Expanding the possibilities
of performance


Tickets on Sale > July 13th!

Performance Festival
August 6-16, 2026


Opportunities

There are so many exciting ways to get involved and engage with SummerWorks
two volunteers stand behind a counter

Volunteering at SummerWorks

We are very excited by the possibility of engaging with YOU at SummerWorks! Each year, 60+ dedicated individuals contribute their time and energy to the Festival. SummerWorks’ volunteers scan tickets, collect donations, distribute promotional material, and provide information and way-finding support to patrons. 

Our volunteer program offers an opportunity to connect with other folks in the arts and cultural community, attend free or discounted performances and events, earn ‘SummerBucks’ to win prizes, and other perks at restaurants, cafés, shops, and more!

Through a bespoke initiative with the Toronto Fringe, you’ll join a growing community of Festival volunteers and loop into further volunteer opportunities beyond SummerWorks.

Stay tuned for more details about volunteering at the SummerWorks Performance Festival in August 2026.


Working at SummerWorks

Currently, there are no open job calls or positions at SummerWorks.

Check this space often for updated information on available positions.


Industry at SummerWorks

Industry professionals are a vital part of the SummerWorks ecology. Each year, we host SummerWorks Focus, a bespoke experience for accredited industry professionals, in tandem with the SummerWorks Performance Festival.

SummerWorks Focus is a vital part of the Festival experience.

It’s our ever-evolving exploration into more relational, less hierarchical, and increasingly impactful engagement within our industry, and within Toronto’s diverse communities of performance practice.

If you are an industry professional, planning to attend the 2026 Festival (August), and would like further information, please contact us at community@summerworks.ca.

If you are planning to visit us from out-of-town, contact community@summerworks.ca to discuss the kinds of support and resources SummerWorks can offer.


Join our Board of Directors!

Are you passionate about the arts and live performance?

SummerWorks regularly seeks new board members eager to contribute to the future of one of Canada’s most vibrant Festivals!

Board members contribute approximately 3-5 hours per month. This includes 4-6 meetings per year, as well as occasional special planning sessions, gatherings, and events, particularly during the Festival dates.

Expressions of interest will be accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Please detail your relevant professional experience and why you would like to join the SummerWorks community, and send to board@summerworks.ca.

SummerWorks is committed to equity and diversity, both through our program of activities, and as an employer. Our practices and procedures aim to reflect the varied needs, expectations, and cultures of all members of our community. We make every effort to ensure that no member of the community receives less favourable treatment in our recruitment process or when accessing our services on the grounds of gender identity, disability, race, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation.

We warmly encourage expressions of interest from individuals from equity-seeking groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Disabled and intersections of those identities. We enthusiastically invite expressions of interest from individuals from a diversity of lived experiences and professional backgrounds inside and outside the performing arts sector.


Submissions

Our annual Call for Submissions is closed and no longer accepting project proposals. Watch this space and sign-up for our e-newsletter for updates and announcements.

Each year, SummerWorks invites artists and creative collaborators to submit proposals for consideration in future Festivals, and in year-round programming initiatives, through an open Call for Submissions.

SummerWorks does not accept unsolicited project proposals. However, if you have an upcoming performance or showing, please send us an invitation. Our team will respond to your message, only if we are able to attend.

submissions@summerworks.ca

Michael Caldwell is the Artistic Director at SummerWorks and is ultimately responsible for curating the Festival each year, while also leading all programming conversations and partnership strategies for the organization. For each Call, we engage with curatorial selection committees, artist advisories, guest curators, and/or programming partners.

For regular updates on the Festival, sign up for our newsletter.