Being an artist at U of T, either professionally or as a hobby, can be a little intimidating. Paradoxically, since there are so many creative opportunities, it often feels like they get lost among the other activities with which first years are bombarded. That’s why the Arts & Culture team at The Varsity has put together this handy guide for writers, drama enthusiasts, cinephiles, and musicians in the hopes that students will use it to find their artistic community. So, go forth and make art!

Pick up your pen: Resources for the creative writer

For those interested in creative writing, it can be difficult to either start writing or get your work published. Luckily, U of T has classes, publications, and even a program dedicated to helping you hone your craft.

The university’s English department offers 200- and 300-level creative writing courses for undergraduates, with the 300-level courses requiring applications. There’s also Creative Writing at the University of Toronto, a private Facebook group that students can ask to join.

Victoria College offers a Creative Expression and Society program that includes a series of workshop-style courses that develop students’ creative writing skills. There are also courses offered at Vic that analyze the connections between the creative arts and society, such as CRE247 — Creativity in the Sciences — and CRE335 — Creativity and Collaboration in Social Enterprise.

The Hart House Literary & Library Student Committee offers free workshops for students. It also holds an annual literary contest with categories in poetry and prose with first prizes set at $150, second prizes at $100, and third prizes at $50.

Also, University College hosts the Norma Epstein Foundation Awards in Creative Writing, as well as three other creative writing competitions.

Last but not least, students can submit their work to a number of campus publications, including Mnerva, Hart House Review, Acta Victoriana, Goose Fiction, The Spectatorial, and The Trinity Review, among others.

Go be dramatic: Resources for the drama enthusiast

At first glance, breaking into the Toronto theatrical scene can seem an incredible feat. However, there are many great theatres, classes, and opportunities in and outside of U of T for those looking for drama.

The Alumnae Theatre is easy to access from UTSG. It seeks women volunteers for its productions, holds auditions, and runs workshops for acting, writing, and directing. The Tarragon Theatre, also located close to UTSG, has interesting plays as well as great theatre courses about everything from preparing for auditions to writing grant applications. You can also audit its season for free to see how theatre gets made.

For those more interested in improv, Second City and Bad Dog Theatre Company offer workshops and hold showcases, many of which are catered to students.

Whether you have an idea you’ve been working on for years or just want to experiment with theatre, the Toronto Arts Council has many grants available for the thespians of Toronto, going up to $15,000. They even offer grants for aspiring playwrights.

U of T also has a lot to offer. From the Drama Coalition to the UC Follies, Trinity College Drama Society, SMC Troubadours, Victoria College Drama Society, and UofT Improv Club, there’s no reason not to be dramatic! Not to mention House Theatre’s Student Spotlight program, which holds workshops for theatrical skills — including audition technique and theatrical design — and competitions to encourage greater student engagement.

Off to the movies: Resources for the cinephile

Toronto has a vibrant cinema scene; however, it can be difficult to find. Have no fear though — this guide is on your side!

One interesting opportunity for young cinephiles is Second City’s film and TV classes, which work on important skills like comedic directing and writing for TV.

There are also many opportunities to submit work. Hot Docs takes short and feature-length film submissions every year in the winter, giving you just enough time to make something great in the fall semester. Similarly, Toronto Youth Shorts takes films made by students in Toronto and screens them at a festival!

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto seems to always have an interesting film festival accepting submissions, and it also recently ran a competition specifically for Indigenous filmmakers to facilitate the creation of independent Indigenous film.

Play your heart out: Resources for musicians

While finding musical communities outside of formal education can be difficult, U of T has a few great ones that students can participate in to hone their skills.

If you’re interested in maintaining your hours of time spent in band, the Hart House Symphonic Band and Skule Orchestra have you covered. Though the latter group is part of the engineering faculty, all students are welcome to join. Moreover, the university has two groups called Healing Sounds of Music and Musicians at Your Door that volunteer to play music at retirement homes and hospitals. Singers can also join New College’s choir, New Resonance.

Lastly, the Rotman Music Club offers a variety of programs for both students in the business program and outside of it. Activities include jam sessions, performances, karaoke nights, and more!