McMahon Stadium’s Sudden Burst of Creativity: Canon FUTURES
Arroy (AJ) Jacob, Web Editor |
On Sunday June 4th, University of Calgary’s McMahon Stadium was brimming with photography lights and newfound artistry.
The Canon FUTURES Mentorship Program held an event called the “Calgary Creative Experience at McMahon Stadium,” an event from Canon Canada that promoted Calgary-based photographers and videographers of all skill levels to gather in the empty football field and free-roam across the entire venue in a massive free-range photo-walk.
“It’s a very special experience,” says Riggs Villanueva Vergara, a Canon Creator Lab member and representative and creator of the 3rd cohort of the Canon FUTURES Mentorship Program. “It’s an awesome opportunity for Calgary based artists.”
The Canon FUTURES Mentorship Program, is a “12-month mentorship journey designed to equip passionate, emerging creators and storytellers with the opportunity to broaden their creative spectrum, expand their knowledge of the business and their craft, create community with peers across Canada, and further develop their skills” as described on the official Canon Creator Lab website.
FUTURES delivers monthly exclusive workshops and industry connections to all Canon Creator Lab members. The following month will be the endgame to the third year cohorts of the program, as it ran from August 2023 until July 2024. Creator Lab members like Vergara.
“The program is wrapping up this year, and I’ve learned so much. Storytelling is one of my deepest passions, especially through mediums like film and photography and Canon has helped me understand so much about the industry. They helped me curate my portfolio, develop personal brand and marketing strategies, and connected me to industry professionals.”
Although Canon FUTURES offers these exclusive benefits to those who pass their 4-part application, the program still offers public events for any artist, their latest example being at the McMahon Stadium.
Paid models were available to artists who attended the event, and offered Calgary artists the opportunity to shoot shots, exchange Instagram handles, and build their creative portfolio.
As part of the mentorship program, Vergara was paid to help assist with facilitating the event.
“Watching my friends, and even making new friends, have a good time photographing each other and the models is all why I came to help out today. I’m so happy Canon sees Calgary’s artistry.”
“This is the end of the program’s third year, but I highly recommend every visual artist to apply for it next year.”
Learn more about the fourth cohort applications here.
