January 19, 2025

The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund has approved two restricted $1,000 educational bursaries for Jacob Rose and Kelsey Fawcett, participants in the Fund’s 2025 JL Mentorship Program, a structured educational initiative focused on advancing learning, skill development, and professional literacy in the creative and performing arts.

During the nine-month program, Jacob and Kelsey took part in guided one-to-one mentorship with experienced mentors Colin Fowlie and Laura Perry, alongside group learning opportunities and facilitated educational sessions designed to strengthen artistic knowledge and support continued development.

The bursaries are intended to support approved educational activities that extend learning beyond the mentorship program. Eligible uses include mentorship, workshops, training, learning-based travel, and other expenses directly connected to educational growth and skill development in the arts.

“These bursaries are intended to support continued participation in meaningful arts learning,” said Cat LeBlanc, President of the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund. “They help participants build on the knowledge, insight, and skills developed through the mentorship program by supporting further educational opportunities in a structured and purposeful way.”

Recipients were selected from the 2025 mentorship cohort based on their participation in the program, the clarity of their learning goals, the strength of their proposed educational activities, and alignment with the Fund’s educational mandate. The bursaries are administered with organizational oversight and are restricted to approved educational purposes only.

The JL Mentorship Program is a nine-month educational initiative that pairs emerging creative practitioners with experienced professionals for structured mentorship and guided learning. The program also includes workshops and group learning sessions that help participants deepen their understanding of artistic practice, strengthen professional knowledge, and engage more fully in the creative sector.

The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund is a New Brunswick–based incorporated non-profit organization dedicated to advancing education and public understanding in the creative and performing arts through structured learning programs, mentorship, and educational bursaries.

December 31, 2025

The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund has selected Fredericton-based emerging creative practitioner Evan Cooper to participate in its 2026 JL Arts Capacity Program following a merit-based application process.

The JL Arts Capacity Program is a structured educational initiative designed to advance education in the creative and performing arts. The program supports emerging artists through guided learning, mentorship, and educational resources intended to strengthen artistic knowledge, professional understanding, and continued participation in arts learning.

Through the program, participants take part in structured educational activities focused on areas such as creative development, professional practices, grant literacy, and approaches to sustaining artistic practice. These learning components are designed to build transferable knowledge and increase participants’ understanding of artistic practice and the broader creative sector in Canada.

Evan Cooper joins the 2026 cohort alongside participants working across film, music, and theatre, reflecting the Fund’s commitment to accessible and multidisciplinary arts education.

“Participation in the JL Arts Capacity Program offers an important opportunity to continue learning, deepen my understanding of artistic practice, and build knowledge that will support my ongoing development in the arts,” said Cooper.

Evan Cooper is an emerging singer-songwriter from Fredericton whose work explores themes of adolescence and self-expression through acoustic, lyric-driven compositions. His developing practice draws from pop and alternative folk traditions.

As part of his ongoing learning, Evan has participated in songwriting camps and collaborative educational environments across multiple provinces. These experiences have supported his development through peer learning, mentorship, and increased understanding of professional arts contexts. He has also taken part in regional performances and media interviews, which have contributed to his understanding of the Canadian music sector.

As a participant in the JL Arts Capacity Program, Evan will take part in structured educational activities intended to strengthen his artistic skills, expand his knowledge of the arts sector, and support continued learning and development in his creative practice.

December 17, 2025

With support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund invites emerging creative practitioners in New Brunswick to apply for the 2026 edition of the JL Mentorship Engagement Program.

The JL Mentorship Program is a structured educational initiative designed to advance learning and professional skill development in the creative and performing arts. The program supports participants through guided mentorship, instructional workshops, and facilitated learning activities that strengthen knowledge of artistic practice and the Canadian arts sector.

Application Deadline: February 15, 2026

Program Information: bit.ly/3KBrooz

Questions: catmaryleblanc@gmail.com

Program Overview

The JL Mentorship Program brings together a cohort of emerging creatives working in film, visual art, craft, writing, photography, music, and theatre with experienced arts professionals who provide structured, skills-based guidance. Mentorship activities focus on learning, knowledge transfer, and informed engagement with professional arts practices.

The program is designed to increase access to educational mentorship opportunities for emerging creative practitioners in New Brunswick, including individuals who may face barriers to participation in arts learning.

Mentorship is delivered through scheduled in-person meetings and/or digital sessions and follows a defined learning framework established by the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund.

Program Structure

Duration: March 2026 – November 30, 2026 (9 months)

Mentorship Commitment: Approximately four hours per month of structured one-on-one learning sessions

Additional Learning Activities:

Facilitated virtual workshops on topics such as health and wellness in creative practice

Instructional sessions addressing professional practices and sector literacy

Participants are encouraged to apply with clearly defined learning objectives and specific challenges they wish to explore through mentorship and educational programming.

November 25, 2025

The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund has selected participants for its 2026 JL Arts Capacity Program following a merit-based application process.

The program supports learning and skill development through structured educational activities, including guided mentorship, instructional support, and supervised learning opportunities related to creative practice. Selected participants for 2026 include Jon Wiseman (Film), Jeremy Murray (Film), Abby McCartney (Music), Justine Richardson (Music), and Hannah Crothers (Theatre).

The program is designed to advance education by supporting participants as they develop knowledge, skills, and understanding related to their chosen creative disciplines within a structured learning environment.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to take part in this educational program and to continue developing my skills through guided learning and mentorship,” said Jon Wiseman.

Jon Wiseman is a Saint John–based emerging creative practitioner working in filmmaking and screen-based media. His learning background includes hands-on experience with visual storytelling, technical production processes, and collaborative project development. Through participation in the 2026 program, Jon will focus on building skills, deepening his understanding of filmmaking practice, and taking part in supervised educational activities related to screen-based storytelling.

All programming delivered by the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund is offered for educational purposes and is administered in accordance with the organization’s educational mandate.

November 14, 2025

The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund has selected Seham Nasser to receive support through the 2025 JL Jon Collicott Film Education Bursary following a merit-based application and review process.

Established in memory of Jon Collicott, a New Brunswick filmmaker, the bursary is administered by the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund for educational purposes. It provides restricted educational funding in the amount of $1,000 to support approved learning, training, mentorship, and skill development activities related to filmmaking.

The bursary is open to New Brunswick–based individuals engaged in film-related learning and creative study.

Seham Nasser is a New Brunswick–based emerging creative practitioner engaged in writing and film-related learning. Through the bursary, she will undertake approved educational activities intended to strengthen her knowledge, skills, and understanding of film practice.

All bursary support is administered with organizational oversight and restricted to approved educational purposes only.

The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund is a non-profit organization established to advance education through the delivery of structured learning programs, educational bursaries, and public educational initiatives in New Brunswick and the Atlantic region.