Rare Earth Outreach aims to host events and programs that spark conversations and build relationships with individuals passionate about improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity within the Photographic Arts Community.

Whether you're looking for a professional development and skills workshop, a guest speaker for your event, people to connect with, or just want to participate in our competitions, we are packing our inaugural year with interesting speakers, fun workshops, great challenges, and a network of passionate professionals to deliver programming that will educate, challenge, enlighten, and inspire you. Click on the images below to discover more, or scroll past them for a brief written summaries.

Upcoming Rare Earth Outreach Programs and Events

Monthly 50/50 Calendar Competition (monthly, winter 2022)

Head over to The Shooting Range: A Photography Competition to learn about our upcoming Guest Judges, find out what the monthly Match Brief is, and plan to enter your submission and win CASH! Monthly 50/50 competitions are a dedicated source of revenue, earmarked for building up the Foundation's Scholarship and Awards Fund and offsetting operating costs. The more people who enter, the more gifts Rare Earth Outreach will have to share, so enter early and enter often!

EDI webinars and classes (commencing 2023)

Not sure why you should introduce elements of EDI into your business model and how to get started? Rare Earth Outreach offers 2-hour, half day, full day, and full day with certificate programs available - check the Why do I need EDI? page or subscribe to the Newsletter to find out when registration opens.

Uncomfortable Conversations (commencing 2023)

Each month, starting in September of 2022, Rare Earth Outreach will begin hosting a series of informal monthly chats with individuals who participate in or are associated with the Photographic Arts Community. Our first Ask Me Anything covers the topic of how Sex Work is Work.

First Annual Summit (Lloydminster, AB, February 3 - 5, 2023 - in-person)

Join us for an intimate weekend of fun, friendship, and photography! As this is our first year, plans for the First Annual Summit will be a scaled back version of what we plan for Year Two. This November our focus will be creating a heartfelt weekend away where the Symposium will be filled with night photography/aurora/light painting excursions, to photo walks at local historical landmarks, workshops on writing personal EDI statements and Land Acknowledgements, and special guests for the fireside Ask Me Anything chats and a Cree language lesson. Watch the Annual Summit page or subscribe to the blog for complete details.

School Outreach Program pilot (winter and spring 2022/2023)

Using technology donated through the Retired Equipment program, Rare Earth Community Outreach Facilitators will begin presenting their in-school photography workshops in Division 2 (grades 4-6) and Junior High classrooms over Winter and Spring, 2022-2023. These workshops are designed to encourage and empower students in marginalised groups through a 3-5 day age-appropriate storytelling challenge.

School Outreach Program pilot (2023 and beyond)

A second stream of workshops will be added by Year Three bringing the flip side of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity education and awareness into Junior and Senior High Schools through media awareness and unconscious bias workshops.

Teachers' Conventions (various locations across Canada, February/March 2023-2024)

Invite a Representative from Rare Earth Outreach to present at your local Teachers' Convention! Geared towards junior and senior high school students, our workshops are fun and inspirational while our classroom enrichment materials provide educators with tools and information that enhance media and visual arts, food and fashion, and classes by exploring the important relationship between visual storytelling, social awareness, and personal narratives. Please contact us for more information.

The Shooting Range: A Photography Challenge (portfolio submissions open October 2023, Season Three begins January 2024)

Our flagship event, The Shooting Range: A Photography Challenge is a unique opportunity for individuals interested in winning cash and prizes while receiving mentorship from some of Canada's foremost experts in the Photographic Arts and related Industries. Visit www.theshootingrange.ca to get your feet wet with our monthly competitions and dates for attending the portfolio submission workshop.

Professional Development Workshops (TBD)

From hair and make-up tips, to posing and portraiture, to lighting and post-processing techniques, to better marketing and promotion, and more, our Professional Development Workshops help photographers learn specific and detailed skills that extend beyond the basics.

Spring Retreat (April 2023)

Unlike the Annual Symposium, the Rare Earth Spring Retreat is participant-driven, with a weekend of activities that feel more like an adult play date than a stuffy conference. The Spring Retreat provides participants with the opportunity to plan their own workshops, activities, and conversation in a safe and supportive environment.

REPAOF Annual General Meeting (June 2023)

The Board of Directors (Class A Voting Members) meets each year in April for its Annual General Meeting (AGM). Non-voting members are welcome and encouraged to attend whenever possible.

Photography Day Camps for Youth (Spring Break and Summer 2023)

Still in the early planning stages, Rare Earth Outreach camps are intended to provide students from K-12 with opportunities for students to learn photography skills, learn about EDI, and (of course) have tonnes of fun! We need cameras donated to make these workshops a possibility so please visit the Re-Usable Equipment page and send us your used but working digital cameras!

Scholarships and Awards (Autumn/Winter 2023)

Complete details Award Nominations and Scholarship Applications will be released in Spring 2023. The Deadline for applications and nominations will be August 31, 2023, and funding paid out in November 2023. Please consider entering the 50/50 Competitions, becoming a Member, or making a tax-deductible cash donation to support Rare Earth Outreach's Awards and Scholarships program.