Next Generation Arts

Home
Canada
Scarborough, ON
Next Generation Arts

Arts, mentorships and resources for the next generation

Next Generation Arts is a not-for-profit arts organization serving North and Central Scarborough, that provides resources and opportunities for youth and the community. This includes artistic opportunities, learning opportunities, employment opportunities, but most importantly, opportunities to be leaders in the community.

06/03/2026

📊 Building Youth Arts Careers | Finding 3 of 4

66%. That’s the share of young artists and arts workers who say they are likely to stay in the Toronto arts sector over the next 2–5 years despite the systemic issues documented in our new report.

Most focus group participants also saw themselves in the arts long-term, crediting their love of creating, sense of responsibility to their community and future artists, and the reward of expressing their identity.

Three things make staying possible:
🤲 Mentorship — building confidence, skills, and credibility
🏘️ Community — emotional support, belonging, and word-of-mouth referrals
🎭 Arts organization programming — from organizations like SKETCH (now closed),
Toronto Arts Foundation, JAYU, North York Arts, STEPS, Scarborough Arts, and The 905 Circle

Our new report, Building Youth Arts Careers, is based on a survey and five focus groups with 241 young equity-deserving artists and arts workers across the GTA. Swipe through for the third finding. 👉

📖 Read the full report—link in bio.

This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada, in collaboration with research co-leads Blueprint and project partners ArtReach and The Blackstone Foundation Library.

05/27/2026

📊 Building Youth Arts Careers | Finding 2 of 4

$15,700. That was the median income for a Toronto artist in 2021. The median for Toronto workers overall? $44,400.

Our new report’s second finding documents the systemic issues young artists and arts workers face in the GTA—and how equity-deserving youth are disproportionately impacted.

Four barriers came up across the survey and focus groups:

📍 Inequitable access to opportunities, often shared through “hidden” personal networks
🎯 Scarce entry-level opportunities, with funders favouring more established artists
🏙️ Downtown concentration of opportunities, far from where many youth live

💸 A failure to meet the standards of decent work — freelance contracts without stability, benefits, or fair pay
Our new report, Building Youth Arts Careers, is based on a survey and five focus groups with 241 young equity-deserving artists and arts workers across the GTA. Swipe through for the second finding. 👉

📖 Read the full report—link in bio.

This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada, in collaboration with research co-leads Blueprint and project partners ArtReach and The Blackstone Foundation Library.

05/23/2026

42%. That’s the share of young artists and arts workers in the GTA—in their first four years in the sector—who cited passion as their greatest initial motivator to enter the arts.

For those with more than four years in the sector, that number is 39%. Passion isn’t only what brings young equity-deserving artists and arts workers into the arts—it’s what sustains them in it.

When asked about their initial motivations to enter the sector, the top three were consistent across both groups:
🎨 Passion (42% from artists and arts workers with

05/21/2026

Looking for a summer role in arts, communications + community engagement? NGA is hiring an Operations & Communications Assistant ✨

📣 Operations & Communications Assistant
Support NGA’s marketing, communications, outreach, and operational activities while working closely with the Operations Manager and Marketing & Communications Specialist. This role focuses on social media support, content creation, outreach, administrative coordination, and day-to-day organizational operations.

📅 June 30 – August 29, 2026
📍 In-person (Scarborough)
⏰ 30 hours/week
💵 $17.60/hour
🗓 Apply by June 5, 2026
🔗 Link in bio for full job description.

Email applications (cover letter and resume combined into one attachment) to [email protected], quoting:

• “Operations & Communications Assistant – CSJ Scarborough” in the subject line.

We look forward to receiving your applications! ✨

05/19/2026

📣 We’re excited to share the Building Youth Arts Careers Report with our community!

This report reflects conversations, experiences, and insights gathered from 241 young artists and arts workers ages 18–35 from equity-deserving communities across the GTA. It highlights the barriers many emerging creatives continue to face, while also pointing toward opportunities for a more accessible and equitable arts sector.

Thank you to the Clark Centre for the Arts for hosting us, and to the arts sector leaders, employers, funders, youth, and everyone else who joined us in celebratingon of the report and in reflecting on on its findings. The afternoon evening was filled with thoughtful conversations, connection, and a shared commitment to supporting the next generation of artists and artscultural workers.

At NGA, we believe creative careers should be sustainable and accessible for every young person who wants to pursue them. Building stronger pathways in the arts takes collaboration, advocacy, and community care — and we hope this report serves as a resource for continued dialogue and action across the sector.

📖 Read the full report on our website (link in bio)

This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada, with project partners ArtReach () and The Blackstone Foundation Library ().

📸 Photos by Kat Rizza Photography.

05/15/2026

📸 VIEWS: Stories We Carry
🗓 May 11–30, 2026

Join us for VIEWS: Stories We Carry, a free youth-led photography exhibition featuring work created by young people from the Kingston/Galloway/Orton Park (KGO) neighbourhood. The exhibition shares photographs from their perspective developed through guided photo walks and conversations focused on belonging, identity, and community care. Together, these works offer an intimate look at what connected with the youth participants, highlighting their creative lens and community voice.

✨ All are welcome. Free admission.

Exhibition Hours
Monday — Closed
Tuesday — 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Wednesday — 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Thursday — 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Friday — Closed
Saturday — 12:30–5 p.m.
Sunday — Closed

05/13/2026

Looking for a summer role in arts + community programming? NGA is hiring for TWO exciting summer positions this summer! ✨

🎨 Programs Coordinator
Support youth-focused programs and gallery initiatives including VIEWS: Aaniin, summer exhibitions, and related community programming. This role focuses on program coordination, participant engagement, and partnership support.

📅 June 16 – August 14, 2026

🎉 Events Assistant
Support NGA’s summer programming, Community Days, and festival activations including Next Fest. Working closely with the Programs Manager, this role helps coordinate events and community engagement initiatives across the organization.

📅 June 23 – August 22, 2026

📍 In-person (Scarborough)
⏰ 30 hours/week
💵 $17.60/hour
🗓 Apply by May 29, 2026

🔗 Link in bio for full job descriptions.

We look forward to receiving your applications! ✨

05/08/2026

🎨 CALL FOR ARTISTS: VIEWS 2026 🎶

Next Generation Arts is now accepting applications for VIEWS: Music in Community — a free mural program for emerging Toronto artists.

Work alongside multidisciplinary artist to create a large-scale public mural in Scarborough, develop advanced aerosol techniques, and build your portfolio through real-world experience.

✨ 15 spots available
📍 Scarborough
📅 Deadline: May 22, 2026 (rolling – first come, first served)
👤 Ages 18–29 | Toronto residents
🎨 Mural experience is an asset, not required

This is a professional, portfolio-level opportunity.

For more information, visit nextgenerationarts.ca or contact Anju by email at [email protected]; by phone at (437) 703-5553 or by phone/text at (437) 255-5322.

🔗 Apply through the link in bio

VIEWS: Music in Community is supported by the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto program.

Address

1121 Bellamy Road North
Scarborough, ON

Telephone

+14377035553

Website

http://www.nextgenerationarts.ca/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Next Generation Arts posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Scarborough?