New Voices Fund

What is the New Voices Fund and are you eligible to apply?

The New Voices Fund has been established to offer opportunities to talented writers who’ve not yet been discovered. If you love to write about the arts and entertainment, or have a compelling personal story to share, you’ve come to the right place. Chosen writers will receive a $200 honorarium. 

This fund is open to all women, non-binary, and transgender writers, who have less than 20 bylines to their name and are Canadian residents. Pitches will be reviewed by SheDoesTheCity’s editorial team. 

Subjects we’re interested in:

• Your personal experiences as an artist
• Unique perspectives within Canada’s arts & entertainment industry 
• Creative projects that inspire positive change
• Strong opinions, or emotional responses, to contemporary art and pop culture (recent films, TV series, plays, books, art exhibits)
• Pieces that demonstrate the power of storytelling
• Artist Interviews and Q&As

Upcoming Themes:

These themes are a guideline to help inspire work. Look at them as prompts. If you feel your piece doesn’t fit in, please submit anyway! 

September – The Power of Art
October – Art in Spanglish: Honoring Latine History in Canada
November – Poetry and Short Stories
December – A Year in Review 

We accept stories that show your unique perspective as an emerging artist. We prefer personal stories and essays, but have dedicated the month of November to poetry and short stories, if that’s where your passion for writing lies. 

Examples of New Voices Pieces:

I Quit My Bay Street Job To Be A Writer and it Healed Me
Why I Stopped Waiting for the Right Time in My Career to Have a Child
How I Use Street Art To Talk About War With My Seven Year Old 

To Submit:

Email newvoices@shedoesthecity.com a pitch for a piece you’d like to write, and briefly explain your perspective. Please also include 2 samples of writing (via links or pdf attachments), and a brief bio. If you don’t feel that you qualify as an emerging artist, reach out to us via pitch@shedoesthecity.com for next steps. In order to extend this opportunity to as many individuals as possible, writers are eligible to receive funding twice, annually. 

SheDoesTheCity has a legacy of being a platform where many writers got their start. Over the years, we’ve watched numerous writers find their voice, develop their style, and go on to write for Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Life, FASHION, Maclean’s, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and other publications. Some started their own digital properties, and several have written books, plays, TV shows, and films!