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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!