Programs + Initiatives

Hello: Arts Workers Intake

Deadline to Apply: September 26, 4:00pm

Timeline

Eligibility & Expectations

How do I apply?

I've been invited to participate! What's next?

FAQs

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Timeline

Here are the important dates to remember:

September 26, 4:00pm - Deadline to apply Fall 2023 application intake is now closed.
September 28 - Applicants receive notification of results
October 20 - Deadline for selected participants to submit materials

Eligibility & Expectations

Expand the accordion below to learn about whether you're eligible to apply, and what to expect if your application is approved and you are invited to participate.

Am I eligible to apply for the Hello program?

You must be based in British Columbia and seeking to work in theatre between now and December, 2024;
You must have experience or training within one or more of the following disciplines:

Stage Management
Production Management
Technical Direction

If invited to participate, you must be a current GVPTA Individual Member (sliding scale starting from $10) to confirm your spot in the program.

Priority will be given to those arts workers who are:

An emerging arts worker; and/or
Identify as being from an underrepresented community (This may include, but not limited to: First Nations, Inuit, or Métis peoples; racialized artists; person who has/is blind, low vision, limited mobility, neurodiverse, deaf, hearing loss; living with a disability; minority language communities; LGBTQ2+); and/or
New to British Columbia (moved to BC between 2020 and 2023); and/or
A mid-career or established arts worker looking to expand their work into a new facet of the industry.

What should I expect if my application is approved and I am invited to participate?

Arts workers invited to participate in the Hello program can expect the following:

Those whose applications have been approved and are invited to participate will be notified by September 28.
Invitees to the 2023 Hello program will submit a recorded video or audio self-introduction (two to five minutes) to accompany their resumé.
All Hello program profiles will be available to watch by invited directors, hiring personnel, and other company representatives over a three-month period.
Follow-up interviews are at the sole discretion of each attending production company or director, all of whom will contact you using the information on your resumé.
Please note: Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance to the program.

See the I’ve been invited to participate! What’s next? and FAQ sections below for more details.

What companies have participated previously and accessed arts workers' materials?

Who might you expect to access your recording, resumé, and other materials? Applications to access the viewing platform are accepted from companies and independent directors on a rolling basis.

As an example, directors or hiring personnel from the following companies participated in Spring, 2023:

Arts Club Theatre Company

Axis Theatre Company

Blackout Art Society

Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre

Carousel Theatre for Young People

Delta Stageworks

Exact Resemblance

Gateway Theatre

Miracle Theatre

Neworld Theatre

Pacific Theatre

Pi Theatre

Presentation House Theatre

rice and beans theatre

Ruby Slippers Theatre

Savage Society

shameless hussy productions

The Dance Centre

United Players of Vancouver

vAct (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre)

Zee Zee Theatre

Application requirements: How do I apply?

Please note: Submitting an application does not guarantee an invitation to participate.

1. General Details

Your full name, email, and phone number;
Your pronouns;
Your location in B.C.;
Your GVPTA Membership status;
Which of the following you identify as:

Emerging theatre arts worker; and/or
Mid-career or established arts worker (and why the program would benefit you now); and/or
New to British Columbia (moved to BC between 2020 and 2023).

Your area of discipline:

Stage Management, Production Management, and/or Technical Direction

Professional associations or union affiliations, if applicable

2. Resumé

One document, a maximum of two pages in PDF format (maximum 10MB);
File name must include your Full Name, Content of file, and PDF format. (e.g. FirstName_LastName-Resume.pdf);
Ensure your name and contact information are included;
If your work experience covers multiple roles in theatre production, focus the majority of the resumé on the credits that you want the directors to know about more (See Arts Workers' FAQ for more details);
If you’d like, feel free to provide a maximum of two (2) references, which could include: producers/directors to shows worked, a supervising instructor or professor, or mentor recognized in the theatre industry, etc.

Click for Arts Worker Application

I’ve been invited to participate! What’s next?

Following the application review, arts workers who are selected to participate in the Hello program will be asked to submit a self-recorded introduction to accompany their resumé and any other materials.

These materials will be made available for viewing over a three-month duration by directors, producers, production managers, and other hiring personnel seeking new collaborators. They will have access to download arts workers' resumés in order to directly follow up with those they're interested in speaking with. See the accordion below for further details on the recording.

If invited to participate, you must be a current GVPTA Individual Member (sliding scale starting from $10) to confirm your spot in the program.

Introductory Video/Audio Details

Arts workers invited to participate will be asked to submit a video or audio clip introducing themselves, to be viewed by directors, producers, production managers, or other hiring personnel.

Your video or audio clip (2 to 5 minutes in duration) should include, in the following order:

A short greeting, including your full name, pronouns, and the primary role/discipline you're introducing yourself as (i.e. stage manager, production manager, technical director);
A description of who you are as an arts worker. Some optional prompts include:

Mandate and/or Philosophies - What part of this work do you like the best? What are artistic and/or working values for you? What kind of work makes you the most excited and inspires you?
Practice - Briefly, what are one or two examples of projects in the past that have been positive or exciting for you to work on? Tell us about a time when you were particularly proud of your contribution to a project.
Interests and other info - Any other interests or personal information you may feel compelled to share with potential employers or collaborators?

Arts workers are encouraged to edit their video/audio clip in a way they feel best represents them and their practice. This could be a slide show with voice over, speaking directly to the camera, an interview/conversation with someone else, or other methods.

See the FAQ below to expand further on potential ways to structure your clip.

Headshot (optional)

As part of your submission, you may include an optional headshot.

We will accept ONE headshot in PDF or JPEG format. File format must include your Full Name, Content of file, and PDF/JPEG format. (eg. FirstName_LastName-Headshot.pdf);
Digital dimension equivalent to a 8 x 10” printed shot.

What are the technical requirements for the video/audio file submission?

You may submit either a video or an audio file to be viewed by hiring personnel.

Video specifications:

All submission videos must be in .MOV or .MP4 format (no video links)
Resolution: 720 p - 1080 p (HD)
Compressed files preferred (maximum 200 MB)
Filmed horizontally
Highly encouraged to have 3/4 (torso up) of themselves visible when filming and be in centre frame;
File format must include your full name and content of file and video format (eg. “FirstName_LastName-Arts.mp4” OR “FirstName_LastName-Arts.mov”);

Audio file only specifications:

All audio files must be in .MP3 or .WAV format (no audio links)
Maximum 200 MB;
File format must include your full name and content of file and audio format (eg. “FirstName_LastName-Arts.mp3” OR “FirstName_LastName-Arts.wav”);
Optional: For audio-only introductions we recommend also submitting an image (.jpg or .png) to accompany your recording during playback (e.g. logo, name, headshot, preferred production still, etc.).

See the FAQ below for tips and best practices on structuring your recording.

Frequently Asked Questions for Arts Workers

Click the questions below to expand the accordion and read more.

1. How does the Hello program work?

Arts workers invited to participate in the Hello program will submit a video or audio clip of 2 to 5 minutes in duration that includes a self-introduction, information about your professional mandate/philosophy, practice, and interests or other information you feel compelled to share.

These recordings, along with resumés will be accessible to participating directors, producers, production managers, and other hiring personnel, for approximately three months.

2. How do I get invited to participate?

Review the eligibility criteria and fill out the application form linked at the top of this page by the deadline. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee an invitation to participate in the program.

3. How do I become a GVPTA member?

If you are invited to participate in the Hello program you will be required to have a current GVPTA Individual Membership to confirm your spot.

If you are not a current member, you will be asked to complete a membership application form and pay an annual fee (sliding scale from $10). Find more information about becoming a member here.

4. If I apply, does that mean I’m automatically in?

Applying for the Hello program does not guarantee an invitation to participate.

Only those invited to participate will submit an introductory video or audio recording.

5. Can I apply to both the Arts Worker and the Designer streams?

No. You may apply to either the Arts Worker OR Designer stream – not both. We encourage you to apply through whichever stream you are most interested in working in (e.g. Arts Worker OR Designer) and, if invited to participate, submit one video or audio recording that encompasses all your offstage skill sets and shares the scope of your practice.

If you have multiple skill sets (e.g. you are a costume, prop, set, and lighting designer), we leave it up to you how you craft your video/audio to discuss all of your work. If you have space in your resumé (maximum of 2 pages), we suggest adding all relevant work experience or skills that you'd like to share with potential collaborators.

6. I am also a performer. Can I apply to both the Arts Worker and the Performer stream?

Yes, you can apply both as an Arts Worker and as a Performer.

7. I participated in the April, 2023 Hello program. Can I create a new video and/or artistic profile?

No. Artists who took part in our last Hello Program intake are welcome to keep their profiles active until February 28, 2024, or have them removed at the end of September. You can apply to submit a new video in Spring, 2024.

8. If I'm selected to participate, who has access to my materials?

All GVPTA Member Companies are invited to view the artist and arts worker profiles and to download resumés. Independent directors, producers, and non-member companies are also invited to participate if they intend to hire or create work in the next year. Given the shift to digital profiles which can be viewed over the course of three months, we cannot guarantee the number of hiring personnel or which individuals from the companies participating will view your profile.

For our current list of GVPTA member companies, check our member directory.

9. Will I hear back from any of the directors or hiring personnel who view my materials?

Follow up meetings are at the discretion of each director and producing company, all of whom will be provided with your resumé to reach out to you directly.

GVPTA is not a producing organization, and will not be a liaison for any of the participating companies.

Reminder: Production cycles vary, and you might not hear from interested parties for many months.

10. If I’m selected to participate, what are the editing requirements of my video or audio?

The total video or audio introduction should be 2 to 5 minutes in duration. It cannot exceed 5 minutes. Please review the I’ve been invited to participate! What’s next? section above for more details.

Arts workers are welcome to structure their introduction and discuss their professional practice and other interests however you see fit (see prompt questions under the I've been invited to participate! What's next? section above). This structure may include, but is not limited to:

A one shot continuous or short edits for their introduction and other things they want to share; OR
An audio submission of their introduction and other things they want to share; OR
Your introduction has you on video, then there’s a cut to visuals or video clips or other recordings that highlight some of the work which helps illustrate your practice.

11. What are some video and audio best practices and advice?

General best practices for filming your video:

You’re welcome to film yourself with your phone, video recorder, or video camera;
Make sure you have front lighting so we can see your face;
Try your best to record in a quiet room or at a time with the least amount of background noise. Audio quality is key!
Do not use overlay filters or effects while filming your video;
Make sure you are framed in the shot and about 3/4s of you is visible (torso up), and camera is at eye level (not from above or below shots);
Do some research beforehand on your video settings. If you are new to self-taping check out the articles below:

Backstage has extensive articles on tips when filming (note that this is for a self-tape context for film and TV, please read articles as a reference; these are not requirements for our submission process): https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/guide-perfect-self-tape-1758/
Circle.hd breaks down video terminology when it comes to our requirements of video resolution and size: https://www.circlehd.com/blog/how-to-calculate-video-file-size

General best practice for recording your audio:

If you are not comfortable doing your introduction on video, you have the option to submit an audio recording;
You’re welcome to use your phone or any audio recording device to record your audio;
If you are able to adjust your recording settings, we suggest recording between 16,000 - 48,000 Hz;
Try your best to record in a quiet room or at a time with the least amount of background noise.

12. What technical support can the GVPTA offer for submissions?

If you have specific technical complications for your submission our team can try and help, although we have limited resources ourselves.

Specifically if you have trouble with your media files (video or audio) being attached to our online form, then feel free to use either WeTransfer or shareable Google Drive link and send that to Mishelle at mishelle@gvpta.ca.

Please let us know if you have any barriers or challenges as you prepare your materials.

Articles on alternatives for submitting video or audio files:

WeTrans fer is a free to use platform (although you can sign up to get more features) where folks can transfer files and prevent further compression (ie prevents file quality to be compromised). If you need a quick tutorial on how to use it, check out this video (made by JayCLife). Troubleshooting for WeTransfer can be found here on their Help page.
Google D rive Sharing is a way to use your Google Drive to share files (make sure to upload those files in your Drive first). If you need a quick tutorial on how to set up a shareable file via Google Drive, check out this video (made by LAT IT Trainer).