Critical Futures completed its first year as a paid journalistic writing training program that trained a cohort of 3 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) interested in arts criticism.
The program ran from October 2022 to June 2023 and was a combination of classroom learning and opportunities to review several performances over a condensed period with mentorship. The aspiring critics will hone their professional voice and skills in areas such as:
- Overview of the current media climate in Canada
- History of Criticism in Canada
- Introduction to the Canadian Theatre ecology and the systems of theatre
production - Overview of the roles in theatre (dramaturge, director, designer etc.)
- Writing reviews, previews, editorials, and features
- Criticism practices across performing art forms (theatre, dance, circus, etc.)
- Print vs. Digital tools
- Different cultural frameworks for interpreting art
- Ethical artistic practices
- Building a future career in journalism
Critical Futures is a pilot program produced and managed by Neworld Theatre in partnership with Arts Club, Electric Company Theatre, GVPTA, Rumble Theatre, and STIR.