Group Mentorship Program
Applications for 2025 programs now open!
FREE programming offering youth aged 16-19 hands-on exploration of a career in the arts! Partnering with industry organizations in a choice of three artistic disciplines, each program runs for 8 sessions Spring 2025, and offers a fun group environment where youth learn from mentors who are professionals in an arts career, collaborate with other participants, and work on a project for a final wrap-up presentation! It aims to expose younger individuals to what a career in the arts looks like, and to inspire the possibility of a career in the arts. Program disciplines are subject to change year to year. Bus tickets, to any who need, and snacks will be provided at each session. Check out the three program details below and apply today!
Creative Manitoba pledges to make its best efforts to prioritize opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds or from equity-seeking communities, with the goal of 50% of programs holding space for participants who identify as IBPoC and from equity-seeking groups.
1. Behind the Scenes with MTYP: Theatre Production and Design Mentorship for Youth
Partner: Manitoba Theatre for Young People
Dates: Wednesdays April 16th – June 4 (no session spring break)
+Final invite to the fringe production opening TBD
Times: 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Program Leader: Rea Swan
Location: MTYP- 2 Forks Market Rd
Welcome to Manitoba Theatre for Young People’s Behind the Scenes! Participants will work closely with design and production professionals at MTYP, and the students of the summer studio student led project as they create a fringe production from the ground up!
They will learn first-hand skills in costume and prop and set design and creation (including carpentry, painting, setting the stage), directing, stage-managing, and technical lighting and sound. Through this program participants can experience what a career in theatre arts looks and feels like. They will shadow directors and stage managers, learning how a theatre runs when it is close to putting on a show. Students in “Behind the Scenes”, will be exposed to many career possibilities in theatre production and backstage work.
This program is perfect for someone who is curious about what it’s like to work backstage, someone who is interested in art and design as a career, someone who has no idea but wants to learn something new or someone who is confident that a career in production or design is right for them.
2. In Tune: Create & Collaborate
Partner: Manitoba Music
Dates: Thursdays March 20 – May 22 (no session spring break)
Times 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Program Leaders: Nia Banilbo and Alex Sannie
Location: Manitoba Music – 530-112 Market Avenue & recording studio tbc
This year’s music-focused mentorship delves into the creative and collaborative process of creating music and community resources. Participants will learn from local industry experts about songwriting and production, collaboration, show booking, funding, and more topics, led by Manitoba Music, seasoned songwriters and producers. During the nine-week program, mentees will be able to collaborate in small groups and partners to create their own unique music. Based on their small group breakout choice, Mentors will guide the youth as they learn about either co-writing and recording or music engineering and production basics. We’ll wrap up the program with a final presentation in which the participants showcase their new projects.
Group Sessions @ Manitoba Music
As a full group youth will focus on the fundamentals of the music business. Sessions will feature guest speakers to explore these topics and share their own expertise, and will explore: basics of the music biz, studio etiquette, booking local shows, funding your music career and collaboration!
Break Out Groups
Participants will choose a breakout small group to focus on with mentors in the studio:
Songwriting – Work with your program mentor to sharpen your songwriting skills and learn how to co-write with others. Experience what it’s like to be in a real writing room. Learn how to record in a professional studio, with your producing partner.
Music Engineering & Production – Learn to record, mix, and produce music. Hands-on experience with your mentor in each session as they show you different techniques to create the sound you want, along with your songwriting partner.
3. Translation, Culture, and Self in Creative Writing
Partner: Winnipeg Public Library
Dates: Wednesdays
March 19 – May 21 (no session spring break)
Times: 5:30-7:45 pm
Lead Mentor: Carrie Hatland
Location: Millennium Library – Mona Gray Room / Final class – Carol Shields Auditorium
This workshop will connect young writers with award-winning Manitoban authors, Jen Robinson and Zilla Jones, to explore elements of creative writing and how to incorporate culture and self. Zilla and Jen will talk about exciting career options in the literary field and help us generate writing where we embrace our own identities. Then, over the course of multiple sessions, Featured Guest Mentor, Sally Ito, a local writer and translator, will lead workshops in translation. Not only can translation be a valuable career option for those who speak more than one language, an understanding of basic considerations can also benefit writers who only speak English. It helps writers slow down and consider word choice and how we make sentences.
Near the end of the program, we will hold a peer review session, where we share our writing in a critique circle and discuss translation. Peer Reviews are used in university creative writing classes, and we want to give you a head start in developing these valuable skills. The final session will include a formal reading where writers will read to family, friends, and peers and celebrate their hard work. Readings will be in any language of the student’s choice, with English translations provided where applicable.
A stronger sense of self makes us better writers! It will help the participants find their family story and increase inner awareness. Even those who believe they have no culture, do, and embedding these rich details in our writing strengthens our work. A basic understanding of translation and appreciation for languages will serve you all through life, no matter what you do and will enrich any career you choose. You will leave this program with an idea of how writing can fit into your future. We can’t wait to see you there!
HOW TO APPLY:
- Read through the program details above and pick the program you are interested in
- Download the required nominator form and have it completed by a teacher or adult familiar with your work. Send them the blank form they will fill it in, save and send back to you as a PDF
- Download the required permission and media consent form to complete and sign by yourself, orif you are under 18 it must be completed and signed by your parent or guardian
- Creative Writing and Music programs give you the option to share sample materials. You will need to collect and save your files or links to attach or list. You will see these questions in the application once you click “Apply Now”
- Click APPLY NOW below
- Answer all the questions
- attach all required forms (Nominator, permission)
- If you aren’t ready to submit and want to work on it at another time you can save & send yourself a link
- If your application is successfully submitted, you will be brought to a confirmation page. If you hit submit and this does not happen, scroll up and check for any error highlights to fix (missed questions etc.) and resubmit
*TIPS
– Copy and paste your answers into a Word doc in case you need to re-submit for a tech error or want to edit ahead of time
– Be sure to include your name on all attachments (Save As: “YourName-GroupMentorship2025”)
– Make sure all attachments are in PDF unless otherwise specified
If you have questions at any point during the application process, do not hesitate to contact the Mentorship Program Manager mentor@creativemanitoba.ca.
