With the summer weather upon us and physical distancing measures still in effect, many are yearning to reconnect not only with family and friends but with their broader social and creative networks as well. Check out a few of the local and international initiatives below that can help provide some inspired interaction and networking until we can all gather together and collaborate again.

Local

• The Neighbourhood Arts Network – Curated through the Toronto Art Foundation, the Neighbourhood Arts Network is a connecting hub where artists, arts organizations, cultural workers, and community agencies arts come together to enrich the lives of folks living in Toronto. They offer individualized programs for professional development, networking, and training events in partnership with local arts organizations and community partners. Join the network here and some of their existing programs here.
• Artist Opportunities by East End Arts – A public Facebook group moderated by East End Arts dedicated to calls for artists, job and project opportunities, community programs, and networking. You can also check out East End Arts for ongoing calls for art/artists such as this one featured on artsUNITÈ, as well as their regular programming, some of which prioritizes youth, newcomers, and seniors.

National

• The Canadian Network for Arts & Learning – The CNAL was born out of a shared belief that arts and learning enrich, empower, and sustain the lives of individuals and communities ¹.”The goal of the CNAL is to highlight to Canadian decision-makers and the intrinsic value of the arts so that arts programming and funding can return to the core of the Canadian education system and cultural foundation. They have curated a huge list of resources for the Arts and Learning sector during the COVID-19 pandemic available here. You can also browse through the Digital resources and online tool bank through Eduarts.

International

• Art 21 – Art 21 has positioned itself as a global leader in presenting thought-provoking and sophisticated content about contemporary art and artists of our time. Art 21 operates as a non-profit, whose mission is to inspire a more creative world through the works and words of contemporary artists.  They have free guides and materials for arts educators available for download, and a free online library of videos and https://art21.org/read/publications for you to explore and enjoy.
• UNESCO – UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace and community to promote international cooperation in Education, the Sciences, and Culture. Through their initiatives, UNESCO serves as a laboratory of ideas to help countries to adopt international standards and programs in the arts and creative scenes. One such program is Creative Cities; virtually explore hundreds of cities around the world based on your sector of interest, including Toronto who was designated as a creative city in October 2017. You can also search their digital library and multimedia archives for a variety of content from arts and education to politics and the environment.