The AFC - the lifeline for Canada's entertainment industry

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The AFC - the lifeline for Canada's entertainment industry On a mission to help entertainment professionals maintain their health, dignity & ability to work. The AFC is the lifeline for Canada’s entertainment industry.

Through compassionate and confidential support, we help Canadian entertainment professionals maintain their health, dignity and ability to work.

Let’s make space for informed, compassionate, non-judgmental conversations about substance use.Join our team members Emi...
10/16/2026

Let’s make space for informed, compassionate, non-judgmental conversations about substance use.

Join our team members Emily Hill and Hayley Schmalz for Understanding Substance Use, Addiction & Harm Reduction, an introductory workshop exploring substance use and addiction in the entertainment industry.

We'll talk about the spectrum of substance use, the principles of harm reduction, how substance use can show up in our industry, and practical ways to help create safer, more supportive workplaces and creative spaces.

November 5, 2026
1-2 PM ET | 10-11 AM PT
Zoom | FREE

Open to anyone interested in learning more. The link to the reply will be provided to everyone who signs up.

This workshop offers general information and practical strategies. It is not a substitute for medical advice or therapy.

🔗 Register here:
https://buff.ly/qKX0ivp

MD Bloch-Hansen is back with another Somatic Tune-in Series!MD (they/them) is a q***r, non-binary human containing multi...
10/14/2026

MD Bloch-Hansen is back with another Somatic Tune-in Series!
MD (they/them) is a q***r, non-binary human containing multitudes. They are a white settler who lives, works, and plays in Tkaronto. MD shows up in the community as a somatic therapist and a movement and performance artist.

For nearly two decades, MD has served dance as both a practice and a vehicle for making meaning of the world. As a therapist and careworker, MD takes a liberatory, justice-oriented approach that honours each person's embodied wisdom and strengths. Read the full bio on our website.

Join us for the first session of our Somatic Tune-In Series:

Finding Foundations of Support: Cultivating Ease and Safety 🌿
October 29, 2026
1-2:30 pm ET | 10-11:30 am PT
Zoom (FREE)
No previous experience is needed. Come as you are.
Register now: https://buff.ly/u7vBeuz

This Thanksgiving, we're taking a moment to turn gratitude inward.For many people working in Canada's entertainment indu...
10/12/2026

This Thanksgiving, we're taking a moment to turn gratitude inward.
For many people working in Canada's entertainment industry, the year is filled with long hours, changing schedules, uncertainty, deadlines, and the constant demands of creative work. In the midst of it all, it can be easy to overlook just how much you've navigated, accomplished, and overcome.

So before you thank everyone else, take a moment to thank yourself.

For showing up. For adapting. For persevering. For continuing to bring creativity, connection, and joy into the world.

You deserve the same kindness and compassion that you so often extend to others.

Happy Thanksgiving from The AFC.

If you agree, please like and share this with someone you know who works in the entertainment industry.

In our industry, conversations often start with work.But let us remember that behind that work is a person.On World Ment...
10/10/2026

In our industry, conversations often start with work.
But let us remember that behind that work is a person.

On World Mental Health Day, let's make room for the people behind the work. Let's make space to check in with one another. A simple question can go a long way:

How are you really doing?

Like if you agree, and share this with your colleagues and friends.

Imagine if every set, rehearsal hall, venue, production office, and workplace in our industry had someone trained in Men...
10/08/2026

Imagine if every set, rehearsal hall, venue, production office, and workplace in our industry had someone trained in Mental Health First Aid.

Mental health challenges can affect anyone. Through Mental Health First Aid training, entertainment workers can learn practical skills to recognize signs that someone may be struggling, start supportive conversations, and connect people with appropriate help when needed.

Whether you're a crew member, artist, technician, administrator, producer, or manager, these skills can help you respond with greater confidence and care when a colleague, friend, or collaborator needs support.

Course details:
8 hours (including breaks) on Zoom
$240/participant
Subsidized spots are available 2 weeks before each course
Union reimbursement opportunities may be available

Only two Mental Health First Aid Essentials courses remain in 2026:
1) October 15 - just two spots left!
2) November 16

Join us in building a more supportive entertainment community.
Learn more and register here: https://buff.ly/iKEeoZ7

You've got mail!Our October Roundup is waiting for you - get the latest updates from The AFC and programs and events tha...
10/07/2026

You've got mail!
Our October Roundup is waiting for you - get the latest updates from The AFC and programs and events that matter to people working in Canada's entertainment industry.

https://buff.ly/LJlrrRy

Not on our mailing list yet? We'd love to stay connected. Sign up at afchelps.ca.

The Somatic Tune-In Series with MD Bloch-Hansen is back!This season, the series will focus on developing a personal tool...
10/02/2026

The Somatic Tune-In Series with MD Bloch-Hansen is back!
This season, the series will focus on developing a personal toolkit of somatic resources to draw on through the ups and downs of our lives, creative practices, and careers. These resources can help us meet life’s challenges, find relief, and navigate uncertainty.

The first session of the series, Finding Foundations of Support: Cultivating Ease and Safety, will explore three foundational somatic skills that support a felt sense of safety, ease, and trust. We'll focus on the difference between unconscious and automatic orienting and engage in intentional, purposeful practices that give us more tools to settle, yield, and meet the present moment with more aliveness.

Who should attend?
Anyone looking for grounding, mindfulness, and practical ways to support their well-being through movement and body awareness. No previous experience is needed.

Please note:
This workshop provides general information and strategies and is not a substitute for counselling.

Accessibility:
ASL interpretation, closed captions, and translated captions will be available. If you require accommodations, please reach out. We'll do our best to support your participation.

October 29
1-2:30 pm ET | 10-11:30 am PT | Zoom (FREE)
Register here: https://buff.ly/a5LR3kL

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a day to honour those who died in the residential s...
09/29/2026

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a day to honour those who died in the residential school system, Survivors, their families, and their communities. It's also a time to reflect on the deep intergenerational impacts of residential schools and the inequities Indigenous communities continue to face, and to consider how we can help advance reconciliation.

Learning about this history, listening to Indigenous voices, and making space for lived experiences are important steps toward truth and reconciliation. With that in mind, we’ve gathered a selection of films and documentaries that share lived experiences and explore the lasting impacts of residential schools and other institutions.

Explore the links to these films below, save this post for later, or share it with someone in your community.

Holy Angels (13 Min)
https://buff.ly/hYGPX7d

We Were Children (82 Min)
https://buff.ly/SXGe1tE

Second Stories - It Had to Be Done (22 Min)
https://buff.ly/VihaeDZ

Indian Horse (100 Min)
https://buff.ly/2jsETip

Night Raiders (101 Min)
https://buff.ly/yDw3rwC

The Secret Path (60 Min)
https://buff.ly/0XcRPdl

Some business expenses are tricky to understand and even trickier to track.Vehicle use, home office expenses, equipment ...
09/28/2026

Some business expenses are tricky to understand and even trickier to track.
Vehicle use, home office expenses, equipment depreciation... when you’re self-employed, keeping track of it all can get confusing and complicated

In an article on our website, Chris James shared practical tips for navigating these commonly misunderstood expenses (among other things!), along with free tracking tools he developed over years of working as an artist and self-employed business owner.

Want to go a step further? Chris is facilitating our upcoming workshop:
Financial Literacy for the Self-Employed
October 8, 2026 | 1–3pm ET | 10am–12pm PT | Zoom

A practical session for freelancers, contractors, and self-employed entertainment industry workers - everyone will leave with a complete toolkit of resources they can use to manage their finances.

🔗 Links:
Register here: https://buff.ly/u3pPCKY
Article: https://buff.ly/UNzMNF5

This content is for general information only and is not tax advice.

Meet your next workshop facilitator.Chris James (he/him) is a community educator, actor (ACTRA & Equity), and entreprene...
09/25/2026

Meet your next workshop facilitator.
Chris James (he/him) is a community educator, actor (ACTRA & Equity), and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of business management experience. He leads financial literacy workshops for colleges, universities, artists, and small business owners, helping make financial concepts more accessible. Passionate about supporting self-employed individuals, Chris is dedicated to building financial confidence and empowering communities through education, creativity, and charitable initiatives. Read Chris' full bio on our website.

Join Chris for a practical and informative session designed to help self-employed individuals strengthen their financial foundations and make informed decisions for their future.

Financial Literacy for the Self-Employed 💸
October 8, 2026
1-3 pm ET | 10 am-12 pm PT
Zoom (FREE)
ASL, closed captions & translated captions available
This workshop will not be recorded. Everyone who registers will receive a complete Self-Employed Toolkit.
Register now: https://buff.ly/q4sNO1z

Photo: Denise Grant Photography

Address

1000 Yonge Street Suite 301
Toronto, ON
M4W2K2

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+18773998392

Website

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