CALL FOR GENERAL SUBMISSIONS FOR 2012
DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 7, 2011Mayworks welcomes submissions for the 2012 festival through its general call for submissions. Download the full guidelines here, and the application form here. Periodically, Mayworks has specific calls for submission which will be posted on this page.
WHO WE ARE + THE SUBMISSION PROCESS
Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Arts is an arts festival that celebrates working class culture. Founded in 1986 by Toronto’s Labour Council, Mayworks is Canada’s largest and oldest labour arts festival. The festival programs artists and events that have a social justice focus and are relevant to all working people.
Mayworks Festival is NOT a funding body. We work in partnership with unions, organizations and artists to develop, promote and present events that fit our mandate. We are a presenter, and cannot financially support the creation of projects. We work with artists at all stages in their careers, and foster emerging artists. We are committed to paying artists’ fees.
The submission process is intended to provide a fair, democratic and transparent process for all applicants. Through this process, all applicants have the same information about the requirements and criteria, and Mayworks has the same information from all applicants on which to assess and make decisions. This is why it’s important that you follow the guidelines and provide all required information.
OUR MANDATE AND ARTISTIC VISION
All workers share a common struggle for decent wages, healthy working conditions and a living culture. Mayworks is committed to showing artists of diverse backgrounds and artistic forms, and to highlighting labour issues that are little talked about.
Mayworks’ artistic vision is specifically guided by our equity policy that recognizes the systemic discrimination and injustices faced by equity-seeking groups, and designates women, First Nations people, people of colour and queer-identified people as being disadvantaged in our society. To that end, our artistic vision actively seeks to allow for representation of these designated groups both as audiences and artists, and in the type of programming we do. We are also guided by a desire to provide programming that will engage new, non-arts audiences, and that will challenge euro-centric notions of art. Furthermore, Mayworks artistic vision is to showcase high caliber art and artists that are politically and socially engaged and that would otherwise not have a venue for their work.
EQUITY POLICY
Mayworks Festival acknowledges that we live in a society rooted in oppression and inequalities; that structural injustice and unconscious prejudice influence our experiences; and the importance of incorporating the knowledge and guidance from oppressed people’s experience within the organization.
The following “designated groups” are identified as being disadvantaged in employment and in society:
Women
Indigenous People
People with Disabilities
People of Colour
Queer-identified people (namely lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, and inter-sexed people)
Mayworks also acknowledges that low-income earners, those living below the poverty line, and other economically marginalized people are also disadvantaged in employment and society.
CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT
The Program Committee assesses proposals based on the following questions:
does it fit with our mandate?
can it be finished in a limited time?
is the proposal clear and complete?
is it financially feasible? are there other sources of funding?
does it include diversity of art forms/practices and artists?
is there outreach to equity-seeking audiences?
what are the support materials?
is there self-identification as an equity-seeking group/individual?
does it have and apply an equity framework?
is it fun, captivating and entertaining?
Emphasis will be placed on equity, financial feasibility and whether it’s doable in a limited timeframe.
TIMELINE
All applicants to the festival must be aware that we work with very condensed timelines. Notification of programming committee decisions usually happen by email by mid-December/early January. All logistical details are confirmed by mid-February, and development, outreach and publicity happen in March and April, with the festival starting at the end of April/beginning of May.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
All applicants must fill out the Submission Form, and answer the appropriate questions. Make sure to include all required information outlined. We do not have the resources to follow-up on missing information, and your proposal will be at a disadvantage.
ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY, TO THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESS: festsubmissions@gmail.com.
ALL SUBMISSIONS AND SUPPORT MATERIAL MUST BE RECEIVED BY EMAIL AND MAIL (NO FAXES) BY NOVEMBER 7, 2011
You will be contacted in December or January - no phone calls please. The Festival program will be finalized by mid-January. Thank you for applying.
