WHO SHOULD APPLY?
As a feminist theatre company, Nightwood seeks to foster greater gender equity in all aspects of theatre. This program is open to women and gender-expansive people. This includes cis and trans women, trans men, as well as non-binary, 2-Spirit, genderfluid, and gender nonconforming folks.

WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE SHOULD I HAVE?
We’re looking for theatre artists and arts workers who are 18+ and self-identify as “emerging.” Maybe you’re an actor who wants to expand into producing, maybe you’re a stage manager who’s thinking of running a company, maybe you’re new to the city and are looking to forge connections. There is no longer an age limit on this program. We will prioritize folks who have not received other formal or informal education/learning opportunities in arts admin and producing.

WHAT IF I’M A STUDENT?
We believe that you will get the most out of this program if you are not currently a full-time student and we’d encourage you to apply upon graduation.

WHAT IF I DON’T LIVE IN TORONTO?
We welcome applications from anyone within Canada, and intend to include some folks from outside Toronto in the program this year. It should be noted that some workshops and Fempocalypse will potentially be in-person (with an option to join digitally) and Nightwood’s ability to make connections and opportunities for Innovators is stronger for those who are in Toronto, as that is where our company is based.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO’S IN THE PROGRAM?
Applications are viewed by Program Leader Amanda Lin, with consultation from the outgoing Innovators cohort. We consider a number of factors, including:
Who will get the most out of this program?
Who would not get this kind of opportunity elsewhere?
Who demonstrates values that align with Nightwood’s?
How will each member of the cohort fit in together? (To expand on this, we attempt to make the cohort as diverse as possible – diverse in terms of experience, discipline, intersections of identity, etc. – so that everyone is bringing something unique to the group.)

WAIT, I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS!
You can reach Amanda via email at amanda@nightwoodtheatre.net.

Amanda Lin 林美智  (she/her) is a queer Taiwanese-Canadian theatre artist who specializes in writing, performance, direction, and arts admin. She is a graduate of Queen’s University, where she studied social psychology, theatre, and business, with her area of research centring on attitudes and social influence. She is interested in using art and storytelling to cultivate compassionate and dynamic communities. Amanda is an alumni of Nightwood Theatre’s Young Innovators Program and fu-GEN Asian-Canadian Theatre’s Kitchen Playwriting unit. She has worked with companies such as Nightwood Theatre, Cahoots Theatre, Why Not Theatre, the Paprika Festival, and Young People’s Theatre, and has appeared on panels and participated in juries with the Toronto Fringe, Against the Grain Theatre, and the Ontario Arts Council. You can currently find Amanda producing the PXR Conference with Single Thread Theatre Company and leading Nightwood Theatre’s emerging artist programs, Nightwood Innovators and Rising Moon. Her first full-length play, Between a Wok and a Hot Pot premiered with Cahoots Theatre in January 2023 and received 6 Dora nominations in the Independent category, including Oustanding Performance for Amanda and Outstanding Production. In her free time, Amanda likes to drink bubble tea and play video games.