Growth means even more events, opportunities for positive interaction in our community
Summer is a time that brings us together, festivals, and good times. We’ve got all three for you at My East Coast Experience.
One of my favourite types of get-togethers are networking events. Creative Hub recently had its first networking event of the year and it was a huge success. The easing of pandemic restrictions means we’ll be holding a lot more of these over the summer, and that’s a great fit for our city.
We’re a city of networking and a lot of business (and personal) relationships are fostered by in-person meetings. It could be a quick coffee with someone, an exchange of ideas, or a more formal networking event, but the return of these types of interactions is a huge marker we’re returning to the vibrancy we once knew.
However, we’re conscious COVID-19 is still out there and will be following standard health and safety measures at all our events. Masks are encouraged.
We also have two other new initiatives running alongside our networking efforts. First up is Creative Hub’s incubator program. This program is offering $25,000 in funding and business supports to help immigrant-owned new businesses get off the ground. We have legal advice, marketing, Hub membership, and mentoring lined up to launch one new immigrant owned business each year. Further details and applications can be found on our website: creative-hub.ca.
The second initiative is our new podcast, Our Guest Is. It launched in July and features conversations with immigrants making a difference in our East Coast communities. Hearing their stories in their own words makes you realize these people are more than immigrants, they’re travellers seeking a new life; they’re entrepreneurs building new pieces of our economy; they’re the glue that binds so many parts of our lives together; and they’re survivors.
However, while we are busy with all these new offerings, we haven’t forgotten what made them possible. Preparation for our 2023 Most Inspiring Immigrants in Atlantic Canada Gala is in full gear. Nominations are open and we encourage our Atlantic Canada community to go to https://myeastcoastexperience.com/2023-most-inspiring-immigrants/ and nominate immigrants who are making a positive impact in our community.
The Mosaic Festivals of Arts and Culture are also running full steam ahead. The music festival is set for Sept. 3 and features the return of the parade through downtown Halifax after its COVID-19 hiatus. We’re actively seeking cultural groups interested in taking part in the parade, and performers for the musical stage. If you are a local performers, you can apply to join us here: https://mosaicfestival.ca/participant-application/.
The Mosaic International Film Festival‘s late submission deadline is Oct. 3, so there’s still time to get your films in. Visit https://filmfreeway.com/2022MosaicFestivalofArtsandCulture to fill out the entry form.
I’m excited about what the future holds for our organization as we continue to grow and evolve. We hope to increase the impact we are making on our community.