Applications are now open for the ALERT Junior Producer program – apply today!
The ALERT Resident Company program is a customized training opportunity for emerging producers (“Junior Producer”) and companies/collectives with one or more works-in-development (“Resident Company”). The program culminates in a public presentation at the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival (July 15-26, 2026).
Junior Producers get free entry to all HFTco programming and events in the 2025-2026 season, access to HFTco staff and resources, and will be directly supported by the ALERT Coordinator. Junior Producers receive an honorarium of $800 upon completion of the program.
Program terms:
- Foundations (Nov 2025-Jan 2026)
- Integration (Feb-April 2026)
- Production (May-July 2026)
Foundations (Nov 2025-Jan 2026) – The first term will give the Junior Producers a chance to learn or refresh theatre-specific producing skills (budgeting, marketing, fundraising, etc).
Meeting and training sessions will be held bi-weekly on Friday mornings.
Integration (Feb-April 2026) – In the second term, the Junior Producers and the Resident Company participate in customized mentor-led workshops and in-depth conversations with theatre professionals, with topics and themes that fulfil a need specifically identified by the Resident Company.
Meeting times will be scheduled in consultation with the Resident Company.
Production (May-June 2026) – The third term, gives Junior Producers a hands-on role as part of the producing team for the ALERT Resident Company’s public presentation at the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival.
Meeting times will be scheduled in consultation with the Resident Company.
Who Should Apply?
If you are, or are interested in:
- producing original work (including your own work),
- gaining the skillset to be hired as an indie theatre/live arts producer in the future,
- curious about live event production and project management,
- an emerging arts administrator or aspiring arts manager,
- craving connection and community with Hamilton’s artists and arts and culture leaders,
- and/or an artist looking to learn about the other side of the audition table.
Applicants should:
- Be over 18 years of age
- Define themselves as “emerging”, “early stage”, or “new-in-craft” in that you will clearly benefit from participation in the ALERT program.
- Be based in the Greater Hamilton Area (ie. less than 40km beyond Hamilton)
Applications for the ALERT Junior Producer program close November 1, 2025 at 11:59PM.
Please contact Managing Director Franny McCabe-Bennett with any questions about the program or the application process.
The ALERT Resident Company program is a customized training opportunity for emerging producers (“Junior Producer”) and companies/collectives with one or more works-in-development (“Resident Company”). The program culminates in a public presentation at the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival (July 15-26, 2026).
The ALERT Resident Company receives a $2000 bursary and engages in a series of free workshops and training sessions tailored to the company’s unique needs. They will also be paired with professional mentors throughout the term. The program gives the company access to a dedicated ALERT Program Coordinator, experienced HFTco senior staff, and the broader network of the Hamilton arts and culture sector through HFTco’s existing partnerships. They will be invited to attend HFTco staff meetings and events.
The ALERT Resident Company will be supported by two Junior Producers. The Junior Producers will be selected by the Resident Company in consultation with HFTco staff. The ALERT Junior Producers will support the ALERT Resident Company through the full program term and attend all ALERT workshops and training sessions along with the company.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
If you are an emerging live performance maker based in the Greater Hamilton area – and you’re eager to level up your company’s creative and production skills – the ALERT Resident Company program is for you!
Applicants should:
- Be over 18 years of age
- Be an existing company or collective with a minimum history of 1 (one) public production or showing
- Define yourselves and/or your company as “emerging” or “early stage” in that you will clearly benefit from participation in the ALERT program
- Be based in the Greater Hamilton Area (ie. less than 40km beyond Hamilton)
PROGRAM DATES:
ALERT Resident Company – January 1 to July 31, 2025
ALERT Junior Producers – February 1 to July 31, 2025
Applications for the ALERT Resident Company program extended to 11:59pm, December 8, 2024.
Please contact Managing Director Franny McCabe-Bennett with any questions about the program or the application process.
The Artistic Leadership and Entrepreneurial Training (ALERT) program is a professional development program designed for emerging artistic leaders 18 years and over who want to help define the theatre culture in Hamilton. Participants take part in workshops with arts professionals and are partnered with professional mentors. The program runs on a two-year cycle, with one year focused on Artistic Producing and Leadership Skills (Producing Stream) and the second on Devising and Performance (Artistic Creation Stream).
ALERT runs from fall 2024 to spring 2025.
THIS YEAR:
Applications open soon for this year’s Company-in-Residence, and TWO paid Junior Producer positions in support of the Resident Company’s work.
The ALERT Artist Development program would not be possible without the generous support of our partners:
Previous ALERT Cohorts
Resident Company 2024-2025
Afterlife Theatre
Carly Anna Billings
Patrick Teed
Junior Producers
Tone Bailey
Annie Laleon
Resident Company 2023-2024
femmepire
Kitoko Mai
Claud Spadafora
Junior Producers
Lian McMillan
Teryn Lawson
2022-2023 Participants
Mohad Abdiyan
Jordan M. Burns
Shayna Burns
Trick Campbell
Sungwon Cho
Fay Daemi
Faith Mo
Johnny Thirakul
2021-2022 Participants
Catherine Allen
Lexi Bardy
Jordan M. Burns
Jet Coghlan
Chelsea Haraburda
Justin Shaw
Brianna Seferiades
Olivia Zotti
2020-2021 Participants
Carly Anna Billings
Sophie Hughes
Manisha Maharajh
Mykola Paskaruk
Olivia ‘Margo’ Prunean
Kit Simmons
2019-2020 Participants
Nathalie Cortes
Olivia Hopen
Matthew Lazaris-Brunner
Micaela Morales
Rachel Offer
Ryan Percival
2018-2019 Participants
Luis Arrojo
Beekaa Abraham
Aaron Joel Craig
Khaleel Gandhi
Rebekka Gondosch
Victoria Hudson-Muir
Anthony Raymond Yu
Dylan Vandemaele
2017-2018 Participants
Krista Colosimo
Michael Kras
Lily Sutherland
Emma Grafham
Stephanie Hope Lawlor
Jamie Milay
2016-2017 Participants
Adam Lemieux
Adam Bryan
Carlyn Rhamey
Claudia Spadafora
Rose Hopkins
Jesse Horvath
