As with any career, professional development is important for building your skill-sets, growing your expertise, and improving the quality of your productions. You may choose to enrol in a structured training program, secure a mentorship with a senior producer, or simply create a casual curriculum for yourself. We've pulled together some professional development opportunities for producers below, and you can find more through networks like The Producer's Learning Network on Facebook.
Conferences
PACTCON
Arts and Business Exchange
Workshops
Theatre Producers of Colour's (TPOC) supports of the next generation of BIPOC producers by providing access to education, training, and mentorship.
Volcano Theatre - Producer’s Learning Network
Summerworks Exchange (Toronto)
GhostLight Professional Training Series
Koffler Centre for the Arts
Toronto Dance Community Love-In
ArtsBuild Ontario
Axis Syllabus International Research Network
Movement Research Intensive
Canada's National Voice Intensive
CADA/East
Law for Non-Profits (Vancouver, Online Seminars)
BC Alliance for Arts and Culture (Vancouver)
Calgary Arts Development Education Opportunities Listings (Calgary)
Programs
These programs are administered by companies or organizations to provide training and development opportunities to producers.
Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity - Leadership (Banff)
Toronto Arts Council - Leaders Lab (Toronto)
Generator - Artist Producer Training (Toronto)
Artrepreneur (York Region Arts Council) (Toronto/GTA)
Dance Educators International (Toronto)
The Toronto Fringe TENT (Theatre Entrepreneurs’ Network & Training) Program (Toronto)
SKETCH Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programs (Toronto)
Aspiring Emerging Associates Touring & Training Initiative (BC)
Block P (7 sessions on Producing in Theatre) with Playwrights Theatre Centre (Vancouver)
TPOC Producing 101 - a ten-week, tuition-free course designed to introduce BIPOC to the fundamentals of commercial producing, delivered via zoom.
Degree and Diploma Programs
The Canadian Association of Arts Administration Educators has member institutions across Canada that provide degree and diploma programs in arts management.
Humber College has a Administration and Cultural Management graduate certificate program.
Coursera offers online certificates in various different disciplines, including arts and culture, finance, business, and more.
Funding to support Professional Development
Metcalf Internships
Ontario Arts Council
Canada Council for the Arts
Dancer Transition Resource Centre
Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists, Ontario Chapter
CADA West Training Subsidy Program
CADA East Training Subsidy Program
Toronto Arts Council
Low Cost Online Learning
Mind Tools offers a wide range of high-quality, practical, on-demand resources can help you to become an effective and inspirational manager and leader
Free Online Learning
Create to Learn: a free online learning resource with video tutorials on digital skills and traditional knowledge created by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists and media makers to share their skills.
GVPTA (Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance] is providing listings of free digital learning opportunities (webinars, information sessions, and online workshops) relevant to theatre and performing arts organizations and artists through the COVID-19 pandemic, as our sector moves toward re-opening and recovery.
GYST (Get Your Sh*t Together) has pages and pages of FREE Professional Practices material for every artist on a variety of topics. These are the tools to help you become a thriving artist.
Applying for Jobs and Internships
Centre Theatre Group put together an excellent video series on How to Apply for Jobs and Internships in the Arts. Watch the whole series by heading to our youtube channel.
The video above by Centre Theatre Group offers an overview of the job and internship application process in the arts and beyond, including the three questions to ask yourself before applying for a gig.