Community Resources for Black Artists and Arts Workers
This resource was created in honour of Black History Month 2024 – an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the history, the present, and the future of the Black community in Quebec. However, we know how important it is to support the Black community all year round.
Therefore, this is a “living” resource, amd we invite you to contribute your links, recommendations, and events to be included in the list. To contribute, contact communications@quebec-elan.org
Resources range from Black-run festivals, to community networks, to grant opportunities, to mental health services, and a Masterclass on DJing!
Community Resources
ACSioN Network of Canada- Formally inaugurated in September 2006 and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, the African and Caribbean Synergic inter-organizational Network of Canada – called ACSioN Canada for short – amplifies the creative leadership potential of students and young professionals from the African diaspora, through culturally-intelligent programs and services.
Click here for details.
Artistic Career Consultation – Diversité artistique Montréal- Holds consultations with artists to provide advice on artistic entrepreneurship and key concepts in project management. Guides and reference tools are available to assist with project design, as well as the writing of CVs and grant applications.
Click here for details.
Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC) is a growing, resource-based organization that strengthens community capacity by providing professional support to organizations and individuals in need. The Centre is committed to helping visible minority youth rekindle their dreams, and achieve their full potential.
Click here for details.
Black Histories in the Eastern Townships is often glossed over by historians and popular understandings of history alike, and yet the Townships have been an important territory for Black history in the Americas. Black Histories in the Eastern Townships proposes a collection of historical snapshots that shed light on important chapters in the Black history of the region.
To learn more about this virtual exhibition click here.
Black Mental Health Connections Montreal (BMHC MTL) is an alliance of organizations and individuals focused on the mental health and well-being of the English-speaking Black community in Montreal.
Click here for details.
Join the Black Theatre Workshop Community Resource Board—a brand new Facebook group designed to support members of the Montreal arts community! Group members will get access to the latest job posts, casting calls, audition notices, production opportunities, and community support. Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) is Canada’s longest running theatre company dedicated to the works of Black and diasporic communities. BTW’s mission is to promote and produce outstanding theatre that educates, entertains and inspires.
Click here for details.
BIPOC TV & Film (@bipoctvfilm) • Instagram photos and videos- A grassroots nonprofit org advocating for racial equity + the advancement of Black, Indigenous & People of Colour in Canadian film and TV. They regularly publish opportunities for BIPOC folks in TV & Film on their Instagram page. As well, they help amplify your work and opportunities within their network.
Click here for details.
Can We Talk from BCRC is a community-based action research and video project that will explore the impact of systemic racism, discrimination, diversity and inclusion across 4 sectors of Quebec’s society: health, education, employment, and justice. Participants will be attending training workshops and contributing to the creation of a video series for the BCRC youtube page. Click here for details.
The Centre for Community Organizations (COCo)’s mission is to help build a more socially just world by supporting the health and well-being of community organizations in Québec. Through supporting organizational development, offering training, disseminating resources, producing research, and by strengthening links between nonprofit organizations, COCo helps to promote the vitality of the community sector in the province.
Click here for Details.
The Cote des Neiges Black Community Association (CDNBCA) proudly serves Montreal’s Black community by offering programs and support services particularly designed for English-speaking youth, families, and seniors.
Click here for details.
CultureBrew.Art (CBA) is a digital platform that promotes and fosters intersectional interculturalism throughout the performing, literary, and media arts. Its central tool is a national searchable database of Indigenous and racialized artists – actors, writers, singers, musicians, dancers, filmmakers, directors, designers, composers, choreographers, stage managers, and other arts and culture professionals – to which theatres, dance and opera companies, film/TV casting professionals, indie directors/producers, schools, community and social service non-profits, government agencies, media outlets, ad agencies, and more may access as subscribers.
Click here for details.
DESTA Black Community Network – Based in Little Burgundy and serving participants across Greater Montreal, DESTA supports Black youth aged 18 to 35 in reaching their educational, employability, and entrepreneurial goals through a holistic and individualized approach.
Click here for details.
Festival International Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal Call for artists | Festival International Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal – If you love to discover new music, Productions Nuits d’Afrique produces shows year round and takes artists propositions for different events. The festival runs July 11-23, Deadline for festival proposals is March 1. (Note, the dates on the EN page are not always up to date, you can check the FR version to confirm dates).
Click here for details.
Genesis Community Foundation (GCF) is a non profit organization whose primary goal is to support the members in their community to independence and self-sufficiency. They focus on providing resources and services that empower individuals and families to improve their quality of life and achieve their goals. The services are tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of the English-Speaking Black community.
Click here for details.
Grant & Proposal Writers (for Black Artists) Database is a volunteer base service to help Black artists of all disciplines to connect with grant writers and guidance across Canada.
Click here for details.
The goal of the Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) is to bring audiences the most beautiful and the most amazing new Black films, while creating a space to debate major cultural, social and socio-economic issues. The MIBFF wants to promote a different kind of cinema, cinema that hails from here and from abroad and that does not necessarily have the opportunity to grace the big screen, groundbreaking cinema that moves us, that raises awareness and that takes us all by surprise. Their 2022 festival took place in September and the 2023 dates are to be announced.
Click here for details.
Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers is a play written and performed by Makambe K. Simamba showing at Black Theatre Workshop this month. To take a deeper look into the show, or to use this contemporary play as an educational tool in classrooms, reference this study guide created by Christine Rodriguez.
Click here for study guide.
Project 10 works to promote the personal, social, sexual and mental well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, intersex and questioning (2LGBTQ+) youth and adults 14-25 in Montreal. Their project Full Circle aims to create spaces where trans and queer youth of colour can learn new skill sets, develop their interests, meet friends and have fun.
Click here for details.
Queering Black History Month | QueerEvents.ca– Each year for Black History Month, Queer Events, with help from the folks of House of Anansi, will mark February with an Awareness Campaign that will focus on Black 2SLGBTQ+ community members and the projects, spaces and initiatives created.
Click here for details.
SAYASPORA is a not-for-profit media platform for women stemming from the African diaspora. As an African women-led and bilingual organization founded in 2015 in Montréal, Canada, they strongly believe in the power of representation as a tool for social change and inspiration.
Click here for details.
Unity Arts Collective (Growing Pains) – “UAC is a space/platform made by n for Prioritizing, creating space for BIPOC Trans/ Queer Artists / people within ‘Canada’. ” This resource is an Instagram page. UAC is currently accepting Artist Submissions; you can find details on their page.
Click here for details.
VAV Gallery Black History Month Solidarity Grant- The VAV Gallery recognizes the need to support Black artists, and this grant serves as one small step towards a more equitable arts community at Concordia. This opportunity is only available to Undergraduate Fine Arts Students who are Black and enrolled in at least one fine arts class during the 2022-2033 year at Concordia University.
Click here for details.
Vivacité – Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (gouv.qc.ca)- CALQ grants for BIPOC artists. The Vivacité program is part of the CALQ’s efforts to improve access to its financial assistance programs for minority artists and promote their full participation in Québec’s artistic life and cultural development.
Click here for details.
For an extensive list of programming in both French and English in Montreal and the province, click here to consult the Mois de l’histoire des noires calendar.
To share your events or resources, please contact communications@quebec-elan.org