Nelvana And Kids Can Press Announce Blackwrite.ca For Emerging Black Storytellers And Illustrators
September 14, 2021
THIS IS A CALL-OUT!
NELVANA AND KIDS CAN PRESS ANNOUNCE BLACKWRITE.CA FOR EMERGING BLACK STORYTELLERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
Nelvana/Kids Can Press Talent Incubator: Black Write Edition is a New Talent Incubator Connecting Black Creatives with Leading Industry Professionals to Create Inspiring Children’s Content
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For Immediate Release
TORONTO, September 15, 2021 – Corus Entertainment Inc.’s (TSX:CJR.B) (“Corus Entertainment”) Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live action content, and Kids Can Press, an award-winning, internationally acclaimed children’s book publisher, announced today the Nelvana/Kids Can Press Talent Incubator: Black Write Edition, an initiative designed to discover, support, and mentor emerging Black storytellers and illustrators.
“Our goal with this talent incubator is to match promising Black creators with industry professionals from two of Canada’s leading children’s content companies in order to develop original work,” said Athena Georgaklis, Head of Development, Nelvana. “We want to give budding creators, particularly those currently outside of the children’s content ecosystem, the chance to develop their work and make essential connections in the television, animation, and publishing industries.”
“Stories for children can be a powerful space to explore new ideas and tackle compelling topics, while inspiring and educating,” said Naseem Hrab, Associate Publisher, Creative, Kids Can Press. “We know there are new stories and illustrations out there that should be shared and deserve a wider audience. It is our hope that this talent incubator reaches Black storytellers who are looking for that opportunity.”
Black storytellers and illustrators are invited to submit their story proposals or illustration portfolio through the blackwrite.ca website. Candidates who are selected will be paired with creative advisors in animation production or book publishing to develop and fully realize their work.
The outcome of the first edition of the incubator is to develop at least one original concept each for TV and book publishing as well as to foster community among new voices and industry professionals.
The deadline to submit is November 30.
Future editions of the talent incubator will focus on other underrepresented communities.
This initiative is part of Corus Entertainment’s comprehensive, multi-year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan that aims to support diversity, equity and inclusion in the company’s workforce, business and content as well as industry partnerships.
The launch of blackwrite.ca will be supported by television and radio advertising on Corus’ network of TV and radio stations across Canada, starting today, September 15 and running until November 30.
To submit, check out blackwrite.ca.
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About Nelvana
Entertaining kids for over 50 years, Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor of children’s animated and live-action content. Nelvana produces a stable of award-winning and globally renowned brands that focus on comedies, preschool and action series, and ancillary consumer products programs. Nelvana’s content airs on Corus Entertainment’s kids channels in Canada and in over 180 countries around the world. The Nelvana library has well over 4,800 episodes of programming and has received over 70 major international program awards including Emmys® and Canadian Screen Awards. Visit the Nelvana website at nelvana.com.
About Kids Can Press
Kids Can Press, part of the Corus Entertainment family, is the largest Canadian-owned children’s publisher and the 2017 recipient of the distinguished Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publisher, North America. The publisher’s catalog includes an award-winning list of over 700 picture books, nonfiction and fiction titles for children and young adults that are translated and sold around the world. Kids Can Press has proudly published books for children for more than 45 years and introduced the acclaimed CitizenKid collection on global issues in 2009. Visit Kids Can Press at kidscanpress.com.
About Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since 1999, the company’s portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 33 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, a suite of digital and streaming assets, animation software, technology and media services. Corus is an internationally renowned content creator and distributor through Nelvana, a world class animation studio expert in all formats and Corus Studios, a globally recognized producer of hit scripted and unscripted content. The company also owns innovative full-service social digital agency so.da, lifestyle entertainment company Kin Canada, leading 2D animation software supplier Toon Boom and children’s book publishing house, Kids Can Press. Corus’ roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY®, Showcase, Adult Swim, National Geographic, Disney Channel Canada, YTV, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country 105, and CFOX, along with broadly distributed Canadian streaming platforms STACKTV, Nick+, the Global TV App and Curiouscast. For more information visit www.corusent.com.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Stacey Grimshaw
Senior Publicity Manager, Nelvana
stacey.grimshaw@corusent.com
Michaela Cornell
Communications Strategist, Kids Can Press
mcornell@kidscan.com
