New program looks to connect emerging artists with established creative professionals for mentorship, advice and networking opportunities.
The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund’s new Mentorship Engagement Program is a participant-driven pilot program that aims to connect a selected group of emerging New Brunswick creatives in film, visual art, photography, music, and theatre with established creative professionals who can provide expert level advice and networking opportunities to help them.
“Since its creation in 2021, the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund has been inundated with requests for mentorship and guidance,” said Cat LeBlanc, President of the JLLF.
“The feedback received from our 50 Legacy Fund award-winners and the additional 2500 artists who have submitted proposals for our awards is that many artists have projects they have undertaken that they are struggling with executing for the following reasons: lack of resources and support people in their creative circle willing to give more sustained assistance and mental health issues due to the pandemic. As a result, the Legacy Fund board decided that the best way to deal with these ongoing requests was to create and coordinate a fleshed-out mentorship engagement program that would allow the Legacy Fund to guide participants in different creative disciplines through a structured program that the Legacy Fund will measure for success and improved updates for future iterations,” she said.
With this program, the Fund seeks to identify and support emerging talent with a focus on diversity. This ten-month mentorship and guidance program brings together five participants with their five mentors through in-person and/or digital channels.
Beginning in March 2024 and running to December 2024, selected mentees for the program will spend four hours a month with their mentors one-on-one. They will also attend specialized virtual workshops which include mental health and networking support with creative specialists.
Each accepted mentee will receive $500 when their mentorship is successfully completed. The mentees should apply with a specific project that they are having challenges starting or completing.
“A structured mentorship program ensures that chosen professional mentors in the different artistic disciplines guide the selected participant artists for one year to assist them meaningfully and sustainably,” said LeBlanc.
The Jane Leblanc Legacy Fund is supported by the Province of New Brunswick’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategic Initiatives Fund.
Deadline for submissions is March 1. Full details HERE.
