Announcing LEARN IT | BUILD IT | MANAGE IT 2019-2020!

LEARN IT | BUILD IT | MANAGE IT is back! This two part workshop and webinar series will be offered over 2019-20 in the communities of Kitchener, Cambridge, Orangeville, Waterloo and Guelph. Through this series, ABO and presenting partners will be sharing local examples and strategies related to four key areas that support creative space capital projects. These include: Alternative Financing, Community Engagement, Building and Maintaining creative spaces.

PART 1 WORKSHOPS IN 2019

LEARN IT | BUILD IT | MANAGE IT PART 1 will offer two sessions on Alternative Financing for Capital Projects and Engaging Community in Capital Projects.

Alternative Financing for Capital Projects

While securing funds to renew and develop creative spaces is often top of mind for arts leaders, the answer is never simple. In this session, we will explore alternative funding and financing methods that can help creative spaces support their projects. Drawing on recent examples and local successes, Julia Vlad, Vice President of Lending for the Community Forward Fund, will offer insights and alternative strategies to finance capital projects.

This session is intended for non-profit arts, culture, heritage, faith and community organizations looking for solutions to financing their current or upcoming creative space project.

About our Presenter Juila Vlad

Julia Vlad leads the investment and portfolio management for the Community Forward Fund and the Canadian Co-operative Investment Fund. She has over ten years of experience in banking, finance and the non-profit sector. Her experience includes investing and portfolio management at the World Bank’s private sector arm, IFC, in Panama, Senegal and USA; advising social entrepreneurs at an accelerator in Nicaragua and financial analysis and forecasting at Scotiabank. She holds an MBA from HEC Paris, a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and is a CFA charter holder.

About the Community Forward Fund

The Community Forward Fund (CFF) is an $11 million fund that provides loans to organizations that are committed to making a difference in their communities. We provide loans tailored to the needs of non-profits, Charities and social-enterprises – flexible financing that supports delivery of their mission and growth of enterprises. We also build financial capacity through financial reviews and coaching services. To date, CFF has advanced $18 million in loans to over 45 organizations across 8 sectors and 7 provinces and territories.

 

Engaging Community in Capital Projects

When building or renovating a creative space, uncovering and integrating community needs are essential for the success of a project. In this session, Jeremy Freiburger, Chief Connector and Cultural Strategist of Cobalt Connect, will be sharing strategies and recommendations for engaging the local community in capital projects and developing creative spaces around community needs.

This session is intended for non-profit arts, culture, heritage, faith and community organizations looking to engage community in their current or upcoming creative space project.

About our Presenter Jeremy Freiburger

Jeremy Freiburger is the Chief Connector and Cultural Strategist of Cobalt Connect. Jeremy has been a leader in Hamilton’s creative community for over 15 years. His experience ranges from producing award-winning theatre and ballet with the RBC Festival of Classics and Canadian Ballet Youth Ensemble, to developing more than 200,000 square feet of studio facilities, to writing policy and plans for municipalities focused on creative sector development.

Focusing primarily on regional and municipal partnership development, and organizational development, Jeremy is the founder of Cobalt Connects. Jeremy has spoken at dozens conferences on the subject of creative community economic development, and has sat on many boards and committees including the Our Cultural Community Committee (Chair, City of Hamilton Cultural Plan), Supercrawl, CANVAS and the Bay Area Restoration Council.

About Cobalt Connect

Cobalt Connects is a non-profit arts service organization designated by the Ontario Arts Council. Cobalt Connects was initially created to address the need for affordable artist studios and cultural spaces, but has grown over the past fifteen years into a dynamic organization with expertise in cultural programming, research, and implementation.

Dividing its activities into four core areas (Space, Exchange, Consulting and Public Art), Cobalt Connects is actively playing a role in developing cultural capacity in Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford, Barrie and dozens of other municipalities each year.  Our on-the-ground experience in arts programming and implementation combined with our extensive research and policy development with municipalities makes us a unique partner for a wide variety of projects.

 

WORKSHOP LOCATIONS AND DATES:

KITCHENER
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Time: 9:30 a.m.  – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery
Host: City of Kitchener
Register HERE!

CAMBRIDGE
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Time: 9:30 a.m.  – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Cambridge Centre for the Arts, Donaldson Room
Host: City of Cambridge
Register HERE!

ORANGEVILLE
Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Time: 9:30 a.m.  – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Theatre Orangeville
Host: Theatre Orangeville
Register HERE!

WATERLOO
Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Time: 9:30 a.m.  – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Visitor & Heritage Centre
Host: City of Waterloo
Register HERE!

GUELPH
Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Time: 9:30 a.m.  – 3:00 p.m.
Location: 10 Carden
Host: Guelph Arts Council
Register HERE!

Learn more about Webinars and Part 2 Workshops on the LEARN IT | BUILD IT | MANAGE IT program page. 

This program is presented in partnership with the Community Forward Fund, Cobalt Connects, the Dalton Company and WalterFedy

LEARN IT | BUILD IT | MANAGE IT is generously supported by the the Ontario Trillium Foundation