Building Youth Arts Careers

Next Generation Arts’ Report on Racial and Gender Barriers to Employment in Community Arts & Culture came out of an urgent question in the arts and culture sector: what does it actually take for racialized and equity-deserving young people (ages 18–35) to build a career in the arts in the GTA and what's getting in the way? As an organization committed to providing employment, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for youth in the arts, Next Generation Arts collaborated with evaluation consultants and research co-leads Blueprint and partner organizations ArtReach Toronto and the Blackstone Foundation Library to find out.

Through surveys and focus groups, we gathered insights and stories from over 200 racialized and equity-deserving young artists and arts workers living and working across the GTA and asked what's working, where the barriers are, and what opportunities could make arts careers more accessible and fair.

The report draws on the experiences of 200+ equity-deserving young artists and arts workers across the GTA to expose the barriers, gaps, and opportunities they face, and the actions funders, leaders, and organizations can take right now to ensure an accessible and equitable arts sector.

Download the Report (PDF)

RESEARCH LAUNCH + SECTOR CONVERSATION

Event poster for Next Generation Arts announcing a research launch and sector conversation about building youth arts careers, scheduled for March 28, 2026, from 2 to 4 PM at the Clark Centre for the Arts, featuring a yellow lightbulb graphic on a purple background.

On March 28, 2026, Next Generation Arts held a public event to launch the findings of the Report on Racial and Gender Barriers to Employment in Community Arts and Culture: Building Youth Arts Careers.

The afternoon featured:

A presentation of research findings
A panel discussion with youth artists and arts workers on where the barriers lie, and what needs to shift to build more equitable, sustainable pathways in the arts. Featuring Jasmine Vanstone, Anjalee Nadarajan, As wani Siwakoti, and M aria Patricia Abuel. Moderated by Faith Rajasingham.
Spoken word performance by Samantha Lu

For arts employers, funders, and sector leaders, the event offered grounded insight to help inform future policy, hiring practices, and youth employment initiatives.

For youth artists and arts workers, it was an opportunity to hear from peers, see their experiences reflected in the research, and connect with others navigating the arts ecosystem in the GTA.

photography captured by kat rizza