Canada’s Youth Media Alliance and the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International have selected the first recipients of the annual John Rooney Creator Fund, which is focused on supporting creators in the LGBTQ+ community.

In addition to receiving funding, this year’s winners will be mentored by industry veterans and take part in scriptwriting opportunities at major Canadian prodcos.

The fund’s proceeds are split into two streams for content development and scriptwriting. A single content development prize was awarded this year to Kai Little-White, who most recently worked as an associate producer on CBC Kids preschool series Gary’s Magic Fort. She will receive around US$4,000 (CAD$5,000) to support her career development, and an additional US$4,000 to spend on travel and other costs related to attending industry events. Little-White’s most recent project is Under the Tent, a multimedia storytelling project with Ryerson in which selected artists “produce creative works that express criticisms and new thinking.”

The scriptwriting stream will support four creators working on kids shows that are currently in production, covering 10 working days for each writer (around US$2,000). Alora Lafontaine, whose experience includes a stint as an assistant art director and illustrator with the Director’s Guild of Canada, has been placed with 9 Story Media Group; David di Giovanni, who directed the short film Body So Fluorescent, will go to Sinking Ship Entertainment; Little Engine Movie Pictures will work with Mia Ema Falak, who wrote and acted in her own debut short film Broken Colors!; and Scott Farley, who wrote the short film Club Six and the upcoming Family Channel series The Fabulous Show! with Fay and Fluffy, is heading to Nelvana.

The fund, which was announced in January 2021, was established to honor Canadian animation industry vet John Rooney, who died in December 2020. Rooney was the executive director of TAAFI, which is focused on expanding Toronto’s animation scene, and the fund’s purpose is to build on his work in supporting LGBTQ+ talent in animation and kids media.

Pictured from the left to right: Kai Little-White, Alora Lafontaine, David di Giovanni, Mia Ema Falak and Scott Farley.