40 Seeds For 40 Seasons

We celebrated our 40th year in our 22.23 Season!

To honour the past we look to the future. 

For the past 40 years, the development of new work has always been at the core of the company; so, what better way to celebrate this anniversary than by giving back to the community which made Native Earth what it is today? This is an opportunity to create a multitude of new projects and together expand the ecology of Indigenous work. There are many untold stories yet to take shape. Let them come to life!

During 2022, Native Earth supported 40 artists to develop 40 new projects across the country, in recognition of each of the 40 years of Native Earth’s history. Each artist received $4,000 to develop a new work. The funding could be used however they chose.

This program was intended to support the development of a first draft / iteration of a new project. The artist need only acknowledge the development support of Native Earth and has no other commitment to the company. Artists retain all rights to their work, which could eventually be produced by any company. This first draft could become a calling card for future opportunities such as grants, commissions, and further development.

Application

To Indigenous artists who are interested in being involved, please answer the following questions in our Application Form:

Applications closed

Frequently Asked Questions

We are only accepting applications from Indigenous artists.

Yes! Native Earth prioritizes developing and supporting emerging Indigenous artists. We recognize the impact of the next generations of Indigenous storytellers. We will be prioritizing emerging voices. Established and senior artists will also be funded.

Emerging Artist: Defined as having 0-3 productions or the equivalent, at a festival, full productions or self-produced work.

Established Artist: Defined as 3-5 productions either in a festival, a theatre season or self-produced.

Senior Artist: Defined as 5+ productions or equivalent of work at a theatre festival or self-produced

Successful applicants will receive 80% of the $4,000 after an agreement is signed. The remaining 20% will be sent upon submission of a draft or other demonstration of development.

You may develop your projects in unique ways. Later in the year, artists will be invited to join a cohort of fellow participants who will mutually support each other’s development goals through conversations, sharing, and networking. There are also potential opportunities to speak about your 40 Seeds for 40 Seasons project at upcoming Weesageechak festivals.

Native Earth supports all forms of performance including theatre, dance, opera, and multi-disciplinary work. 

For submissions that are not text-based, you are welcome to submit alternate project description formats in the last line of the application form (question #5). 

This program provides funding for artists at the earliest stages of developing new work. It is intended to allow time and space to focus on creating new work. It is not meant to fund the creation of non-performance work, production workshops, or full productions.

  • Connection to theatres, dramaturgs and mentorship
  • Promotion on our social platforms and outreach to other organizations
  • Potential showcasing opportunities at our development festival, Weesageechak Begins to Dance