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Graham Henderson calls for full and meaningful review of the Copyright Act in 2017 in Policy Options Op-Ed

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In an op-ed published today for Policy Options, a digital magazine published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, Music Canada President and CEO Graham Henderson details the Value Gap, which is an issue affecting all cultural creators, and warns that action must be taken to restore integrity to the marketplace.

Henderson describes what led to the Value Gap, defined as “the gross mismatch between the volume of music being enjoyed by consumers and the revenues being returned to the music community.” Identifying the problem as “a product of decisions made by governments around the world that have allowed cultural content to be distributed, made available, consumed and monetized by others without proper payment to creators,” Henderson points to out-of-date rules and regulations, such as exemptions that have benefited broadcast and technology industries to the detriment of creators.

Henderson outlines a series of policy recommendations that the government should consider immediately to restore balance to the world in which creators live.

Some of the actions are:

  • Ending all cross-subsidies paid by creators that subsidize corporations – the outdated $1.25 million radio royalty exemption in the Copyright Act is one example in Canada.
  • Consider federal policies to attract foreign direct investment in the domestic music economy, as Ontario, British Columbia, and municipalities across Canada have done.
  • Examine and reform the Copyright Board of Canada, the tribunal that is responsible for setting royalty rates that many in the cultural industries rely on. A recent Senate of Canada report found the Board to be “dated, dysfunctional and in dire need of reform,” signalling that reforms are urgently needed. “The government needs to turn the Copyright Board into a true business development office for the creative and user communities,” writes Henderson.

Henderson concludes by calling for “a full and meaningful review that identifies and recommends necessary amendments to the Act,” and reiterates that “the only way the government can restore integrity to the marketplace is to curtail all cross-subsidies and the outdated exemptions on which they are based.”

Read the full article on the Policy Options website.

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VIDEO: 2017 Global Forum at CMW – Indigenous artists discuss music’s ability to unite, inspire, and heal

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On April 20, 2017, JUNO and Polaris Prize winning experimental vocalist Tanya Tagaq delivered a brilliant and emotional keynote during the 2017 Global Forum at Canadian Music Week. Following her keynote, Tanya joined acclaimed Canadian musicians Susan Aglukark and Bear Witness of A Tribe Called Red, as well as Mike Downie, co-founder of the Secret Path project and the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, for a panel discussion moderated by John Kim Bell. The profound, honest, and moving discussion covered a wide range of topics such as culture, identity, residential schools, reconciliation, and the responsibility and pressure Indigenous artists feel to assume activist roles.

Before Tanya’s keynote, the Global Forum began with a stunning performance by Hamilton-based experimental trip-hop artist IsKwé, a welcome from Music Canada’s President and CEO Graham Henderson, and opening remarks from Arif Virani, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Multiculturalism) and Member of Parliament for Parkdale-High Park.

For more than a decade Music Canada has been proud to sponsor the Global Forum at Canadian Music Week, which brings together Canadian music professionals and international delegates for a networking breakfast and discussion. Over the last few years the Global Forum’s theme has been “music can help,” and in 2017 the focus shifted from a global outlook to an inward exploration of the role music has played for Indigenous musicians in Canada, bridging cultural divides and bringing national attention to Indigenous issues.

Watch the full video of the Global Forum panel discussion below.

Quoted

Susan Aglukark on the role music has played in her life:

The thing that music and art has done for me over the last twenty five years; it’s opened up this place and space where all opinions, thoughts, cultures, everything matters. Everything is a part of recovering and building bridges.

Bear Witness on visibility of Indigenous artists in mainstream culture:

We always get asked all these things about Indigenous issues, and it’s such a broad thing in trying to figure out what to talk about, and I kind of decided that in the kind of work I’m doing, the thing I can affect most is visibility and how I present myself to the world and how I want to be seen. And that’s something that goes back to how I grew up. We were actually talking before we came out about seeing a poster of you (John Kim Bell) that was up in a high school guidance office, or something like that. Seeing that poster was a huge inspiration for me. Because it was that idea of seeing an Indigenous person who was visible, who was getting recognition for excellence in their craft. I come from a long line of Indigenous artists and I’m probably the most visible out of any of them. By far not the most talented. So that idea that there’s been all of these talented Indigenous artists, generations of them, that have gone unnoticed, and to be noticed meant to give up your Indigeneity often. It’s a really new thing for us to be up here, representing the way that we all are.

Tanya Tagaq on identity in her music:

There shouldn’t be pressure culturally for us to get out of a box, stay in a box, or anything. We’re allowed to be what we want to be – cultural freedom – that’s what I want. And I don’t expect people to comprehend or even enjoy my music, because I was born and raised up there, but yeah I went to residential school for high school, and since we started touring I’m really into going to contemporary art galleries and I like applying concept to pieces. I like contemporary music. I like noise music. I love Cindy Sherman. Anish Kapoor is one of my favourite artists. So why is it that, because I’m an Inuk, what I’m doing in a contemporary sense is applied to this pan-Inuit concept? I think it’s total bullshit, and that I’m allowed to be free and do what I want and not bear the burden of people saying I’m a traditional artist, cause I’m not.

Mike Downie on Secret Path and using the platform music and fame provides to draw attention to social and political issues:

Our feeling was – maybe this can be an on-ramp for people to learn more, because the stories keep coming and they get a lot darker than a little boy by himself on the tracks. And so, I think we did feel like there was an opportunity to use this story to get it out to not just Gord’s fans, but to the country, and also I think, just come with a message too that if you’re coming to this now, it’s OK, but keep coming, don’t turn away, and keep following that path.

Bear Witness on the sense of responsibility Indigenous artists feel:

As Indigenous artists we take on a lot of responsibility to represent and speak about Indigenous issues, especially when we’re using our culture in our work. And one of the things you (John Kim Bell) said right away was that feeling of responsibility, that this isn’t a choice, this is something that we have to do. That filled me with so much confidence and so much happiness to hear you say that, because I say that all the time, to feel that there’s other artists who’ve gone through those same feelings.”

Tanya Tagaq on the way art affects collective consciousness and politics:

Our cultural climate is dictated by the individual and then by the school of fish that we are, so there’s a collective social consciousness that’s being affected by art right now, by people waking up, so I think that the way the government is going to change is by every single one of us taking the opportunity to learn and understand and cry out. I remember growing up it was still bad to be gay, and now you’re an idiot if you’re a homophobe, right? So I’m hoping that with all of us working together we’ll force the hand of the government into making it easier for us and I think it’s up to the youth to pick up the mantle and it’s up to every single one of us to bear some of the weight because it’s a little bit unfair for the people that are already hurting to have to bear the additional pressure, and that’s why I’m so appreciative of what you (Mike and Gord Downie) have done in your work.

Photos

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Miranda Mulholland lays the reality for creators in the digital age bare at the Economic Club of Canada

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On May 24,  Miranda Mulholland became the first musician to deliver a keynote address to the Economic Club of Canada. Her speech, titled ‘Redefining Success in a Digital Marketplace,’ drew on her years of experience as a musician, label owner and entrepreneur to shed light on the reality artists face in the digital age. In her speech, she also identified actions that government, the music industry and music fans can take to help bring balance to the world in which creators live.

The room had a large contingent of artists, including Scott Helman, Alx Veliz, Royal Wood, Tona Tencreddi, Bandana Singh, Ammoye, Amanda Martinez, Zeno Calini, Kanwar Anit Singh Saini, QuiQue Escamilla, Eliana Cuevas, Sarah Thawer, Justin Rutledge, Brenley MacEachern, Lisa MacIsaac, Bradley Thachuk, Monica Pearce, Damhnait Doyle, Suzie Ungerleider, Emma Barnett, Andrew Penner, Jennifer Bryan, Sally Shaar and Jordan Circosta.

There were also representatives from the municipal, provincial and federal governments, as well as music industry groups MusiCounts, Re:Sound, The Canadian Federation of Musicians, CIMA, Music Ontario, The Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), SOCAN, The Canadian Country Music Association, The Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall, and record labels Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music.

Miranda was introduced by Toronto City Councillor Josh Colle, who chairs the Toronto Music Advisory Council on which Miranda also serves. Colle commented that musicians are often entrepreneurs, and in many cases, small businesses and that nobody is an embodiment of that more than Miranda Mulholland. He commented that artists should be supported by the City in the same way as other small businesses.

“As entrepreneurs and small businesses, I think it’s incumbent on all of us to want to see that they’re successful,” said Colle. “The same way we might put money or resources or time into helping other sectors and other small businesses, we should think of that the same way as our musicians and artists, who live in a city that’s increasingly expensive and difficult to find a place to live.”

The overarching theme of Miranda’s speech was accountability, and she pointed to a number of ways that digital music services eschew accountability to the music creators who make all of the content off which they profit.

“Picture each shiny new streaming platform as a shop window,” said Miranda. “Our content – at fire sale prices – fills their shop window, giving them credibility while creators of this content are asked to do the advertising. They give us – the creators – lists of ‘Best Practices’ to get more of our hard won fans to use their services. If we are not getting on playlists then it is our fault for not engaging with our fans enough.”

She was particularly critical of YouTube’s claims that it is merely a passive service, and as such, should be free from liability for the content that appears on the site.

“YouTube says – ‘it isn’t our fault – we are just the shop window. We didn’t put the items in the window, so we are not accountable for them. We are a passive intermediary. We are not liable for this massive copyright infringement.’ But – once again – wait. A top brass at Google just bragged that ‘80% of all watch time is recommended by YouTube.’ He explained that ‘Everybody thinks that all the music that’s being listened to and watched is by search.’  But it isn’t, and in his words, ‘that’s a really important and powerful thing.’ This means that YouTube actively directs consumers. This doesn’t seem all that passive to me. Zero accountability.”

Miranda went on describe the ways in which we can correct the situation faced by artists, saying “We all have a role to play as artists, as consumers, as industry and as government.”

For artists, Miranda encouraged them to be honest about their lifestyle, protect their intellectual property, support robust copyright laws and to pay back into the music ecosystem by championing young talent.

She encouraged music fans to be tastemakers, to create playlists of their favourite music, and to write reviews and rate albums and songs, actions which help shift algorithms in favour of artists. She also encouraged fans to buy albums on their release days, another action which can help to drive albums to front pages of music services. Buying band merchandise was mentioned as a great way to support artists. She also encouraged music fans to subscribe to a streaming service, as the subscription model delivers a much better return to artists than ad-supported streaming.

As for government, Miranda pointed to the elimination of “safe harbour” laws, which provide tech companies with immunity from copyright infringement liability. In Canada, she pointed to eliminating industry cross-subsidies that shift wealth away from music creators, and used the radio royalty exemption as an example, an exemption in place since 1997 that excuses radio stations from paying more than $100 in royalties to artists and record labels on their first $1.25 million in advertising revenue.

Miranda’s heartfelt speech had a visible impact on guests, who gave her an extended standing ovation.

Miranda’s speech was followed by a Q&A discussion with Kate Taylor, author, film critic and arts columnist at The Globe and Mail.

You can view the full event video via the live stream archive on our Facebook page.

Below is a selection of tweets from the event:

https://twitter.com/ScottHelman/status/867595308364161025

(Swipe left) Such an eventful meeting this morning with #EconomicclubofCanada redefining success in a digital market place. Pic’d here with Former Member of #parliament #AndrewCash who personality invited us as well as #JenniferHardy #GeneralManagerofOperations at #MusicCanada and #AmyTerrill #ExecutiveVicePresident also at Music Canada and #TracyJenkins of #LulaMusic & #ArtsCentre/LulaWorld who booked me for my #CityHallLive performance on Monday May29th!!! Inside @lulalounge @lulaworldfest!!! And our honoured guest speaker fellow entrepreneur and artist #mirandamulholland!!!! So informative And impactful was this speech and meeting!!! #changeascome #changeisgood #independentartist movement!!!! #toronto #Canada #reggaemusictotheworld #Lightworker #musicismylife #Andsoitis #makingmoves #Artistonamission to create #change!!! #DontCountMeOut Creating our own opportunities!!!!

A post shared by Ammoye💫 (@ammoye) on

 

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Miranda Mulholland to address the Economic Club of Canada on ‘Redefining Success in a Digital Marketplace’

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On Wednesday, May 24, singer, songwriter, violinist, label owner and music festival organizer Miranda Mulholland will address the Economic Club of Canada on the reality for music entrepreneurs in the digital age.

Below is the event description:

Music unites us, bridges linguistic, cultural and income divides. Music heals. It connects. It provides a soundtrack to our greatest struggles and our highest triumphs.

Since the arrival of the digital age, music is more readily created, released and shared. It is available at our fingertips and it’s reaching more people than ever before.

With music’s intrinsic value in our lives and this new accessibility, one would expect that the people who create this unifying force would be thriving.

There is a widely held perception that the advent of the digital revolution has enhanced how music is created, money is made and creators’ lives are lived. There is a perception of a level playing field.

But it’s time for a reality check.

Join Artist and Entrepreneur, Miranda Mulholland as she talks about the creative process, reveals actual numbers, discusses how creators are faring in this new landscape and suggests a way forward.

The event runs from 11:30am – 1:30pm at the Toronto Marriott Eaton Centre (525 Bay Street). Lunch will be served. Tickets are available for purchase on the Economic Club of Canada’s website.

Miranda’s speech will be followed by a question and answer discussion with Kate Taylor, author, film critic and arts columnist at The Globe and Mail.

On November 1, 2016, Miranda shared her incredibly pertinent experiences as an artist entrepreneur operating in the digital age during her closing remarks at a speech delivered by Music Canada’s President and CEO, Graham Henderson, titled The Broken Promise of a Golden Age: How creators underwrote a tech revolution and were betrayed. Miranda’s remarks were so powerful they inspired the Economic Club of Canada to invite her back to headline her own event.

Be sure to get your tickets early, as this is sure to be a timely and impactful event!

VIDEO: Miranda Mulholland’s closing remarks at Graham Henderson’s speech to the Economic Club of Canada on Nov. 1, 2016

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Anthology: Defining Moments in Canadian Music

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Tonight at the opening reception to the 46th Annual JUNO Awards in Ottawa, Music Canada unveiled Anthology: Defining Moments in Canadian Music. The installation is a timeline that chronicles the events that helped shape Canadian music, including artistic and award-based milestones, industry and regulatory developments, as well as media and technological changes that have been part of our industry’s evolution.

With facts compiled by renowned music journalist Larry LeBlanc, and designed by Ben Purkiss, Anthology is made up of five large prints containing more than 180 moments. When aligned side-by-side, the prints create a continuous timeline from 1969 to 2017.

Music fans can test their Canadian music knowledge with our quiz card, which is being distributed to attendees at the opening reception. An answer key is available on the back of the card, which highlights the Focus On Creators initiative.

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Music Canada reacts to 2017 Federal Budget

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Music Canada is pleased to see that the 2017 federal budget, which was tabled yesterday in the House of Commons, contains encouraging language for Canada’s music sector.

Intellectual Property Strategy 2017

The budget announced that the Government will develop a new intellectual property strategy over the coming year. The budget notes that “intellectual property rights incentivize creativity and the development of new ideas and technologies by helping companies, academics and inventors recoup their investment once new products reach the marketplace.” This is especially true in the music business, as music is intellectual property, and musicians are innovators.

Recorded music is an investment intensive business, and a strong intellectual property regime gives labels the confidence to invest in new artists and recordings, which helps all parties in the recording ecosystem. Record labels are the primary investors in music, investing 27% of global revenues into discovering, developing, and marketing artists. A & R (artists and repertoire) is record companies’ defining skill, and the equivalent of R & D (research and development) in other sectors. We welcome the Government’s IP Strategy, which the budget states will “help ensure that Canada’s intellectual property regime is modern and robust and supports Canadian innovations in the 21st century.”

Canada’s Digital Future

In this budget, the Government has placed a priority on supporting Canada’s digital innovation, with a section on Canada’s Digital Future. Recognizing that Canada’s creative entrepreneurs and cultural leaders are essential to building an inclusive and innovative Canada, the budget acknowledges that Canada’s creative industries are facing rapid and disruptive change, which includes both risks and opportunities. The budget states that the Government will outline a new approach to growing Canada’s creative sector – “one that is focused on the future, and bringing the best of Canada to the world.”

The music industry has extensive experience in adapting to digital disruption. In many ways, the music sector was “the canary in the coal mine” in this regard: with the launch of Napster in 1999, the music industry was the first media sector to feel the full impact of the Internet. But, after almost two decades of nearly uninterrupted declining revenues, the global music sector reached a key milestone in 2015, with a return to positive revenue growth and digital revenues surpassing income from physical formats for the first time. This achievement was made possible by the transformation of record companies to meet changes in consumer behavior, the proactive licensing of new digital services, and continued investment in talent and innovation in bringing artists to a global audience. We have some perfect examples of the last point; last year, Drake topped IFPI’s Top Ten Global Recording Artist chart, while fellow Ontarians Justin Bieber and The Weeknd reached #5 and #10, respectively.

However, despite these encouraging results, the music industry’s transformation is not complete. There is a weakness in the foundation, known as the “Value Gap.” While music is now being consumed at record levels around the world, the surge in consumption has not been matched by coinciding remuneration to artists and producers. Addressing this market distortion is crucial to ensuring creators are fairly compensated. We look forward to working with the Government of Canada to address the Value Gap as part of the plan for Canada’s digital future.

Promoting STEM to Young Canadians

The budget also includes a laudable section on promoting STEM to young Canadians, noting that they are “curious, talented, entrepreneurial and well-educated”, making them “well-positioned to deliver the next great breakthrough in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).” This is very true, though we note the equal importance of studying the humanities, and encourage the Government to consider a broader outlook, by including the arts in this strategy.

An arts education does more than prepare students for careers in the culture sectors. Arts educations instill the importance of creativity, and teach students to apply creative thinking and design skills to STEM projects. By expanding the outlook from STEM to STEAM, the Government can help students develop the full skillset required for careers in tomorrow’s labour market.

 

Budget 2017 rightly states that changes in the economy presents incredible opportunities for middle class Canadians, and that Canadians’ future success “will be determined by our ability to prepare for and adapt to change.” As we strengthen Canadian content creation and prepare for the future, Music Canada is committed to working with government to ensure music is properly valued & creators are fairly compensated.

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Department of Canadian Heritage releases #DigiCanCon consultation report

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On February 21, the Department of Canadian Heritage released its Canadian Content in a Digital World consultation report. The government commissioned the independent data analysis firm Ipsos to synthesize the information gathered from the DigiCanCon consultations. The results contained in the report are described as a thematic overview of submissions received.

The television and film industries are thoroughly discussed, and while the report doesn’t contain many direct mentions of music, some sections have a strong focus on creators and the need to showcase Canada’s cultural sector at home and abroad, as well as “a need to ensure that Canadian creators share in the financial rewards resulting from increased dissemination of cultural content via digital channels.”

The report identifies three main principles that arose during the consultations, and positives for the creative community can be drawn from the feedback the government received related to each of these principles:

  1. Focusing on citizens and creators

This principle involves supporting creators through skills development and ownership protection, investing in creators with a re-evaluated funding model to allow broader access, and respecting citizen choice to afford all Canadians with access to a diverse body of cultural content.

  1. Reflecting Canadian identities and promoting sound democracy

A sentiment expressed by many during the consultations was that “the Canadian ‘brand’ should reflect the diversity of both Canada’s cultural and ethnic populations and also Canada’s geography and landscape.” Per the report, “there was general agreement that a robust Canadian cultural offering contributes to a strong Canadian identity which in turn breeds engaged citizens.” This is how many participants felt that culture can promote a sound democracy.

  1. Catalyzing economic and social innovation

How to create a cultural ecosystem that fuels growth of the middle class was one of the questions the government sought to answer. While participants reportedly had difficulty expressing how a thriving cultural sector would benefit the middle class, it’s important to remember that many members of the creative class earn an income below the poverty line from their creative work. Independent musicians earned an average of $7,228 per year from music-related activities in 2011. In many respects, a strong creative class contributes directly to a strong middle class. This is one of the main reasons the Focus On Creators coalition exists – to ask the government to put creators at the heart of future policy so they can earn a reasonable living from their work, and BE part of the middle class.

We were very encouraged by one of the “next steps” identified by the government to “through both public policy and perception, reposition the cultural sector as an engine of economic growth and innovation in Canada.” We firmly believe that music has incredible potential as a driver of economic growth and job creation and we’re committed to spreading this message.

One of the key themes of the consultations, identified on page 10, is “Modernizing Canada’s legislative framework and national cultural institutions.” According to the report, the Copyright Act was one of the institutions that participants said has “not kept pace with the shifting digital environment and should be examined.” The upcoming government-mandated Copyright Act review in 2017 was identified as a vital opportunity for Canada to stand up for creators, noting that “most agreed that changes to IP legislation that divert the flow of revenue back to the hands of the idea generators is essential to the future of the cultural ecosystem in Canada.” The Copyright Act is also included as a legislative framework in the government’s “federal cultural policy toolkit.” We hope that the opportunity presented by the 2017 Copyright Act review is used to its full potential to benefit Canada’s cultural industries.

Although it was not mentioned in the Ipsos report, The Copyright Board of Canada also has enormous potential to act as a business development force for our cultural industries. In a report released in December of 2016, The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce stated “The Copyright Board of Canada plays a pivotal role in Canada’s cultural sector. Yet, from what the committee heard, the Board is dated, dysfunctional and in dire need of reform.” The Senate committee report recommended that an “in-depth examination of the Copyright Board of Canada’s mandate, practices and resources” be included as part of the 2017 Copyright Act review.

Music Canada would like to commend Minister Joly and the Department of Canadian Heritage for undertaking such a thorough consultation at this crucial moment in time for Canada’s cultural industries. We are very encouraged by the commitment to creators displayed by both the government and participants in the consultation, and we are hopeful that these consultations will result in new policies to better support our creative industries in the digital age.

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Buffy Sainte-Marie announced as 2017 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award recipient

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The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) has announced iconic singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, social activist, educator, philanthropist and visual artist Buffy Sainte-Marie as the recipient of the 2017 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, presented by Bell Media. The award, which began in 2006 with recipient Bruce Cockburn, recognizes an outstanding Canadian artist whose humanitarian contributions have positively enhanced the social fabric of Canada and/or whose impact can be felt worldwide.

“It’s our privilege to present the legendary Buffy Sainte-Marie with the 2017 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award,” said Randy Lennox, President, Broadcasting and Content, Bell Media. “Her dedication to improving the lives of Indigenous people is truly humbling. We look forward to celebrating this iconic artist and her inspiring philanthropic work at this year’s JUNO Awards.”

Born on the Piapot Plains Cree First Nation Reserve in the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan, Sainte-Marie is celebrated for her thought provoking lyrics and her passion for supporting Aboriginal people. In 1964, she became well known for her anti-war peace anthem “Universal Soldier,” and was one of the first people to merge pop and Aboriginal music with her 1976 hit “Starwalker.” Sainte-Marie’s 2015 album Power in the Blood won the 2016 JUNO Awards for Aboriginal Album of the Year sponsored by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and Contemporary Roots Album of the Year, as well as the Polaris Music Prize.

“I’ve had some great partners in mobilizing my ideas in art, education and technology, especially the W.K. Kellogg Foundation who taught me that there’s a difference between an administrator and a visionary. Both are important but visionaries are seldom pushy in that business way that administrators learn; and visionaries don’t think in corporate pecking order terms so often get squashed out in normal business systems,” said Sainte-Marie. “I’ve been lucky enough to work in both worlds, and although my timing has sometimes been off and gotten my big mouth into trouble, other times, with the help of other people, I’ve been effective beyond my expectations. So I thank all my colleagues in and out of the music business for helping put my songs to work.”

This year’s award will be presented at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards presented by SOCAN on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.

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National Music Centre reveals programming for Bell Let’s Talk Day at Studio Bell

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On January 25, 2017, Canadian musicians, including noted ambassadors Serena Ryder and Stefie Shock, will join millions of Canadians across the country in recognizing the 7th annual national Bell Let’s Talk Day, which aims to end the stigma surrounding mental illness. For every text, call, tweet, Instagram post, Facebook video view and Snapchat geofilter,  Bell will donate 5¢ more towards mental health initiatives in Canada.

In Calgary, AB, the National Music Centre will host a full day of programming focusing on mental health and music at Studio Bell. Singer-songwriter Séan McCann, a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, will play an evening concert following the day of free programming, which includes a mental health exhibition featuring regional community partners, and a lunchtime music therapy presentation with celebrated music therapist Jennifer Buchanan.

“The power of music to explore, treat and combat stigma around mental health is undeniable, and the National Music Centre is proud to partner with Bell Let’s Talk and a host of community partners to become part of this important national discussion,” said Andrew Mosker, President and CEO for NMC. “We’re also delighted to host Séan McCann as an artist in residence and look forward to him sharing some of his inspiring stories and music with us on January 25.”

At 7:00 pm, McCann, a founding member of Newfoundland’s multi-platinum selling group Great Big Sea, will perform a 90-minute concert featuring the stories behind his songs, a look into his recent artist residency, and incredible music. “I believe that music is strong medicine and that a song can save your life,” said Séan, who left the band in 2013 to deal with both alcohol addiction and coming to terms with the sexual abuse he suffered as a young man. Since then, Séan has been using his words and music to bring healing into his life and the lives of others.

“Bell Let’s Talk is proud to partner with the National Music Centre and Séan McCann to celebrate Bell Let’s Talk Day in Calgary,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “Featuring the therapeutic and healing powers of music for those living with mental illness is a wonderful way to participate in the conversation about mental health on Bell Let’s Talk Day.”

While tickets to McCann’s performance are sold out, you can still pop by on January 25 from 10 am to 5 pm for more mental health programming, courtesy of Bell.

Programming Schedule for Bell Let’s Talk Day at Studio Bell

10:00 am – 5:00 pm     Open to the public and community booths in Canada Music Square

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm     Session with leading music therapist Jennifer Buchanan

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm      NMC President’s Tour highlighting the healing and restorative power of music

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm       Kimball Theatre presentation “Why does Music make us feel emotions?”

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm       NMC and Bell Let’s Talk present Séan McCann (doors open at 6:30 pm)

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Music Monday to celebrate Canada’s 150th Anniversary with new anthem in support of music education

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On Monday, May 1, 2017, the Coalition for Music Education will celebrate Music Monday with a cross-country sing-along to raise awareness for music education. The annual event celebrates the unifying power of music as thousands of Canadians join in singing and performing the Music Monday anthem at their schools and other community centres.

This year, inspired by Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Music Monday sing-along will be led by a live-streamed showcase from the nation’s capital. In recognition of the sesquicentennial year, the 2017 Music Monday anthem will celebrate Canada’s musical heritage in its lyrics and instrumentation. The anthem, titled Sing It Together, focuses on the power of voices, and “asks us to sing for joy, for truth, for healing, and for freedom,” explains the event press release. The recording features Inuit throat singing, Métis fiddling, Indigenous drumming, and children’s choirs in celebration of Canadian musical heritages.

Sing It Together was co-written by JUNO Award winners Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas, and was recorded at Canterbury Music in Toronto, with additional layers recorded at Ottawa’s Audio Valley Recording Studio, and Hamilton’s St. James Anglican Church.

“Music is the landscape of Canada,” said Marc Jordan. “We hope it will be a song that illuminates the mosaic of music and cultures that thrive in every corner of the country.”

To join the Canada-wide chorus of students and community groups in singing and performing the song on Music Monday, visit the Get Involved section of the Music Monday website.  Arrangements, audio-visual learning tools, and lyrics in several languages will be made available on the website ahead of the event.

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