EC3 Bulletin: Canadian Arts Coalition

March 26, 2026

EC3 advocates for the arts at all levels of government. Our work has included supporting the status of the artist through direct funding, basic income programs, stronger copyright laws, and increased investment in the government programs that support arts organizations and DEI initiatives in the arts. While we continue to advocate at the municipal and provincial levels at the City of Peterborough, the OAC and the provincial Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, we wanted to draw attention to the advocacy work of Canadian Coalition for the Arts, working at the federal level, by sharing their recent newsletter.

EC3 also had an opportunity to meet briefly with MP Emma Harrison to discuss the mission and mandate of the arts council, and the value and importance of funding programs at Canadian
Heritage. Our MP suggested that arts organizations advise her office when they do make an application to the federal government for funding. We look forward to future conversations.

Emma Harrison, Member of Parliament representing Peterborough, Ontario

Picture description: A woman with brunette hair in a tan coloured pea-coat is looking directly at the camera and smiling. She is standing in a snowy field with trees in the background.

Working to strengthen Canadian arts and culture through policies, investment, sustainable practices, and public appreciation.

NEWS IN THE ARTS

Canada Council for the Arts Strategic Planning

Thank you to everyone who attended the most recent all-members meeting on February 9. We discussed the upcoming Canada Council for the Arts strategic planning, inviting input on how the Canadian Arts Coalition could represent its members and communicate their thoughts and recommendations to the Council. The top two recommendations received were to

Submit on the questionnaire on behalf of members
Provide consensus points for members’ submission

We will be moving forward on these two action points in the coming weeks, ensuring our members’ voices are heard in these discussions. We are also looking into the possibility of submitting a brief that outlines all of the concerns and feedback from our members, so please submit your feedback to info@canadianartscoalition.ca.

MORE FOR THIS MONTH

ADVOCACY & POLICY

Provincial budgets are rolling out over the coming weeks, and they will set the tone for arts and culture funding, policy, and priorities across the country. Please take a moment to check when your province or territory will table its budget, and keep an eye on what is proposed for arts, culture, heritage, and related files, including any new investments, freezes, cuts, or shifts in program design. If you spot something with implications for the sector, share it with your networks and with the Coalition.

TAKE ACTION & GET INVOLVED

One of the policy pieces that the Coalition will be focusing on in the next few months, as determined by a member’s survey, is the social safety net for artists and arts workers. Research has been done on this topic in recent years, and we are starting to find and collate the existing work. This is where we would love your assistance!

Please send us any resources, statistics, articles or other information you have encountered around Employment Insurance reform, Universal Basic Income, and other social safety net subjects to info@canadianartscoalition.ca.

FROM THE COALITION

We’ll soon be moving our member communications to our new membership platform. This includes emails, notices about membership meetings, and other important updates.

To continue receiving these messages in March and beyond, you must be listed as a contact in the new platform. If you don’t currently have an account, it’s likely because you’re not one of the designated contacts for your organization.

If that’s the case, please either:

Ask your organization’s main contact to add you as a Delegate in their membership profile, or
Email membership@canadianartscoalition.com, and we’ll be happy to get you set up.

If you’re unsure whether you’re listed, just send us a quick email and we’ll check for you. We want to make sure you continue to receive all our updates!

Read the full bulletin here!

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2025 Grants for Individual Artists!!

EC3’s GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS fueled 17 new projects by talented local artists, creating a diverse bounty of new writing, theatre, circus arts, visual arts, dance, music and more for Peterborough audiences.

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is proud to announce the 17 local artists who have been awarded a total of $35,250 through the 2025 Grants for Individual Artists program. This multidisciplinary program is funded jointly by the City of Peterborough and EC3, and is designed, delivered, and administered by EC3. This year, 50 artists applied for grants ranging from between $1,500 and $3,500.00. Grants are adjudicated and awarded by a five-person peer assessment jury.The Grants for Individual Artists (GFIA) program is divided into two components.

Component One: Mini Development Grants for Individual Professional Artists provides up to $1,500 to an artist for research, development, workshopping etc. of original new works and ongoing projects, as well as for professional training and mentorship opportunities to advance their practice. Funding provides a contribution to support artists’ work in writing, rehearsing, scripting, test filming, arranging scores, retraining, workshopping, etc.
Nine artists were awarded grants in Component One (total $12,750) in 2025.

Component Two: Project Creation, Production and Presentation Grants for Individual Professional Artists, provides up to $3,500 for the creation, production, and presentation to audiences of specific projects. Grants support costs such as artist fees, production materials, venue rentals, technical equipment, costumes, printing, etc.
Eight artists were awarded grants in Component Two (total $22,500) in 2025.

In total, the program’s open call received 45 eligible applications, and a five-member peer assessment jury awarded grants to 17 artists (total value of grants awarded: $35,250). Artists working in every discipline, genre and medium were eligible, including those who work in multi-disciplinary or community-based arts practice, and in traditional or contemporary forms. A complete list of grant recipients and their projects can be found below.

“We are particularly grateful to the City of Peterborough for their $25,000 support of this vital program in 2025, and to all of our funders for their ground-breaking contributions to the development of local talent and works of art. These investments in the efforts of our very talented and hardworking artists means more artists can realize their visions, contribute to our cultural, economic, community and social well-being, and make Peterborough a more vital and exciting place to live for all of us. New books, poetry, concerts, plays, exhibitions, albums, and performances of all kinds will touch our hearts, minds, and imaginations.”
–Su Ditta (Executive Director, EC3)

GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS 2025 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Component One: Mini Development Grants for Individual Professional Artists

Tia Cavanagh – Indian Jones vs. The Vatican
Research and creation of an alter ego persona – “Indian Jones”, an Indigenized concept inspired by Indiana Jones, for a planned future performance piece about the theft of cultural artifacts.

Marta Chudolinska – Babcia: a papercut graphic novel
Artist fees to continue writing, drawing, and making papercut art for a graphic novel and to present a public artists talk about the artist’s process.

Michael C Duguay – Here I Go Into The Wobbly Yonder
Support for a period of research and experimentation focused on the intersection of music and “processional” art in the contexts of composition, performance and documentation.

Laurie D Graham – What Elements
Completion of a draft of a poetic nonfiction manuscript exploring what “land and home” could mean for the settler subject.

Nicole Malbeuf – Drafting Art/Children’s Book: A Hen Called Freedom
Writing/editing, book design planning and researching self-publishing for art book/children’s book hybrid, based on an original circus arts performance.

Kasonde Mutale – Black Radical Existentialism: an exploration
Research, creation and artist fee for visual and written storytelling exploring Black radical existentialism through African traditional art, revitalizing Black identity, dignity and pride.

Kate Story – Strangeness on Earth (working title)
Paying sensitivity readers, youth readers, and an artist fee for work on a new young adult historical fantasy novel set in 1817 Newfoundland and Orkney.

Lynda Todd – Migration #3: Land, Air & Sea
Purchasing materials to complete a series of tactile portraits of polar bears, penguins, and whales accompanied by braille descriptions, inviting all to experience their journeys.

Gillian Turnham – Indelible Architecture: From The Rubble; Ruined Not
Researching visual records of destroyed Islamic heritage sites in the Eastern Mediterranean, to inform a series of traditional miniature paintings memorializing architecture lost in conflict.

Component Two: Project Production and Development Grants for Individual Artists

Brad Brackenridge – Pinocchio
Creation of an original, family-friendly adaptation of Pinocchio involving puppetry, dance, and mask for a short run of workshop performances at the Market Hall.

Brooklin Holbrough – “Art-Work” (Working title)
Artist fees towards a zine that aims to demystify art and illustration as a career path for emerging creatives.

Thamer Linklater – The Place I Called Home
Editorial costs ( including copy and content editing) and graphic design to submit manuscript for publishing, either traditionally or self-published.

Kayla Mahomed – Kay Silver Debut Album Recording
Recording an album of original material with diverse influences in the pop-rock tradition with local collaborators in the Peterborough region.

Ell Parker – Heartbreakers | Dream Makers Volume 3: Servin’ [C*ntry]
Artist fees and venue costs to mount a multidisciplinary, country themed drag concert at Sadleir House. Featuring local artists, drag queens, and projectionists, the event seeks to deconstruct the heteronormative ideologies of country music, and provide a fun and inclusive space for queer individuals.

Benj Rowland – new peasant marching band
Artist fees and production costs for a marching band offering lively, themed performances at community events to engage audiences and celebrate local culture.

Esther Vincent – Are We Sleeping, A one-act play
Artist fees, venue rental, and actor fees to present a staged reading of a one-act script about a family facing dementia.

Ziysah von Bieberstein – Before the Tymbals Sound
Editorial and artist fees to prepare manuscript for submission to traditional publishers.

Read the full bulletin here!

Chet Singh joins the EC3 Board of Directors

February 21st, 2026

EC3 is honoured to welcome artist, educator and cultural activist Chet Singh to the EC3 Board of Directors. An accomplished artist and educator, Chet brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our work as a municipal arts council in Peterborough. His deep community connections, capacity to work in institutional and grassroots environments, and passion for the arts and artists will provide an enormous asset to our organization and our work for the arts in Peterborough.

Chet Singh

Dub poet, educator and social activist Chet Singh emerged with the first wave of Caribbean dub poets in the early 1980’s. He fronted the punk, reggae band One Mind, comprised of Trent students. After returning to Nogojiwanong two decades later, he’s released 6 albums. A founding member of Canada’s Dub Poets Collective, he also served on the board of the Ontario Arts Council. His work advancing diversity, equity, decolonizing and critical education has been recognized with awards for teaching excellence and educational leadership.

Read the full bulletin here!

EC3 Bulletin: Black History Month

February 18th, 2026

February is Black History Month and EC3 wants to recognize and celebrate the many great events happening in our community, and the people who make them happen.

Each February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and celebrations that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people all across Canada, and in their particular local communities.

The 2026 theme for Black History Month is: “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries.”

This month is an important opportunity to learn about and acknowledge these people and their often hidden histories and stories.

We invite all Canadians to learn more about Black Canadian communities, and how they continue to contribute to and help shape Canada.

Along with the celebrations, Black History Month is a call to recognize the things that have been lost, the stories that have been suppressed and the racism that has haunted many of these people and the communities that they live in. Much of the programming outlined below provides us with the unique opportunity to learn more, to experience more and to build our capacity as anti-racist allies. It’s a chance to read great books, learn new dances, listen to fabulous music, enjoy the artists and their work and learn more about our friends and neighbours.

Read the full bulletin here!

EC3 is hiring an operations and administration coordinator – deadline to apply February 27, 2026

February 13, 2026

Working for the Electric City Culture Council is a unique opportunity to be a part of developing and advancing support for the arts in Peterborough. As EC3 has grown, our need for more efficient operations and better systems management has increased. Join our team delivering grants and awards, residencies, professional development and more! Feel free to call for more information.

JOB POSTING
OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
Posting date: February 10, 2026
Deadline for applications: February 27, 2026
Compensation: $28 per hour, 25 hours per week
Location: Hybrid workspace including home office and EC3 satellite office in downtown Peterborough.
Term: Position has no fixed term. This is a salaried position with all statutory benefits plus sick/personal days.

ABOUT EC3
A municipal arts council, the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is a not-for-profit arts service organization supporting the development of individual artists and arts and culture organizations in Peterborough and Peterborough County. Our programs and services provide opportunities for artists to create, produce, and present work, and for audiences to experience and appreciate the arts. Our work builds and strengthens the foundations and infrastructure of arts and culture in our area, while contributing to the social, economic and community well- being of our city.

DEI EC3 is committed to diversity and inclusiveness. We encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

Our organizational impact has expanded and so have our professional management needs as we engage with more and more artists, arts organizations and other community partners and sponsors. Accurate information, easy access to well organized records and other material, and the capacity to produce events quickly and effectively is essential to our success – all on a low budget. This job plays a crucial role in strengthening our ability to provide arts funding, professional development and advocacy.

OVERVIEW
This position provides a unique opportunity to work in the arts community supporting EC3’s activities across all arts disciplines and genres, delivering a broad cross section of programs from grants and awards – to festivals and artist residencies, while providing administrative support and some event support for EC3’s operating and programming activities. The position reports to the Executive Director and works with other staff and contract employees to advance and reinforce EC3’s administrative and management capacity. This includes building information systems and data collection and retention, as well as production support and day to day administrative support.

This person is expected to know and understand the organization’s mission and vision, follow EC3’s policies and protocols, respect confidentiality and conflict of interest guidelines, and conduct themselves in the best interest of the organization and the community it serves. Knowledge of the arts and of the local arts sector, and the professional role of an arm’s length arts council, is an asset.

JOB DUTIES

Maintain and advance administrative and operating systems, including communications (mailing lists, media lists, fundraising contacts, applicants data bases etc.)
Respond to general public telephone and email enquiries, maintain office hours
Maintain operations manuals, archives and records (grant results, media coverage, process documents etc.)
Maintenance of social media tools, and an up to date and accurate website
Maintenance of event and meeting calendars, deadlines and undertake related research on same
Provide support in grant writing and delivering programming as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

Post-secondary experience in not-for-profit administration
Excellent organizational, written and oral communications skills
Familiarity with computer technology, web site (Word Press) and social media including Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, Mail Chimp, Word and Excel
Demonstrated ability to set and meet goals, and priorities, clear objectives and deadlines
Driver’s licence and regular access to a car are an asset
Passion for the arts and organizing details

HOW TO APPLY Please forward covering Letter and Resume with subject heading “EC3 Operating and Administration Coordinator Position” to: electriccitycc@gmail.com. Your covering letter should outline why you would like to work with EC3 serving the arts community, and how your education and professional experience would make you a good candidate for the job. Please review our web site @ https://www.ecthree.org/ .

For additional information or questions:
Su Ditta (she/her), Executive Director
electriccitycc@gmail.com
705-749-9101
Currently living and working in Nogojiwanong, on the territory of the Michi Saagig Anishinaabeg, in the lands covered by the Williams Treaties.

For the full announcement see the EC3 Bulletin: EC3 is Hiring!

Peterborough and the Creative economy

April 5th, 2015

Learn about Peterborough’s Creative Economy – http://peterboroughed.ca/wp-content/uploads/Creative-Economy-Assessment-of-Peterborough.pdf

http://martinprosperity.org/media/pdfs/Building_Ontarios_Music_Economies-BHracs.pdf

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LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS BUILD MEDIA SAVVY WITH EXPERT ADVICE

March 6th, 2015

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) hosted award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor of The Peterborough Examiner, Kennedy Gordon, at an EC3 Flash Forum at The Theatre on King on Thursday, February 26th. Gordon brought more than 25 years of experience in print and broadcasting media to share with 27 arts and culture leaders in Peterborough.

Gordon began his talk by outlining the massive changes occurring in the media sector in the last five years. He highlighted an increase of online competition, the power and presence of social media, news aggregators and the public’s short term attention span, as the driving factors in changing the media landscape.

These changes have resulted in:

Fewer publications and fewer journalists to cover the news.
Journalists having an increased workload.
Media outlets have added social media and web coverage to their repertoire to reach a younger audience.
The modern newsroom is forced to do more with less, while providing the public with 24-hour news coverage.

According to Gordon, local readers want news and sports coverage and with staff cuts, arts, entertainment and lifestyle coverage have “taken a hit”. The Examiner no longer employs a local arts and entertainment writer. This means coverage in these areas is harder to obtain and Gordon stated that the Examiner no longer reviews performances and exhibitions, but he did offer advice on how to get arts events noticed.

His pointers included:

1. Organizations should provide a promotional write up that can turn into an article by editors. They want details not glitz and glam. A write up may be posted on their website but may not appear in print. The average reader of the printed paper is over 50 years old, while their website draws a younger audience.

2. A media release should be contained in the body of an email. You can send photos but they aren’t essential.

3. Send a media release with a ten day lead time (ten days in advance of the event). After a media launch of an event, you can follow up by sending a media release, every two weeks. Gordon mentioned that today’s editors have to be hands on so emailing and calling is encouraged to promote your events. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”.

4. Once you have sent your media release be prepared for follow-up calls from news organizations. Media is a fast paced business and if you don’t have what the writer is asking for, a different story may catch a reporter’s attention.

5. Know the five ‘Ws’: What, Where, When, Who and Why? Be prepared to answer these questions.

6. Make sure your contact information is up to date and that the contact is available after the media release has been sent.

When asked if an organization could provide its own review, Gordon answered,

“No, a review must be impartial and the reviewer cannot be a member of the organization.” A disconnect is a must when it comes to advertising and articles. The Examiner does run sponsored content but it will clearly be listed as a paid advertisement.

The Electric City Culture Council would like to thank Kennedy Gordon for his informative and honest talk. He encouraged the crowd to contact him directly and to email events to exam.newsroom@sunmedia.ca

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Announcements of New Arts Awards Program and Inaugural Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts Highlight EC3’s 2014 Annual General Meeting at SHOWPLACE

January 30th, 2015

November 26 2014

The Electric City Arts Council (EC3) welcomed arts champion Bill Lockington (LLF Lawyers) and Mayor Daryl Bennett to announce two exciting new initiatives for the arts community at its Annual General meeting tonight: The EC3 Arts Awards Program and the Mayor’s Annual Luncheon for the Arts.

The EC3 Arts Awards are annual awards established to honour and recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the arts by Peterborough artists and arts supporters. Awards will be presented in visual, media, performing arts and writing and one award will be given to an outstanding supporter of the arts.

The Electric City Arts Council will host the annual Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts with Honourary Patron Mayor Daryl Bennett, to celebrate Peterborough’s artistic achievements and to honour the individuals and partnerships that make Peterborough a truly creative city. The awards will be presented at the luncheon next year.

“EC3 is proud to be able to recognize the great talent and outstanding achievements of individual artists and arts partners and sponsors with these awards and we are thrilled and grateful that Bill Lockington (LLF Lawyers) and Mayor Bennett have so generously stepped up to make this program and the awards event possible” —- Bill Kimball (EC3 Chair)

Image – Screen shot with link to CHEXTV Peterborough, ON, Canada / (CHEXTV) Jesse Thomas November 26, 2014 10:41 pm

The AGM also saw three new board members, Randy Read (New Stages Theatre), Yvonne Lai and Fynn Leitch join EC3.
They will be joining returning board members Bill Kimball, Pauline Sandys, Nick Ferrio and Lorne Hamilton on the EC3 Board of Directors. Visit our Board page for biographies of each member.

The AGM featured one of EC3’s signature “Cultural Incubator” lectures with new Trent President Leo Groarke speaking. His talk highlighted the deep connections between Trent and the City’s cultural landscape and emphasized the value of a vibrant cultural sector to the vitality and well being of the Peterborough community.

The AGM wasn’t all business. Wes Ryan opened the meeting with spoken word and Sean Conway and Gerry Gregg provided musical interludes throughout the evening.

EC3 also tested attendee’s knowledge of Peterbough’s cultural history with a Culture Vulture Quiz. The winners took home one of two prize packs filled with gifts donated by local arts organizations and Jeannine Taylor of kawarthaNOW.com, generously donated a door prize that saw the lucky winner receive a $500 KawarthaNOW promotional package.

The Electric City Culture Council would like to thank the City of Peterborough, Showplace Performance Centre and LLF Lawyers for AGM sponsorship.

Photo Gallery

Mayor Daryl Bennett

Trent President Leo Groarke

Arts Champion Bill Lockington

Bill Kimball (EC3 Chair) and Christy Haldane (Program Coordinator)

Su Ditta

Jeannine Taylor draws door prize winner

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A Space of your Own – Panel Discussion

May 18th, 2014

Wednesday, April 2nd The Electric City Culture Council hosted its April Cultural Mixer

A Space of Your Own

Who has it?

Who needs it?

Creative Approaches to Performance, Rehearsal, Exhibition, Studio and Office Spaces

The panel discussion was moderated by Terry Guiel – Executive Director of The Peterborough DBIA and panellists included Dr. Mark Seasons – School of Planning – University of Waterloo, Elizabeth Fennell – Gallery in the Attic, Lorne Hamilton – Artisans Centre Peterborough, Bill Kimball – Public Energy and Natalie Napier – Hatch Ptbo

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EC3 ADDS THE 4TH ‘C’ – COLLABORATION

February 3rd, 2014

The Board of Directors being introduced to the crowd. Credit: Wes Daubeny (Fringe Lab, Hacker Space)

‘Spot on!’ was how one seasoned member of the Peterborough Arts Community characterized the format and style of the Jan. 28th Mixer Event. Well-attended by the veterans in the arts and cultural community who have fought the funding and promotion battles but are still seeking fresh visions, ideas and strategies – as well as the talented, young at heart who just couldn’t talk fast enough to express their hopefulness and enthusiasm and new skill sets . Every attendee seemed hungry for support of colleagues and the community. Optimism and a sense of ‘what can be’ animated the questions, comments and conversations in response to the ‘Big 3-Questions’ posed. The room buzzed with ideas – re: increasing involvement of Business and Media, of professional development needs and capabilities, of entrepreneurial approaches, of joining forces on projects- in a word ‘COLLABORATION.

A huge THANK YOU to all who participated.

And Thank you to Showplace Performance Center for hosting

The EC3 Board and Staff

Peterborough’s Electric City Culture Council (EC3) hosted it’s first cultural mixer of 2014 on Tuesday, January 28th from 5:30 to 7:00 at Showplace Performance Centre at 290 George St. North, Peterborough.

View of the Nexicom Studio, Credit: Wes Daubeny (Fringe Lab, Hacker Space)

View of the Nexicom Studio, Credit: Jeannine Taylor – KawarthaNOW

John Muir (Trent Radio) and Wendy Trusler (artist). Credit: Jeannine Taylor – KawarthaNOW

Lori Christensen, Peer Christenen (Christensen Fine Art) and Fynn Leitch (Artspace), Credit: Jeannine Taylor – KawarthaNOW

Brian McCarthy (Seeds of Change) and Elizabeth Fennell (Gallery in the Attic), Credit: Jeannine Taylor – KawarthaNOW

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Lou O’Hara, Regional Advisor for the Ministry of Culture Speaks at EC3 AGM on the Cultural Development Fund.

December 5th, 2013

At the Electric City Culture Council’s Inaugural Annual Meeting on November 25th at the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Theatre, Lou O’Hara, Regional Advisor for the Ministry of Culture, gave a talk on Cultural Development Fund. Please see video below for Lou’s presentation.

For More on the fund visit – http://www.grants.gov.on.ca/GrantsPortal/en/OntarioGrants/GrantOpportunities/PRDR007505.html

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