Emerging Arts Critics Programme Expands in National Ballet of Canada's 2018/19 Season

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada today announced the Emerging Arts Critics (EAC) programme will expand in the 2018/19 season to include the Canadian Opera Company (COC) joining as collaborators with The National Ballet of Canada and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO).

Originally launched by the National Ballet in 2014 as Emerging Dance Critics, the successful programme to foster a new generation of arts critics and writers will continue its long-standing partnership with Canadian dance magazine The Dance Current. The WholeNote once again returns as the media partner for reviews of TSO orchestral concerts with Opera Canada joining to publish opera reviews of the COC.

The EAC programme provides a forum for aspiring arts writers and assists them in developing the tools required to authoritatively write about and review ballet, classical music and opera. Applications from aspiring arts reviewers between the ages of 19 to 29 are now being accepted. Applicants should send an email to media@national.ballet.ca explaining why they would like to take part in the programme, along with a writing sample. Deadline is September 14, 2018. The EAC programme is committed to inclusiveness and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and abilities to submit.

Retired arts critic John Coulbourn, longtime music journalist and broadcaster Robert Harris and Opera Canada Editorial Director Gianmarco Segato will mentor this season's participants. The Dance Current Executive Editor Emma Doran, The WholeNote Publisher and Editor in Chief David Perlman and Digital and Social Media Editor Sara Constant and Mr. Segato will coach the writers in a one-on-one editorial process through to online publication.

Selected participants will attend National Ballet, TSO and COC performances over the 2018/19 season from September 2018 - March 2019. Participants will work with EAC programme mentors and have their reviews published on The Dance Current, The WholeNote and Opera Canada's websites. In addition, participants will also attend critical writing and journalistic research skills workshops hosted by the National Ballet, TSO and COC as part of the programme.

Last year, a group of eight emerging arts writers were selected through an open call resulting in 16 reviews of the National Ballet and TSO's 2017/18 season.

Photo: Siphesihle November. Photo by Karolina Kuras.