Sydney and Mikayla from Summerhill Babysitting Club setting up a childcare space.
Stroller parking at the theatre.
The thing I most love about relaxed performances is the sense of togetherness that I don’t see occurring in quite the same way in non-relaxed performances. There is a byproduct of community building where people talk to each other more, smile, understand and accept each other. They have their eyes and hearts open in a different way. Matinees like this directly answer, ‘Who is this for?’ and I think meeting the needs of who it is for with a spirit of hospitality makes me remember why we share stories together in live art forms.
Canadian Stage
Canadian Stage
Childcare Options at the Theatre
Level UP! Strategy Area: Care Solutions
Pilot Project: Providing childcare options for a matinee performance of Universal Child Care by Quote Unquote Collective.
Project Duration: November 2023 – February 2024
Continuing to Implement: Yes, continuing to offer child care at matinees for children 5 to 12.
Resources Shared: Project Field Notes, Show Advertisement with Child Care Offer
About Canadian Stage
Location: Ontario
Artistic Discipline: Music, Theatre
Operating Budget: More than $1,000,000
Canadian Stage’s mission is to be a leading contemporary performing arts organization. Through a collision of disciplines and cultures, Canadian Stage reflects the dynamism and complexity of Canada and is a vital artistic force locally, nationally, and internationally.
Canadian Stage’s artistic vision is defined by three words:
- Contemporary, creating the art of today,
- Intercultural, fostering the deep exchange between artists, traditions, and cultures, and
- Transdisciplinary, integrating disciplines to create something new.
Canadian Stage’s Level UP! Project
Canadian Stage piloted childcare solutions for theatre-goers, making live performance more accessible for parents and caregivers. Childcare was offered during a matinee of Universal Child Care, a thought-provoking work by Quote Unquote Collective, that explores the complexities and inequalities surrounding childcare in modern society. Three care options were offered, tailored to suit different age groups:
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- Babes-in-arms: Audience members were invited to bring babies and toddlers to the performance, holding them in their arms or on their laps.
- Toddler fun: Free childcare for 2- to 5-year olds was offered by the Summerhill Club, a boutique babysitting agency with experienced Early Childhood Educators.
- Creative kids: Free kids’ programming for 5- to 12-year-olds was offered at Jamii Hub, led by professional artist Janice Garel.
Project Highlights:
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- Collaboration with a local childcare agency and arts organization to deliver high-quality, engaging experiences for children while their caregivers attended the theatre.
- Feedback was gathered from staff, partners, and audience members about the babes-in-arms performance, resulting in a list of strategies to enhance the model for future offerings.
Resources
Canadian Stage | Project Field Notes
About This Resource Canadian Stage shared these Project Field Notes in 2024 as part of their Level UP! Pilot Project. Their project focused on piloting a babes-in-arms performance and childcare options for theatre-goers to make live performance more accessible for...
Canadian Stage | Show Advertisement with Child Care Offer
About This Resource Canadian Stage created the following Show Advertisement with Child Care Offer in 2024 as part of their Balancing Act Level UP! Pilot Project. Child care was offered to audience members attending a matinee performance of Universal Child Care by...
Related Resources
More Information
For more information about the Canadian Stage visit canadianstage.com.
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