Balancing Act Canada

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Balancing Act Canada

Advocacy and support for artist mothers, parents, and caregivers in Canada.

Established in 2019, Balancing Act exists to create increased accessibility for parents and caregivers working in the performing arts across Canada. In collaboration with partner organizations, our aim is to develop, pilot and evaluate innovative strategies, examine best employment practices, and advocate for artist parents and caregivers who wish to retain careers in the industry and achieve greater work/life balance.

10/07/2026

How are we able to juggle caregiving role, home life, and multidisciplinary artistic practices?

Join our “Caregiving and the Art of Saying Yes (or No)” affinity group led by theatre director, playwright, screenwriter, Rimah Jabr.

Rimah Jabr’s work has been presented in Belgium, Canada, and Palestine. She is currently a PhD candidate in Theatre and Performance Studies at York University and a resident artist with Necessary Angel Theatre Company, where she is developing her new play, The Apartment. Her practice often brings theatre into dialogue with visual art, creating performances that blur disciplinary boundaries.

📅 Friday, October 16 | 1–2:30 PM ET | Online
A confidential affinity group welcoming all artist-caregivers, whether you are a returning friend or first-timers. Come as you are.

✉️ For access needs or questions: [email protected]

🔗 Register via the link in bio

ℹ️For more information on all our Affinity Groups: https://balancingactcanada.com/en/programs/wellness/ -groups

CreativeCommunity

10/02/2026

We are excited to launch our “Unboxing Care” series, with our first stop in Montreal!

• Want to create a caregiver policy or care fund in your organization?
• Try out on-site childcare for a performance?
• Explore an artist parent residency?

Come join us to learn more!

📦Unboxing Care: Montreal📦
📅 Thursday, October 15 | 2–4 PM
📍The Rangshala Room, Cité-des-hospitalières 251 Pine Ave W, Montreal
✉️RSVP [email protected]

Part reception, part-workshop, the goal of this event is to “unbox” and share Balancing Act’s resources and tools to support caregiver and parent artists—created by arts organizations for arts organizations.

📷Photo of Kimberley De Jong Kimberley de Jong and Tawny Andersen Tawny Anderson in rehearsal for (M)other.
📸Photo by Brianna Lombardo Brianna Lombardo

Nous sommes ravis de lancer notre série « déballer le soin », dont la première étape se déroule à Montréal !

• Vous souhaitez mettre en place une politique de soutien aux aidant·e·s ou créer un fonds de soutien ?
• Tester un service de garde sur place lors d’un spectacle ?
• Envisager une résidence pour les parents artistes ?

Venez nous rejoindre pour en savoir plus !

📦« déballer le soin » de Balancing Act :Montréal📦
📅 Jeudi 15 octobre | 14 h – 16 h
📍Salle Rangshala, Cité-des-hospitalières, 251, avenue Pine Ouest, Montréal
✉️RSVP [email protected]

Élaborées et testées par des partenaires du secteur artistique à travers le Canada, ces ressources sont conçues pour démystifier le processus et permettre aux organismes de toutes tailles et de tous horizons de mettre en œuvre plus facilement des mesures de soutien aux aidant·e·s.

📷Photo de Kimberley De Jong Kimberley de Jong et Tawny Andersen Tawny Anderson en répétition pour (M)other.
📸Photo de Brianna Lombardo Brianna Lombardo

09/30/2026

At Balancing Act, we are thinking about supporting Indigenous parents, artists, and families with meaningful acts of care. This National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Balancing Act is focusing on reflection, solidarity and action.

👉Swipe through for ways to engage with and support Indigenous families and arts communities.

📷Photo of Elders Storytelling Luncheon at Aanmitaagzi’s Big Medicine Studio, Nipissing First Nation. Aanmitaagzi was a Level UP! partner of Balancing Act for this project.

LEARN through stories, songs, traditional teachings, and artworks. Attend the workshops at Toronto Council Fire Toronto Council Fire’s 9th Annual Indigenous Legacy Gathering at Nathan Phillips Square September 28-30.

📷Photo of Dallas Squire leading a traditional Onkwehonwe Games session at the Gathering of Dancing Parents (2023-24 Level UP! project) on Six Nations of the Grand River.

SUPPORT by donating to organizations that support Indigenous artist development. For example, Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance (IPAA) IPAA , Indigenous Curatorial Collective (ICCA) ICCA | Indigenous Curatorial Collective , Indigenous Music Alliance (IMA), and the SHINE Network The Shine Network Institute .

📷Photo of IPAA delegates at the IPAA Intertribal Gathering 2025, which BA attended, taken outside the Haida House at the Museum of Anthropology, UBC, Musqueam Territory.

📷Photo by Kimberly Ho Kimberly Ho 何文蔚

ATTEND public gatherings, events and performances, like the events in your region on September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

📷Video still of artist Sandra LaMouche (2025-26 Level UP! partner) in “Life Giver/Circle of Life,” a film by Sandra Yellowhorn & Rodrigo Henriquez, at Balancing Act’s The Art of Care, March 2026.

📷Photo by Kendra Epik Kendra Epik Photography | Toronto Photographer & Videographer

08/14/2026

We love SummerWorks!

08/13/2026

🥰Babes-in-arms are welcome at many SummerWorks performances this week!

🎉Check out LITTLE WHITE ROOM
By Quote Unquote Collective Quote Unquote Collective & El Ingenious del Caldero
Thursday Aug 13, 4pm
Fri Aug 14, 7:30pm
The Theatre Centre BMO Incubator

Baby headphones available to borrow for your wee ones🎧🎧🎧

Learn more about this amazing festival and their accessibility measures on the ☀️SummerWorks Performance Festival website!

06/28/2026

📞Calling mother artists and arts workers!

Heard about the survey
WORKING MOMS & SCHOOL AGED KIDS
by Moms at Work ?

It’s about remote work, afterschool care, special education, special needs children and care.

❓❓Why should mother artists and arts workers take this survey ❓❓

Because it considers workers who might require extended or specialized childcare support.

AND because does BIG-TIME advocacy toward policy-change. ⭐️

Support this advocacy toward the future of work, education and care and ADD YOUR VOICE!

Learn more here:
https://thisismomsatwork.kit.com/school-aged-survey

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE:
https://study.questionpro.ca/MAWschool

05/29/2026

🎉Balancing Act champions the work of The AFC and Unison , who provide emergency financial support and key services to Canadian artists and arts workers, in the performing arts & entertainment sectors, and music industry respectively. 🎉

Caregiving responsibilities can be unexpected and life-altering, especially for arts professionals in an economy driven by gig work and short-term contracts. Organizations like The AFC, Unison, and Balancing Act can help.
❤️

🔗Head to the links in our bio to learn more.

05/20/2026

📣In case you missed it…

A new report, “Sound of Support: Exploring the Music Community’s Caregiver Needs,” marks a turning point for Canada’s music industry. 🎶

Report released by and Music Publishers Canada. Balancing Act gets a nod in the latest press release alongside these music industry titans!

⭐️”Caregiving touches everyone in this industry and the conversations are finally moving from the sidelines to centre stage,” said Robyn Stewart, Executive Director of Women in Music Canada, and a caregiver for 14 years.”

⭐️”Momentum is already building. Balancing Act’s Level UP! Initiative – a national program supporting arts organizations as they pilot care-centred workplace policies – has expanded into the music sector through a partnership with Women in Music Canada.”

⭐️”This report is a call to action and encouraged by the willingness we see across the industry to adopt new practices, share what works, and build a music ecosystem in Canada where caregivers can thrive,” said Margaret McGuffin, CEO of Music Publishers Canada.
McGuffin – who has held multiple caregiving roles as a mother and a daughter – is optimistic. “The Canadian music industry has developed many smart, innovative caregiving strategies and I hope other industries will take notice and take action,” she added.”

🗞️🔗Press release and Report linked in our bio. A must-read for the music industry and arts sector at large.

05/15/2026

📊Half of Canadians will become a caregiver in their lifetime. Every sector, including the arts, must consider robust support for workers as they navigate caregiving responsibilities.

This week Balancing Act was honoured to meet with MP Chi Nguyen, a member of the National Caregiving Caucus (convened by ) AND a member of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.

⭐️Arts leaders Sarah Cullen and Jacoba Knaapen from our Balancing Act network, along with Executive Director Susie Burpee, advocated in support of artists and arts workers with caregiving responsibilities.

We were thrilled to engage in a robust conversation with MP Nguyen.
📣 Do you want to get involved?

🔗🔗Visit the links in our bio for
💌Advocacy Tools
📪Letter Templates.

🧡Reach out to us if you want to learn more or would like to share your story.
[email protected]

05/11/2026

🎉Today we are celebrating the inspiring work of mother artists on exhibition at our recent Art of Care event on March 27th in Toronto.

Toronto-based artist Jennifer Long created the Intertwine Series (2015) during her early years of mothering, “in response to the physicality of caregiving. The resulting pieces reflect on everyday moments of play, care, and exasperation.” -
(SLIDE 1 & 2)

💕Balancing Act proudly supported Jennifer’s Level UP! Sector Expansion project in 2024-25, which included a beautiful intergenerational exhibit at Gallery@501 in Sherwood Park, AB, with Shea Proulx (SLIDE 1)

🔗Check out the link in our bio for:
⭐️Jennifer Long’s website
⭐️The Art of Care event page

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http://balancingactcanada.com/

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