Our programs support artists to reach their creative and professional goals through art training, professional development, and presentation opportunities and by providing support through peer-to-peer interaction and community. All courses are free to members.
Want to apply to attend a local, national, or international artist residency, but don’t know where to start? Sign up for this 1:1 mentorship with Eshan Rafi, for a maximum of 6 hours per term of professional one-on-one coaching. This mentorship is geared towards visual, media and performing artists, who are emerging or mid-career.
A residency can be an integral part of developing an artistic practice, in which you are exposed to new people, a new city or context, and/or new methods for working. Some are designed for open-ended research, while others focus on a specific theme, medium or material. You might have your own goals in mind, like creating work towards an exhibition, or networking towards future collaboration and presentation opportunities.
Together, we will discuss your needs and aspirations, browse a curated list of residencies, and explore funding options. Our sessions can include hands-on skill building for crafting a professional portfolio that you can use for your applications. At the end of our mentorship, you will be empowered to: parse through residency descriptions to understand how a residency might fit your needs, plan and pitch a residency project, prepare for a residency once accepted, and optionally, design a portfolio.
* This mentorship is especially geared towards BIPOC and LGBTQ2SI+ artists.
ABOUT THE MENTOR
Eshan Rafi (b. 1986, Lahore) is a Toronto/Tkaronto-based artist working across time-based, lens-based and choreographic practices. Their works deal with the intersection of political events and personal archives, often staging the impossibility of representation. Rafi is an alumni of the Home Workspace Program at Ashkal Alwan in Beirut, Lebanon, and has participated in residencies at Fondazioni Antonio Ratti in Como, Saas-Fee Summer Institute of Art in Berlin, and the Banff Centre for the Arts, among others. Their work has been exhibited, performed and screened internationally including at Links Hall, Chicago; SummerWorks Lab, Toronto; Sharjah Film Platform; M:ST 9 Performance Art Biennale, Calgary and neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst, Berlin. Rafi holds an MFA in Art, Theory, Practice from Northwestern University (2023) and a BFA and BEd in Visual Arts from York University (2013).
Do you have a project in development and need help to make it happen? This mentorship provides professional, individually-tailored art coaching and resources to develop a work plan, to refine your vision and direction, to deliver on your art project and art practice career goals.
ABOUT THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Master Class: Developing Your Professional Art Practice, facilitated by Claudette Abrams provides knowledge-base resources, and a maximum 6 hours total per term* professional one-on-one coaching for artists to develop expertise, focus, and confidence, to deliver on art project and art practice career goals.
Work plan knowledge-base topics include; being opportunity-ready, project concept development, writing grants, artist statements & press releases, project time management scheduling, site plans, fundraising, budgeting, gallery representation, contracting, copyright, reproduction, distribution, promotion, production, installation, documentation, CARFAC scale fees, market pricing, & resources specific to media/materials & discipline.
Claudette Abrams is an artist, curator and graduate of the Ontario Collage of Art in Communications and Design. She has instructed at OCADU New Media Studies, and at the CAMH Partial Hospitalization Program. She is the curator of the CAMH Transitions Art Collection, and has served on CAMH Art Policy Development and Public Art Selection Committees. She has curated productions for festivals and venues such as Workman Arts, Rendezvous With Madness, Nuit Blanche, Luminato, Tangled Art + Disability, the Contact Photography Festival and the Toronto International Art Fair
Sessions available on-line, or by special request in-person, or by phone. To make a booking, please fill out the JotForm.
CANCELLATION POLICY: To reschedule a mentorship session, 24 hour notice must be provided. After two no shows or less than 24 hour notice, artist members will lose their spot in the program and will be asked to reapply the following term.
This one-on-one mentorship is for artists who want to build a clear and authentic brand rooted in their creative identity. It is a collaborative process shaped by your work, your story, and your goals. Together, we will explore what branding means for you as an artist and how to express that across your materials, platforms, and presence. We will work together to uncover your message, shape your visual and written identity, and build the tools you need to represent yourself with confidence. This includes creating or refining your website, artist statement, portfolio, business cards, and social media presence. We will shape a digital and real-world identity that feels true to who you are and speaks clearly to the people you want to reach. Each session offers space for reflection, feedback, and real-time guidance, allowing us to move at a pace that supports your growth. This is a space where we bring clarity to your brand by grounding it in your creative values and direction. By the end, you will walk away with a brand that reflects you, supports your work, and helps you connect with the world around you.
ABOUT THE MENTOR
Kesava Kumar is a filmmaker, composer, and brand strategist whose work has been recognized at festivals in Cannes, Los Angeles, Dubai, and Vienna, with his films studied at universities in Canada and Dubai. As Founder and CEO of Chrysalis, he blends storytelling with strategic branding to help clients grow with clarity and impact. His work spans industries, having led high-impact campaigns for TD Bank, Nikon, and PwC, guided nonprofits toward long-term sustainability, supported VC deal flow, and helped individuals grow audiences into the millions. Kesava’s approach is grounded in a deep understanding of both narrative and audience, bringing together emotional resonance and strategic thinking. He has built a reputation for transforming complex ideas into clear, powerful messages that move people. As a guest lecturer at universities in Toronto, Kesava continues to share his insights with the next generation of creatives and entrepreneurs, helping them shape meaningful brands and lasting influence.
Do you need assistance with making an arts grant application? Do you want to understand the submission process and improve your odds of being successful?
Rick Miller can help you navigate the labyrinthine arts council application process.
Whether you’re an emerging artist making your first application or an established creative submitting an annual request, Rick can help you understand how to increase the likelihood of an arts jury deciding to fund your project.
While these are challenging times to be artist, getting an arts grant can still be a way to fund your dream project. However, making your first application can be intimidating and confusing. As a mentor it is Rick’s objective to help you feel comfortable making your own application.
You also need to have identified a specific grant they want to apply for. Mentoring must start at least one month before the application deadline
You need basic computer skills, access to the internet, a high-school level of literacy in English or French
Please note that if you’re concerned solely about your writing, then Professional Writing Support might be for you. Similarly, if you need help developing your creative ideas then Developing Your Practice would be better for you.
*
Rick Miller, MFA, is a mid-career Mad Artist working in lens-based documentary media. Usually working in collaboration with other artists, his projects have been exhibited and published across Canada, in Europe, the USA, and Japan.
Having received a dozen grants, both large and small, his work is supported by the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.
Rick joined Workman Arts a decade ago and has been the Media Artist in Residence, an instructor and workshop leader, and sits on the Member Advisory Committee.
This mentorship grew out of Rick’s recent Workman Arts course on grant writing.
Do you need help developing your professional writing skills for your arts practice?
Artists express themselves through their creative work and it can sometimes be a struggle to translate this into language. At the same time, writing about one’s work is a fundamental part of maintaining an arts practice – from having a clear and articulate artist statement and bio for submissions, to navigating the language and requirements for funding and project proposals.
I provide 1-on-1 editorial support to artists at every stage of their careers who are interested in producing better writing about their work. This program is open to all – from folks who are looking for help articulating their practice or applying for grants for the first time, to seasoned writers who would appreciate a second pair of eyes on a draft. Sessions are flexible and based upon the needs of the individual artist.
Writing is an iterative process that develops over the course of multiple drafts. Your project may require more than one meeting, and we will work together to discuss a workplan. Please note that each individual/collective will be allotted a maximum of 6 hours of mentorship per term.
Sessions are offered via Google Meet (a video conferencing platform similar to Zoom) or over the phone. For more information, or to book a session, please email workman.arts.writing@gmail.com
—
Paula John (she/her) is a visual artist, writer, and scholar. She holds a PhD in Theatre & Performance Studies from York University, and teaches art, writing, and critical theory in various community and university settings.