Home » Programs & Services » Aspiring Emerging Associates Initiative

Aspiring Emerging Associates Initiative

Aspiring Emerging Associates Initiative

Building Creative Skills & Capacity in Performing Arts Touring and Presenting

From 2015 to 2021, BCTC delivered the Aspiring Emerging Associates Initiative (AEA), a partnership program with the Province of BC and the BC Arts Council. The program was intended to build creative skills and capacity in performing arts touring for aspiring emerging artists, agents, managers, and associates.

Programs include:

On the Road Touring Workshops & Learning Labs Series

From 2015-2021, BCTC presented 13 On the Road Touring workshops including workshops in Burnaby, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Nelson, Penticton, Prince George, Victoria and one online workshop and learning lab series held in 2021. Approximately 550 aspiring emerging artists, agents and managers participated in On the Road since the first workshop held in Kelowna in November 2015. Thank you to our funders the Province of BC and the BC Arts Council for making these workshops possible. Also, thank you to the workshop trainers & speakers, as well as everyone who participated.

On the Road Ahead Touring Workshop

The Next Gen

BCTC engaged young people from around the province who were interested in, studying or working in the performing arts. The program provided opportunities for increased engagement through networking, training and hands-on experience. Funding allowed Next Gen members to attend Pacific Contact where they planned and hosted their own sessions to encouraged and promote youth engagement to BCTC’s members and conference delegates. The Next Gen also attended other key events where they acted as emissaries on behalf of BCTC.
More Information

The Next Gen

Warming Up the Act Funding

Warming up the Act provided funding to BC presenters including arts and culture festivals to engage aspiring emerging BC artists in their programming. 60% of funding had to be allocated to artists’ fees and/or touring fees. The goal was to provide aspiring emerging artists with the opportunity to engage with main stage artists, to build new audiences and to gain practical experience and knowledge about presenting and touring in BC.
More Information

Warming Up the Act

Youth Hub Initiatives

BCTC supported projects involving youth in the performing arts in hubs around the province. Youth hubs included unique performing opportunities that demonstrate how young people engage in arts events and how technology was used in performance-based work. Supported projects provided inspiration and ideas for those looking to engage youth and young artists in their organizations and communities.
More information

Youth Hub Initiatives


The Aspiring Emerging Associates Program is a partnership program with the Province of BC and the BC Arts Council.

BCTC / BC Arts Council

We acknowledge that the BCTC office is on the traditional unceded territory of the Sinixt, Ktunaxa and Okanagan Nations and is home to the Metis and many diverse indigenous persons.  The BC Touring Council carries out its work on the land of Indigenous nations throughout British Columbia.   We are grateful for the continuing relationship with Indigenous peoples in BC that develop through our work together.