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Level UP! Strategy Area: Compassion Fund

Pilot Project: Childcare funding and supports for artist caregivers

Project Duration: January – May 2022

Continuing to Implement: Yes. Partnering with companies like Tapestry Opera on these supports.

Resources Shared: Project Field Notes, Artist Testimonials

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About Obsidian Theatre Company

Location: Ontario
Artistic Discipline: Theatre
Operating Budget: $100,000 to $1,000,000

Founded in 2000, Obsidian is Canada’s leading culturally specific theatre company. An award winning organization, Obsidian Theatre has spent over 20 years training, producing and showcasing Black artists across the country.

Obsidian’s mission is threefold: to produce plays, to develop playwrights and to train emerging theatre professionals. Under the Artistic Direction of Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, Obsidian is passionately dedicated to the exploration, development, and production of the Black voice.

Obsidian Theatre Company’s Level UP! Project

Obsidian Theatre directed their Compassion Funds toward childcare support during rehearsal and production of Is God Is in the spring of 2022. The fund was able to support childcare for an actor and the Lighting Designer, who were both new mothers. General Manager, Michael Sinclair, and Producer, Vanessa C. Spence, led Obsidian’s Level UP! Pilot project.

Project Highlights:

• • Rather than engaging with a formal intake process, the verbal offer was made to the artists at the time of engagement, outside of contract negotiations.
  • Obsidian Theatre and producing partner Canadian Stage also welcomed the artist mothers to bring their babies to work, and provided a private room for pumping breastmilk and breastfeeding.