected to advance to Phase 1 of the program will be invited to our Mandatory Info-Session taking place on Thursday, October 10th, from 5 PM – 7 PM (on Zoom). Successful applicants from Phase 1 will move on to Phase 2 of our NExT Residencies, commencing in November 2024.

About NExT:

NExT is VIBE Arts Black Youth Mentorship Program. NExT – short for Network and Explore Together – was built on the vision to build, connect, and strengthen networks of Black artists throughout the GTA.

The program was developed, with barriers in mind, to increase the visibility of Black Youth Artists in public Canadian exhibitions. Throughout the program, members of the cohort receive multiple one-on-one mentorship opportunities and access to valuable programs and opportunities.

NExT creates a shared understanding and space to overcome the barriers faced by upcoming artists in pursuit of artistic success. The NExT Program is currently made possible by Canada Council for the Arts.