Prologue’s 2026/2027 Season
Call for Artists
Call for artists offering performances and workshops in schools and communities for the 2026/2027 season
Are you a performing artist with a passion for reaching young people through the performing arts?
Prologue Performing Arts is seeking professional performing artists to join our 2026-2027 Company of Artists working in schools and communities across Ontario. Prologue Performing Arts is a not-for-profit charitable organization that facilitates opportunities for young people to experience the performing arts within Ontario. Impacting communities for over 50 years, each season Prologue reaches over 300,000 children and youth through 1,000 performances and workshops across Ontario. Prologue works with performing artists in all relevant disciplines (music, dance, theatre, storytelling, spoken word, puppetry and others) who reflect the diversity of Ontario to deliver performances and workshops in schools and community venues. Artists selected for the 2026-2027 Company of Artists will receive compensation based on negotiated artist fees for all school and community engagements throughout the year.
For 2026-2027, Prologue has identified a series of focus areas – including theatre, BIPOC lead creation projects/programs, Indigenous programming, programming from the 2SLGBTQI+ community, French and bilingual programming, interactive workshops, programs for middle & high school students and artists who self-identify as belonging to an Ontario Arts Council Priority Group that address current gaps in the Company of Artists.
Programs that can be offered both in-person and virtually are ideal.
Artist Information Session
Prologue will be hosting a complimentary virtual Artist Information Session on October 06, 2025 at 1:30 PM (EST) on Google Meets.
This information session will work to provide more detailed information about the application process as well as any questions artists may have regarding our 26/27 Artist Call.
Monday, October 06 2025 | 1:30 –2:30pm (EST)
Please RSVP HERE to the session and a meeting link and additional information will be provided before the meeting.
The following criteria will be used in selecting artists for the 2026-2027 season:
- Artistic excellence and impact in terms of creativity, technical skill, cultural relevance and production quality
- Appropriate for intended audience (grade level, curriculum content)
- Unique work that adds to the diversity of Prologue’s current and future programming (art form, discipline, content and themes, intended grade-levels and curriculum connections)
- Work and company reflect the diversity of Ontario’s population and arts community
- Work that addresses topics/issues that are relevant to school audiences and educators, enhances the school curriculum and explores relevant educational topics (such as social justice, mental health and well-being, equity and inclusion, FNMI studies, FSL studies, for example)
- Production is accessible to schools (cost to schools, technical requirements, artist availability through the year)
- Artist/company is available to tour within and outside of the Greater Toronto Area
- Artist/company is available for a minimum of 6 weeks throughout the school year
- Available support materials and opportunities to enhance the performance (e.g. Q & A, study guides, workshops).
- Ability to deliver a 40-50-minute performance and/or workshop (+ Q & A) in a school setting
- Performance is fully or largely completed and ready to present to schools both digitally and in person
- Experience performing in schools or to youth audiences is considered an asset
- Please review Prologue’s website for information on the current season of artists
Steps for Submission
Phase 1 – Material Submission & Review
Artists interested in joining Prologue’s Company of Artists are invited to apply through the submission form linked at the bottom of the page, or via e-mail with the Prologue Application Package. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review by the Program Committee.
If you need assistance or more information about a section of the application please do not hesitate to contact Programming and Outreach Manager Bremely Karthigesu at [email protected].
Submissions will be reviewed based on Prologue’s Program Committee evaluation criteria in March, 2026.
- Applications will go live – September 23, 2025
- Deadline to submit applications is November 3, 2025
- Artists will be contacted with the results of Phase 1 by March/April, 2025
Phase 2 – Preview Performances
The Programming Committee requires a preview of the artists’ program. Applications should include a link to a program sample video. If the artist is not able to submit a preview video, please let us know if the program can be previewed in person.
If selected, Prologue will contact you to schedule a preview of your performance or workshop and discuss your digital offerings in more detail.
Program Committee members will view your program and Prologue staff will follow-up with any questions or recommended adjustments.
- Artists will be notified of the Program Committee’s final decision by late April 2026
- Artist fees will be negotiated with Prologue following Phase 2 review
- Selected artists will be invited to join the 2026/2027 season Company of Artists in time for the season launch in May/June 2026
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Programming and Outreach Manager Bremely Karthigesu at [email protected].
Prologue Performing Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we are committed to creating an inclusive company culture.
If this traditional model of submitting an application doesn’t work for you, please don’t hesitate to contact Bremely Karthigesu at [email protected] and we will find an alternative method that works for you.
Application deadline: November 3, 2025