What is YES?

YES (Youth Engagement Scarborough) is an exciting new grant program designed to empower youth to lead dynamic, community-driven arts projects in Scarborough! Through this program, you'll receive funding to cover project costs, one-on-one mentorship from a working artist, and hands-on project management training. If you're a passionate young leader eager to inspire and connect with your community through art, this is your chance!

For our second cohort, we’re looking for creators of live performance projects! Whether you've been performing for years or are just starting your journey, we want to support you. If you have a performance piece or a creative idea you've been dreaming about, this program will give you the funding and mentorship to bring it to life—all while collaborating with and engaging other youth.

The program will culminate in an exciting YES Showcase, where you’ll have the opportunity to share your project with an audience in a way that is meaningful to you and your community.

Ready to turn your ideas into reality? Join us and make your mark!

Applications are open for our LIVE PERFORMANCE COHORT

Apply Now!

Who is Guild Festival Theatre?

For more than a decade, Guild Festival Theatre has enchanted patrons at beautiful open-air productions at the stunning Greek Theatre in Scarborough's iconic Guild Park. Scarborough's only professional theatre, GFT is proud to champion local arts and culture and has been honoured with numerous awards and commendations, including “Best Live Theatre” (Scarborough Mirror), the Urban Hero Award (Metroland Media), the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Award, the King Charles III Coronation Medal, and two Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

ABOUT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT SCARBOROUGH

What You Get

A grant between $1,000 – $5,000 to fund your project
Mentorship from a professional artist
Hands-on project management and creative training sessions
A chance to engage your community & connect with other young artist leaders
A showcase to share your artistic project.

What is the YES Showcase

The showcase is an event produced by Guild Festival Theatre to celebrate, present and even pitch you and your project alongside other YES participants and invited guests.
There will be minimal lighting, sound, technical, and staging elements available. There will be no rehearsals in the space, just a simple tech the day of the event.
You can share up to 15 minutes of work—this could be an excerpt, a full piece, or a work-in-progress showing, etc.
Any related costs (e.g. actors, props, costumes, materials, etc.) should be included in your grant budget.
If you choose to produce your own event (reading, show, cabaret etc), you will still be required to present at the YES Showcase. Please include the associated costs to your event (rentals, directors, technical needs etc.) in your grant budget.

Timeline

Applications Open: Monday, May 5, 2025
Info Session: Tuesday, May 27 (6-8pm) - RSVP Here
Applications Close: Sunday, June 1 @ 11:59 PM
Program Orientation: Monday, June, 23 2025 (Evening)
Skills-Building Workshops: TBD
YES Showcase: Week of August 25th (One Evening)

Who Can Apply?

Youth (ages 15-30) with a connection to Scarborough
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and youth with a granted refugee status
Performing Arts-based projects that engage multiple youth in the community
No prior professional creative or project management experience needed—just passion and creativity!
Priority will be given to:

Indigenous youth
Visible minority/racialized youth
Youth with disabilities
2SLGBTQ+ youth
Newcomer youth
Youth from official language minority communities (OLMC)
Youth living in rural or remote areas
Youth from low-income households

Not sure if you qualify? Reach out! ✉️ outreach@guildfestivaltheatre.ca

What Kind of Projects Does YES Support?

YES supports youth-led arts projects that incorporate themes of sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity.

Each project creates volunteer opportunities for other youth to gain hands-on experience in various artistic and community engagement roles.