| New Collaborative Arts Project Addresses Needs of Newcomers in Scarborough |
Ontario Trillium Foundation Announces Support for Creative Mosaics Project
Scarborough, ON - Scarborough contains some of the most diverse neighbourhoods in Canada, yet it remains under-served in providing arts and cultural programs, services and opportunities to newcomers, youth and culturally-diverse communities. Creative Mosaics, a new collaborative project involving seven organizations, will set out to identify and respond to the needs of newcomers and culturally-diverse communities with the goal of developing an intergenerational, youth-focused arts program. The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, has awarded a $63,300 grant to support the one-year project that will commence in January 2010.
“I’m pleased that this exciting collaborative has received funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation – I think it will have a real impact on the residents of Scarborough Southwest, and indeed throughout the area,” said Lorenzo Berardinetti, MPP Scarborough Southwest. “Given that the arts are such an effective tool to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds, I’m looking forward to hearing more about Creative Mosaics’ work over the next few months.”
Creative Mosaics will involve a comprehensive community needs and capacity building assessment in order to develop a proposal for an arts program that integrates after-school, mentorship and intergenerational components, providing learning opportunities in the arts and an exploration of diverse cultural identities. The Creative Mosaics collaborative includes Scarborough Arts Council, Catholic Cross-Cultural Services, Children's Aid Society of Toronto, Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture, Arising Women, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) and Philippine Advocacy Through Arts and Culture.
“We are excited to work with our collaborative partners and Scarborough communities to launch the Creative Mosaics project,” said Scarborough Arts Council Executive Director, Tim Whalley. “Through the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Creative Mosaics will build and enrich connections between newcomers, artists, mentors and school communities and work towards a new program that effectively serves residents.”
Creative Mosaics will include engagement with youth, mentors, artists and cultural leaders, organization of community discussions and focus groups, distribution and collection of surveys, outreach, exploration and development of arts program models and writing of the final report.
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