Windsor, ON – On Friday, June 9, local MPP Lisa Gretzky met with the team at WorkInCulture to hear more about the $275,800 Grow grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) that was used to develop and deliver a career development training series for artists and arts workers in the Windsor-Essex region. The program was completed in June 2023 and helped more than 80 Windsor-Essex-based artists, creative professionals, and arts and culture workers move their careers, businesses, and organizations forward.

"Windsor and Essex County is renowned for its broad and vibrant arts community working in the performing arts, music, dance and theatre, the visual arts, and film, poetry and literature," said Lisa Gretzky, MPP for Windsor West. "I congratulate WorkInCulture and its partner organizations as recipients of this OTF Grow grant which has helped provide vital development of the business skills necessary for artists to excel at their chosen professions and make a decent living doing it."

Growing Creative Careers: Windsor & Region was developed by WorkInCulture in partnership with the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre and the Arts Council Windsor & Region to support the career and entrepreneurial skills development of artists and arts workers in Windsor-Essex. Through a series of free workshops, peer-mentoring, and the support of local experts and resources, Growing Creative Careers delivered career development training to four different cohorts of arts and culture professionals over the course of 2021 to 2023. Each cohort focused on a specific need identified by the region's creative community, from career skills specifically for emerging and early-career artists, to sustaining healthy boards of directors, planning creative projects, and building your career capacity.

"Growing Creative Careers went beyond introductory business training to respond to what the next generation of Windsor's artistic leaders wanted to learn now," said Diane Davy, Executive Director of WorkInCulture. "This grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation has allowed artists and creative professionals from across the Windsor region to come together to gain the necessary skills and community connections that will support their career and business growth now and into the future."

WorkInCulture is a non-profit arts service organization that supports the professional lives of Ontario artists, creatives and cultural workers through skills development, research, and career resources. By connecting program participants with fellow arts and culture professionals as well as local resources and partners like the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre and Arts Council Windsor & Region, Growing Creative Careers has strengthened the network of support and collaboration amongst Windsor's creative community, and will continue to support its business and career development for years to come.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada's leading granting foundations, celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario's Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

For more information:

Brianne DiAngelo, Marketing and Communications Manager
WorkInCulture
briannediangelo@workinculture.ca