11/17/2025
🌿 The Compassion Fund: Supporting the Whole Artist
This season, we’re taking a meaningful step toward caring for dancers not just as performers, but as full human beings.
In rural and underserved communities, dancers often navigate physical strain, emotional stress, and caregiving responsibilities without the support they deserve—especially women and members of equity-seeking groups. The Compassion Fund was created with these dancers in mind.
Through this pilot initiative, artists can access direct support for:
✨ Mental health services
✨ Physiotherapy + recovery
✨ Childcare
✨ Transportation
✨ Adaptive + wellness care
Because a life in dance should never come at the cost of well-being.
We move better when we’re cared for.
We move forward—together.
This initiative welcomes and prioritizes support for women and femme-identifying dancers, and those who identify with equity-seeking groups, including:
• Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour (BIPOC)
• Parents or Caregivers
• Rural Residents
• Artists with Disabilities or Chronic Conditions
Artists from all dance pathways are invited to apply:
• Company Dancers
• Professional Artists
• Mid-Career
• Pre-Professional / Training Artists
• Student / Training Artists
• Senior/Veteran Artists
• Administrative / Production Support
The application process is fully confidential and allows artists to share their care needs with dignity. Funds will be distributed based on need and available resources from November 2025 – March 2026. All applications are reviewed directly by Artistic Director Reequal Smith.
If you have any questions, please reach out to info.oshundancepei@gmail.com.
Link to apply: https://forms.gle/dJD8LjVs6mGhAUmu9
This pilot is supported in part by Balancing Act Canada through the Level UP! Initiative, advocating for equity, accessibility, and meaningful support for artist parents and caregivers across the arts sector.
Together, we move with compassion. 🤎
Together, we support the whole artist.
