The Element was a six week experience for youth in the Neptune/Lawrence Heights communities. The program explored the fusion of dance, singing, rap, drama, music production, and fashion. Along with all the amazing workshops, the youth involved worked on leadership skills and in then end put on an amazing showcase at the end of the summer.  Entitled “Nuff Said” it was a dynamic dramtic and musical experience that dealt with gender, community conflict, and the realities of being a youth in today’s society.
Art In XS is Art Starts summer camp program running out of St Thomas Aquinas School at Dufferin & Eglinton and in the Villaways Art Studio at Sheppard & Leslie. In this half day program kids got a chance to experience a wide variety of workshops taught by professional artists including Steel Pan playing with Salmon Cupid, Recycled Art Sculptures with Illona Staples and a field trip to Second City for an improv workshop.
	This is the second summer Art Starts has had the pleasure of co-producing Dusk Dances in Earlscourt Park. This outdoor dance festival brings contemporary and traditional dance to public parks. From Aug 19th- 22nd from 7-9pm each night the community marveled at the dance spectacle put together by the phenomenal dancers and choreographers. They were all stellar performances and we look forward to doing it again next year!
Our Graffiti Transformation Project at the Yorkdale subway station underpass was also a HUGE success! This summer 4 youth worked with artist Josh Barndt to transform the south wall and pillars of the underpass into a community mural. Titled “Knowledge is Power” the mural tackles issues of cultural tradition, music, influential people and local icons, in order to tell a story and empower the community.

We know summer can’t last forever but we’re already gearing up for fall starting with a new session of Stressbusters! As part of out Program Without Walls, Stressbusters gives Mothers/Caregivers of children 0-6 yrs old the chance to engage in stress-relieving exercises, creative art and dance lead by professional artists while children are engaged in arts, crafts and movement exercises with a children’s artist.

Thanks to everyone for all their hard work and participation this is truly a summer we won’t soon forget!

Stay tuned for announcements about our fall programs or subscribe to our email list to get updates sent to you when new programs and events come up!

Art Starts is an award-winning charitable, not-for-profit organization committed to arts-based community development in the city of Toronto. Our mandate is to build healthier communities using the arts. We are a growing organization currently operating five sites across the city. We understand that the arts are a medium for engaging residents, creating a shared sense of identity, identifying challenges and collectively working to overcome them.

Art Starts uses the arts as a vehicle to encourage social change in underserved neighbourhoods by offering high quality, responsive and relevant creative opportunities to those who do not have access. We bring together professional artists with people from various neighbourhoods and create projects and programs in all artistic media, with all ages, with artists and participants from various ethnic backgrounds. We reflect the cultures of the neighbourhood and build bridges among them. We also function as an advocacy and referral organization for the artists with whom we work.

Position Summary: The Managing Director is responsible for overseeing and managing all operations related to Art Starts successfully using the arts to build healthy communities. This is a one-year contract to cover a maternity leave.

Responsibilities:

• Managing the overall strategic direction of Art Starts’ programming and administration, in partnership with the Board and staff
• Supervising the Program Director, Director of Development and Administration Manager
• Cultivating, developing and facilitating new relationships and partnerships that support Art Starts’ growth and mandate
• Researching and pursuing new funding sources in collaboration with the Director of Development to support our desired growth
• Continuing to nurture existing funding sources/bodies
• Developing annual budgets and program plans with the Director of Development and the Program Director
• Overseeing funding applications (including government, foundations, corporate, etc.) and writing reports
• Overseeing the development of a new social enterprise initiative at the Yorkdale Community Arts Centre
• Writing and/or overseeing the production of all communications including website, marketing materials, press releases, social media, print and email newsletters
• Overseeing all systems related to running Art Starts in a prudent, responsible manner (e.g. record-keeping, final reports, financials etc…)
• Reporting to the Board of Directors

Job Requirements:

• minimum 3 years management experience
• exceptional HR skills
• experience in and a profound understanding of art-making in a community context
• outstanding written, verbal and communication skills
• demonstrated communications experience (web, social media, press releases)
• expertise and experience managing a charitable, not-for-profit organization
• demonstrated success in management
• artists are encouraged to apply
• experience with social enterprise an asset

Send resume & cover letter to: hr@artstarts.net

We regret that only those applicants to be interviewed will be contacted.

No phone calls please. 

Starts: Aug 19, 2010 7:00pm running nightly (subject to weather) until August 22, 2010

Cost: FREE

Dusk Dances is an outdoor dance festival that brings an array of high quality contemporary and traditional dance to public parks. As dusk descends, a theatrical host ushers the audience – which invariably includes children, dog walkers and local residents – to five eclectic dance pieces that unfold in different areas of the park. Audiences are invited on a pay-what-you-can basis to an innovative site-specific festival, which is not only an artistic event, but a social and cultural one as well.

For more info phone: 416-656-9994

Address: Earlcourt Park – located at St. Clair Ave W & Caledonia Rd / Davenport & Landsdowne

TTC: 47 Lansdowne Bus or 512 St. Clair Streetcar.

Click on this link or the image below to read the full articles!

Art Starts Crew with Councillor Shelley Carroll

See more pictures on the Neighbourhood Arts Network blog feature on the event.

Dusk Dances 2009

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

Wed.  Aug 18 – Sun. Aug 22

Volunteers are required to commit to a minimum of one rehearsal or performance date. Must arrive at 5:30 pm on the evening they are assigned. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: Ushers/donation collection – Information table – Change room and truck guards – Guarding performance areas

Please e-mail or call Erin Schachter erin@artstarts.net 416.656.9994 ext. 3 if you are interested and specify your availability.