What is YES?
Youth Engagement Scarborough (YES) 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!
Whether you've been creating for years or are just starting your journey, we want to support you. If you have a digital media 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!
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
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? Contact us at outreach@guildfestivaltheatre.ca
Applications are open for our Performance Cohort!
Eligible for a YES Grant and part of the 2026 Fringe Festival? Apply here:
Application Deadline: Friday February 27th @ 11:59pm
Current YES Projects Seeking Collaborators/Submissions!
The Mental Mixtape: Borderlines & Basslines
We're seeking Black Scarborough youth (ages 15-29) to submit original poetry, prose, or lyric essays (max 1500 words) exploring the intersections of music, migration, memory, and mental health. We want stories about how music shaped your identity, reflections on crossing borders and finding rhythm, and narratives exploring sound as survival and healing. Selected writers will receive an honorarium, publication in a digital + limited-edition print anthology, and participation in two free creative workshops focused on editing and craft.
Contact Information: Chidera Udochukwu-Nduka, Project Facilitator Email: chidera.creative@gmail.com Submission Deadline: February 16, 2026. Instagram callout can be found here.
The Unspoken Black Girl
Seeking health professionals with experience supporting Black girls and women navigating eating disorders, as well as writers interested in collaborating on a powerful, character-driven story. Contributors will help ensure the portrayal of mental health, body image, and cultural pressures is authentic and responsible. additionally any Black girls that have experience with having an eating disorder. Writers should be passionate about telling nuanced stories about Black girlhood, identity, and healing. This project aims to center truth, vulnerability, and resilience.
Contact Information: Shadé Ogbogu. Email: shadereogbogu@gmail.com
Soft Armour
Seeking 1–2 coordinators to help host the Soft Armour Writing Party/Workshop. Coordinators will be responsible for preparing and delivering personalized introductions for featured artists (such as Toronto-based authors, wellness professionals, and poets), providing instructions and reminders for activities throughout the evening, and helping maintain the overall flow of the event. This role is ideal for someone with a lively personality who is comfortable speaking to groups, attentive to event dynamics, and open to receiving feedback. Availability for communication via texts, calls, and closer to the event date is essential.
Contact Information:
Ese M. Email: esemakolomi@gmail.com; Instagram: @esemwrites
YES is funded in part by Canada Service Corps, a national movement that empowers youth aged 12–30 to gain experience and build important skills while giving back to their community. Learn more at Canada.ca/CanadaServiceCorps