The Bus Stop Theatre Co-op hosts a number of programs that enable artistic creation and fosters skill development. These are produced in partnership with organizations and teams of artists whose activities align with our own mandate to support a wide range of artists across communities and career levels.
StART is a mentorship and career development program through which opportunities are created to help emerging artists learn new skills, broaden their networks and showcase their talents.
StART offers workshops, mixers, the Art Arena showcase, and other industry events throughout the year as well as the annual StART Fest which showcases a wide range of talent across artistic disciplines. StART is coordinated by Jordan Farmer who can be reached at jordan@busstoptheatre.coop
The Bus Stop Theatre Writer’s Circle (formerly the Bus Stop Theatre Playwrights Unit) is an open invite writer’s collective that meets monthly to share writing and feedback. It is designed as an affirming, nurturing space to support the vulnerable practice of sharing new writing of any genre or discipline. All writers all welcome: playwrights, screenwriters, poets, songwriters and rappers. Attend once or come every month – just make sure you sign up in advance because capacity is limited.
The Writer’s Circle also hosts free workshops for writers and provides grant writing and producing support for performance-based projects developed through the circle. The BST Writer’s Circle is organized by producer Meg Hubley and coordinator Andre Fenton. They can be reached at writerscircle@busstoptheatre.coop
Follow the Writer‘s Circle on Instagram or Facebook for updates on upcoming meetings and projects.
In recognition of the historical and geographic context within which the Bus Stop Theatre Co-op (BSTC) operates, two new funds will be launched to support the Deaf community, as well as Indigenous people and people of African descent.
Both funds will be officially launched on January 1st, 2021. The $5,000 per fund seed money will be collected through our 2020 Holiday Basket Auction and through support from the Canada Council for the Arts. In November 2020, we will be applying for a Non-Profit Property Tax Rebate from HRM and will use the savings on tax to replenish these funds on an annual basis. We will also solicit donations through our regular fundraising efforts to be directed toward these funds and will additionally create a voluntary tax-like donation on all rentals at the BSTC to help support these funds. Any renter at the BSTC will have the choice to pay a contribution equal to 1.752% of their rental costs in honour of the Peace & Friendship Treaty signed in 1752. The collected contributions will be directed toward both funds below.
Accessibility Subsidy
Gottingen Street was home to the first School for the Deaf in Atlantic Canada, established in 1856. Later, the 1917 Halifax explosion resulted in thousands being injured, and/or losing hearing. The same explosion caused the largest mass-blinding in Canadian history and propelled the birth of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).
In recognition of this, and in recognition of the barriers faced by members of the disability community in accessing live performance events, we have implemented an Accessibility Subsidy. This will provide an incentive for the implementation of accessibility measures and services by our renters and, in so doing, increase the accessibility of events held at the BSTC.
A renter incurring costs for accessibility measures (ASL interpretation, audio description, closed captioning, etc) may request a $100 subsidy from the BSTC in order to help defray the costs of doing so. The subsidy will be drawn from an annually renewed $5,000 fund.
To apply to the fund, a renter must submit an invoice documenting expenses incurred for the purpose of an event hosted at the BSTC. A $100 discount will then be applied to their rental invoice from the BSTC. This fund can be accessed on a first come, first serve basis as needed.
Email rentals@thebusstoptheatre.org to apply to the subsidy
Reconciliation & Reparations Fund
In response to the recommendations presented by Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission, and also in response to the United Nations’ proclamation of the International Decade for People of African Descent, the BSTC will implement a Reconciliation & Reparations Fund. This fund is intended to acknowledge and help redress the past and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous peoples and people of African descent in Nova Scotia.
The BSTC will allocate a $5,000 fund that can be accessed to help cover the rental costs of renters who are Indigenous or of African descent. The fund can be accessed through a rolling deadline and requests will be reviewed by the Co-op’s Representation and Inclusion Committee. The fund will be reset at $5,000 every 1st of January.
To be eligible, at least 50% of the event’s production team must be Indigenous or of African descent. Applicants can apply to have the cost of up to a full day’s rental covered, including any associated equipment or technical labour costs. Renters can access this fund once per year, members of the Co-op can access this fund three times per year.
Email info@thebusstoptheatre.org to apply to the Fund
