Toronto – The City of Toronto, in partnership with R.I.S.E. (Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere) Edutainment, has launched the inaugural MASTERPeace Artist Project. This unique opportunity has been designed to tap into Toronto’s artistic brilliance and provide a creative outlet to persons whose lives and communities have been affected by community violence. The Artist Project will support 12 local Toronto artists as they create content and produce performances for an artist showcase and video series this fall.
Open to applicants of all ages from across Toronto, the MASTERPeace Project encourages artists to apply by submitting work in any artistic medium. The selection committee comprised of community leaders and staff from the City and R.I.S.E. will select creative work that reflects lived experiences and personal insights. For example, the committee will look for projects that express deep insight into how structural violence impacts communities, how individuals demonstrate resilience in the face of violence, or share lived experiences overcoming systemic barriers.
Supported and led by R.I.S.E., the selection process and program will take 12 artists through a four-week orientation and training program that will prepare them for the fall performance and video series. Participants will also learn how to effectively produce their own work and promote their creative products to industry professionals. At the end of the program, all artists will be featured in a showcase and four artists will be featured in a self-produced video series.
Full application criteria and details for the MASTERPeace Artist Project are available on the R.I.S.E website 
. R.I.S.E. Edutainment is a flourishing artist community led by youth and composed of activists, free-thinkers, and revolutionaries. R.I.S.E. and its founder Randell Adjei, Ontario’s first Poet Laureate, believe in the power of youth voices to advocate, express and build community. More information can be found on the RISE website .
The MASTERPeace Project is one of many partnerships under the City’s TO Wards Peace Program. This risk-driven, multi-sectoral model takes a community-centric approach to address the city’s escalating community and gun violence levels. More information is available on the TO Wards Peace webpage. More information is available on the City’s SafeTO website.
“The MASTERPeace Artist project uses art as a therapeutic, healing force to combat the societal injustices contributing to community violence. Reflecting the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversities such as poverty, racism, and inequality, art becomes our instrument to work towards more peaceful, inclusive, and equitable communities. – Mayor Olivia Chow