Music Canada

Gold & Platinum

Join Mailing List

Music Canada

Gold & Platinum

 Music Canada

Industry News (298)

view

Creative BC and Province announce four new BC Music Fund programs

Posted by

In two separate announcements this month, Creative BC has detailed the allocation of $8.21 million from the BC Music Fund, which will support four new programs, as well as a funding boost for Music BC.

On December 1, Ministers Shirley Bond and Peter Fassbender, along with Creative BC CEO Prem Gill, announced $4.41 million in funding allocations, $1.41 million of which will support the expansion of Music BC’s activities in the areas of export & professional development, and touring & expanded showcase opportunities.

“As the voice of British Columbia’s music industry, we continue to provide funding to support the growth and sustainability of the province’s music community — artists, music professionals, and other creators,” said Music BC’s Executive Director, Alex Grigg in a press release. “This additional $1.41 million will allow us to provide greater support for our industry partners and expand our own network to reach more of the province’s artists and industry professionals. We applaud and thank the support from Creative BC and the Province for this opportunity and partnership.”

A further $3 million has been allocated to the Sound Recording Program. This program follows the Sound Recording Pilot Program, which distributed $500,000 for sound recording projects in its first stage. Following industry feedback from the pilot program, the expanded criteria for the Sound Recording Program allows for increased access for unincorporated studios and artists. More information on the Sound Recording Program, including eligibility guidelines and the application process, is available on Creative BC’s website.

On December 15, Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia held an announcement at 604 Records on the allocation of $3.8 million more from the BC Music Fund. The announcement featured a performance by celebrated BC songwriter Frazey Ford.

The $3.8 million will support three brand new funding programs:

The Live Music program will receive $2.5 million in dedicated support, available to BC-based festivals, venues, live music presenters and event producers. The program is intended to increase the number of live music performances within the province.

$1 million has been earmarked for Industry Initiatives, which according to Creative BC’s release will “support industry events and export activities, including industry conferences, trade missions, and collaborative export marketing, to further grow and showcase BC’s music industry.”

The Research program devotes $300,000 to projects that inform the growth, evolution and innovation of BC’s music sector.

“British Columbia’s music sector has seen immense growth and success, thanks to the contributions of our many talented artists,” said Shirley Bond, BC’s Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour. “The funding announced today (December 15) from the BC Music Fund will serve to further support artists and live music related businesses including festivals, venues, and event producers, ensuring a strong sector for years to come.”

Below is the full video of the December 15 announcement.

Categories: Industry News, News Release
Tags: , , ,
Comments
view

Nominations open for Canada’s Volunteer Awards

Posted by

Header 625x190Nominations are now open for Canada’s Volunteer Awards, which recognizes a not-for-profit organization, an individual, a group, or a business who is making a positive impact in their community. As Canada prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2017, it is important to acknowledge the tireless efforts volunteers put in to improve lives in our communities and country.

Awards will be presented in the following categories:

  • One (1) national award – Thérèse Casgrain Lifelong Achievement Award;
  • Five (5) regional awards – Emerging Leader, for young volunteers aged 18 to 30;
  • Five (5) regional awards – Community Leader, for individuals or groups of volunteers;
  • Five (5) regional awards – Business Leader, to recognize businesses that demonstrate social responsibility; and
  • Five (5) regional awards – Social Innovator, to recognize the contributions of not-for-profit organizations.

Nominees will be assessed according to six criteria: role, impact, reach, engagement, challenges, and inspiration. Award recipients will be recognized at a ceremony and will be able to choose a not-for-profit organization to receive a grant of $5,000 (regional awards) or $10,000 (national award).

The nomination period closes Friday, February 3, 2016.

Categories: Advocacy, Industry News, Music Education
Tags: , ,
Comments
view

What was said: Senators Call for Urgent Review of Canada’s Copyright Board

Posted by

Today at a press conference in Ottawa, members from the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce (Deputy Chair Joseph A. Day and Douglas Black) announced the release of their report on the operations and practices of the Copyright Board of Canada.

The press conference was live-streamed on Periscope, and an archive of the video is embedded below.

A selection of quotes from the event are included below.

Senator Joseph A. Day:
“Simply put: uncertain royalties mean uncertain paychecks. In our investigation, we found the Copyright Board to be slow and its practice very dated.
As the committee reviewed the Board, the most common comment from witnesses, and we heard from several witnesses, was that the board lacks timely decision making when it comes to establishing royalties. These tariffs are the bread and butter of Canadian artists who work in this community’s cultural sector, because they determine how much money businesses must pay in order to use the copyrighted material of the artist.”

“After reviewing the Board’s operations and practices, our committee’s sole recommendation is to call for a thorough, in-depth examination of the Copyright Board of Canada’s mandate, practice, and resources.  And examination of the Copyright Board of Canada’s mandate, practice, and resources should take place next year as part as the statutory, mandated review of the Copyright Act, the law that governs the Board. The Act is scheduled to have its statutory, five-year review of the Board next year, 2017, which is coming real fast. That is the opportune time not only to review the Act, but to delve deeper into the problems of the board.”

“So today, we are raising awareness about what we found when we talked to people who are intimately familiar with the Board’s work, and who are directly affected by that work of the Board. The one inescapable conclusion that the Copyright Board is not serving the Canadian copyright sector to the best of its ability, nor is it helping Canadian business.”

 

Senator Doug Black:
“As we all can agree in this room, and those who are listening, the cultural industries in Canada are a key component, not only to quality of life, but also to economics. And it is part of our review to ensure that impediments to the economics of Canada are dealt with.
And as Senator Day has so clearly identified, it was our observation that the Copyright Board, despite its best intentions, there is no maleficence here at all, but despite best intentions, the Board is not only not assisting the cultural industries, it is a block to the cultural industries. And we are recommending, as Senator Day indicates, that this needs to have a thorough examination.
We viewed ourselves like a G.P. – the patient came in, we analyzed the patient, and we said ‘my Goodness me’ – this requires the attention of some specialists. So we will over 2017, or the Government over 2017, will have a comprehensive review to understand what needs to be done to ensure the Copyright Board is working.”

“We also learned that the majority of members are part-time – so it’s unfair to expect that the job can get done. We learned of problems with files, we learned of problems with tariffs, we learned of process problems. So what we need to do is figure out what needs to get done, make some strong recommendations to correct it, and I think we also need to look at how its dealt with in our partner countries – how they deal with copyright in the U.K., in the U.S., in Japan. And I don’t know, but we need to look at that, because there will be some best practices and some models that we can utilize, and we’re going to ask the government to do this.
It’s very straightforward – the Copyright Board today is an impediment to the cultural industries in Canada. And there is no Senators that I know – and I would know them all – there is no Senator that would stand in support of any block to cultural industries in this country – it’s important to the quality of our life, and it’s important to our economics.”

Categories: Industry News
Tags: ,
Comments
view

IFPI Releases Investing in Music Report

Posted by

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), representing the recording industry worldwide, released a new report today, Investing in Music: The Value of Labels. The report highlights the important role that labels play in the global music industry. They are the primary investors in music; record labels discover and nurture artists, produce and promote music, and connect artists with their fans.

ifpi2016report-smallAccording to the report, labels remain the largest investor in music, maintaining tens of thousands of artists on global rosters, and investing 27 percent of their revenues—US$4.5 billion—in artists around the globe. “That’s an incredible figure that reflects their commitment to artists and the future of music,” says the report. “No other segment of the music sector invests in artists on anything like this scale.”

Jointly introducing the report, Frances Moore, Chief Executive of IFPI and Alison Wenham, CEO of WIN, said: “Investing in Music highlights not just record companies’ financial investment in artists, but also the enduring value they bring to artists’ careers.  In the digital world, the nature of their work has evolved, but their core mission remains the same: discovering and breaking new artists, building their careers and bringing the best new music to fans. These are the defining qualities of record companies’ investment in music.”

Here are the key highlights of the Investing in Music report:

Music does not just happen … it requires hard work and substantial investment. Record companies are responsibly for discovering and nurturing artists, producing and promoting their music and other forms of creative output, and connecting artists with fans in new and innovative ways. According to the report, it costs somewhere between US$500,000 and US$2 million to break a new act in a major market.

Record labels are the primary investors in music. Music companies invest US$4.5 billion annually in discovering, nurturing, and promoting artists. No other segment of the music sector invests in artists on anything like this scale, and this investment has been sustained even as the music industry weathered two decades of revenue decline.

Breaking down labels’ US$4.5 billion annual investment. This significant investment is broken down into two primary areas: A&R (or artists & repertoire), which is the discovery and development of artists, and marketing campaigns which promote artists and their music.

Developing the digital market. Record companies have invested heavily in the fast-developing infrastructure of the digital market. There is a complex system of digital licensing services which requires a substantial investment from music companies to track and distribute recordings.

Unlocking new revenue streams. Record companies invest in new revenue streams, such as licensing tracks for movies and TV, giving artists that have broken through to an audience new sources of income. A record company may have as many as 200 long-term brand partnerships active on behalf of their artists at any point in time.

The full report is easily accessed on this interactive website.

Categories: Industry News
Tags: , , ,
Comments
view

Music Canada’s Graham Henderson speaks to the Economic Club of Canada on “The Broken Promise of a Golden Age”

Posted by

On November 1, Music Canada’s President and CEO, Graham Henderson, delivered a moving address to the Economic Club of Canada on the erosion of creators’ rights in the digital age, and what can be done to re-establish a fair working environment.

ec_nov1st2016-119
Canada’s cultural industries were well represented with attendees from Sony Music Canada, Warner Music Canada, Universal Music Canada, The Motion Picture Association of Canada, the Writers’ Union of Canada, SOCAN, CIMA, CMPA, The Screen Composers Guild of Canada, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, Canada’s Walk of Fame, Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Re:Sound, and TD Music. Guests from Ryerson University, OCAD, Humber College, CGC Education, Colleges Ontario, and York University represented the education sector. MPPs Monte McNaughton, Lisa MacLeod, Rick Nicholls, Lisa Thompson and Steve Clark were also in attendance.

crowd-collage-2
We were happy to have been joined by local musicians as well, including Miranda Mulholland, Amanda Martinez, Caroline Brooks of the Good Lovelies, Murray Foster, Alysha Brilla, Jay Douglas, Sonia Aimy, and Sally Shaar of Ginger Ale & The Monowhales.

The Economic Club of Canada’s President and CEO, Rhiannon Traill, who took on the role five and a half years ago with vision and passion, introduced Graham’s address. Rhiannon thanked Graham for the support he has shown for the Economic Club of Canada and for her as President and CEO, and praised Graham as a champion for Canadian culture.

“You’re about to hear a very important speech, and I am really, really proud to be hosting it,” she said. “Graham is an advocate, he is an innovator, he is a collaborator, a bridge builder, a visionary, and a truly great Canadian dedicated to advancing and protecting our country’s music, arts, and culture.”

ec_nov1st2016-126
Below is the full video of Graham’s speech, titled The Broken Promise of a Golden Age: How creators got squeezed out in the digital era, and what can be done to restore their rights.

Graham’s address was followed by powerful remarks by Miranda Mulholland, who shared her personal experiences to shed light on just how dire things have become for creators trying to earn a living from their work in Canada. Miranda really drove home Graham’s message – we must fight to restore the rights of our creators, who bring such livelihood, spirit and identity to our country.

ec_nov1st2016-173
Miranda is an accomplished violinist, singer, and label owner of Roaring Girl Records, which represents many JUNO and Grammy award winners. She’s a member of Great Lake Swimmers, Belle Starr, and the recently formed Harrow Fair. She has played or sung on over 75 albums, including JUNO nominated and award winning albums.

By all metrics she is an accomplished and respected musician, but in a very open manner, laid out the financial reality for creators in Canada.

“This is embarrassing, and I will level with you. I can barely afford rent in a city that I need to live in to work,” said Miranda. Musicians have had to become entrepreneurs, and experts in many fields, just to get by in the digital age. “I’ve had to get used to being a marketer, a promoter, a data entry clerk, a driver, a travel agent, a social media expert, and a paralegal, just in order to make a living as a singer-songwriter violinist. This is our new reality.”

Miranda and Graham agreed that we’ve reached a crisis point, and we cannot accept the argument that there’s nothing we can do to change current circumstances. We must fight for our creators, and we owe it to them to restore balance to the world in which they live.

Below is a selection of tweets from the event:

https://twitter.com/monowhales/status/793499575910797312

Categories: Advocacy, Industry News
Tags: , , , ,
Comments
view

2016 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize winning albums revealed

Posted by

polarisheritage

On Monday, the Polaris Prize revealed the winning albums for 2016’s Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, which honours Canadian albums of the past from four distinct time periods: 1960-75, 1976-85, 1986-95 and 1996-05.

The winning albums were revealed in a Facebook Live stream featuring Steve Jordan (Founder/Executive Director), Michael Barclay (Journalist), and Chris Murphy of 2015 winners Sloan. The award, which began in 2015, is described by Jordan as “our version of the Hall of Fame for some of the classic Canadian albums since 1960.”

Two winners for each era were chosen — one by public vote and one by the juries. Voting opened at the Polaris Music Prize Gala on September 19, 2016 and ended on October 17.

The 2016 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize winning albums are:

1960-1975

Public: Neil Young – After The Gold Rush

Jury: Leonard Cohen – Songs Of Leonard Cohen

1976 – 1985

Public: Rush – Moving Pictures

Jury: Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Kate & Anna McGarrigle

1986-1995

Public: Blue Rodeo – Five Days In July

Jury: Mary Margaret O’Hara – Miss America

1996-2005

Public: Arcade Fire – Funeral

Jury: Lhasa – La Llorona

In 2015, four albums were chosen through public voting, which included Joni Mitchell’s Blue, Cowboy Junkies’ The Trinity Sessions, Sloan’s Twice Removed, and Peaches‘ The Teaches Of Peaches. As was done with the 2015 winners, Polaris will pay tribute to the 2016 winning albums by selecting eight artists to create a commemorative art print inspired by the albums.

Categories: Industry News
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comments
view

BC government cuts red tape for music festivals and special events

Posted by
img_0731

(L – R) Nick Blasko of Amelia Artists, Parliamentary Secretary for Liquor Reform Policy John Yap, the Honourable Minister Coralee Oakes, Music Canada’s President and CEO Graham Henderson, BRANDLIVE’s Catherine Runnals. Photo credit: Emir Mehinagic

Coralee Oakes, British Columbia’s Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, has announced that the government will simplify the Special Event Permit application process for music festivals, concerts, and other cultural events.

Previously, only non-profit entities could apply for Special Occasion Licenses, which allowed them to sell liquor at music festivals. This meant that music festival operators had to bring in a separate charity to serve alcohol at their events. It added another layer to the application process and was viewed as a regulatory burden.

With these changes, music festivals will be able to apply for their own Special Event Permits and enter into exclusive agreements with liquor manufacturers. The changes will also allow event promoters to enter into advantageous partnerships with breweries, wineries, and distilleries.

“These changes are the result of consultations with industry and an important step forward in our continued work to modernize B.C.’s liquor laws by cutting red tape for businesses,” said Minister Oakes. “We expect these changes will increase the number of special events held throughout B.C. and strengthen patronage of the arts in our communities.”

Music Canada President, Graham Henderson, who attended and spoke at the announcement in Vancouver characterized this policy change as a continuation of the government of BC’s commitment to music and a crucial component of a larger BC Music Strategy. Earlier this year, Premier Christy Clark announced a $15 million investment in the BC Music Fund.

“B.C. has a deep musical heritage and is home to some of the finest production facilities, artists, and labels in the world,” said Henderson. “We’re very happy to see the Province make changes that can better position B.C. to compete in an increasingly global marketplace.”

Check out Minister Oakes’ press release

Check out our report: BC’s Music Sector: From Adversity to Opportunity

Categories: Industry News, Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,
Comments
view

Music Canada AGM 2016 panel discussion: Creative Professionals – Bridging the Income Divide and Canada’s Cultural Policy Review

Posted by

The panel discussion at Music Canada’s 2016 AGM put the spotlight on the ability of creators to earn a living in the digital age. Sharing perspectives from two of Canada’s great cultural industries, writing and music, John Degen and Graham Henderson discussed something common to all of Canada’s cultural sectors – the need for a functioning marketplace that properly remunerates creators when their work is used. John and Graham were interviewed by Kate Taylor, an expert in Canadian cultural sovereignty in the digital age.

The panel was introduced by Steve Kane, President of Warner Music Canada.

dsc_1221

John Degen is a poet and author, and the Executive Director of the Writers’ Union of Canada. For the last two years, John has chaired the International Authors Forum, an umbrella organization for authors’ organizations around the world, with a network of around 650,000 authors. John is a long-time partner of Music Canada on issues affecting creators in Canada and an outspoken advocate for creators’ rights.

Kate Taylor is an award-winning novelist and journalist with the Globe and Mail, where she currently serves as lead film critic. Kate previously hosted Music Canada’s Global Forum at CMW 2015, where the topic was The Survival of the Creative Class.

Graham described how remuneration for creators has steadily eroded over the past 20 years, and how it’s harder than ever for a middle class of creators to earn a living from their work. Graham summarized the effect of the digital shift with a quote from Francis Gurry, Director General of WIPO, as a “seemingly avoidable and inappropriate loss of value to creators, performers and the creative sector.” Graham noted the key was that this was avoidable; it didn’t have to be this way. Wealth created by the enormous opportunities technology, which creators have embraced, brings is not finding its way to the creative side of the ledger, despite the best intentions of the lawmakers who wrote the rules currently governing the digital environment.

A 2015 Writers’ Union study titled Devaluing Creators, Endangering Creativity found that, taking inflation into account, writers are making 27% less than they were making in 1998 from their writing, while 45% of writers say they must do more to earn a living now. John confirmed that trends in Canada are happening all over the world. The conditions under which creators work are becoming increasingly difficult. Globally, there has been a 27-29% decline in authors’ income.

Regarding the current Canadian cultural policy review, titled Canadian Content in a Digital World, the panel agreed the goal for creators is to have a functioning marketplace in place. John called the review a golden opportunity for a necessary conversation about “fair trade culture,” so that people who “only identify as consumers of culture understand just what underlies the value of the product that they’re buying.”

Graham also spoke to the shape he hopes the review will take. “For us, what would be epic, would be a meaningful review of the rules that were put in place in the late 90s, and the rules that were put in place in 2012, to take into account this new reality; the reality that we have no middle class,” he said. “It increasingly looks like a lottery and if you win the lottery, you win an enormous amount of money, and everybody else is struggling. I think the question we have to ask Minister Joly and the government is – is creation a profession, or do they think its a hobby? And if you think it’s a profession then they have to, and we have to, stand up for the rights of creators to be paid appropriately.”

The full video of the panel can be viewed below.

dsc_1282

dsc_1237

dsc_1257

dsc_1244

dsc_1260
For more photos from the Annual General Meeting, visit our photo album on Facebook.

Categories: Advocacy, Industry News
Tags: , , , , , ,
Comments
view

Music Canada AGM 2016: Year in review

Posted by

At Music Canada’s 2016 AGM, our Executive Vice President, Amy Terrill, provided an update on what was a busy year for the organization. Music Cities are a red-hot topic worldwide. Municipalities and regions continue to look to the power of music to grow their economies, attract tourists and skilled workers, and increase quality of life.

dsc_1159

An interesting trend of the past year was the “growing understanding that Music City development is an important component of community economic development,” said Terrill, describing how our Music Cities work is being embraced by the International Economic Development Council, national and Ontario BIA associations, and other international associations, such as the UCLG, a congress of global and regional leaders.

Since launching The Mastering of a Music City at Midem in 2015, Graham Henderson and Amy Terrill have been invited to speak on the research and best practices described in the report in numerous cities around the globe, and the list continues to grow.

In the past year, chambers of commerce were defined as a particularly powerful ally in the Music Cities movement. As the voice of business in their communities, chambers have the opportunity to carve out a leadership role in leveraging music as a driver of employment and economic growth, beyond its long-acknowledged cultural and social benefits. At the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s AGM in September of 2016, Music Canada launched the Music Cities Toolkit, a custom designed guide for chambers to activate the power of music in their city.

Amy established “best practice” as the theme of her remarks, noting Music Canada’s continued efforts to identify, meet and share best practices in Music Cities research, and in all of the work we do.

Matt Masters, a Calgary-based songwriter, event producer, and new Program Leader of the Alberta Music Cities Initiative provided a video update on Music Cities progress in the province, and Andy McLean of the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) shared updates from the Atlantic region and the newly formed partnership between Music Canada and the ECMA.

The past year also included the launch of Music Canada’s new Single Award, which incorporates streaming data into Gold/Platinum certifications for the first time in Canada. Later in the program, Alx Veliz was presented with his first Canadian Gold plaque for his breakout hit “Dancing Kizomba,” before performing three songs for the crowd.

You can watch the full video of Music Canada’s Year in Review below.

For more photos from the Annual General Meeting, visit our photo album on Facebook.

Categories: Gold/Platinum, Industry News, Music Cities, Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,
Comments
view

Music Canada AGM 2016: Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Eleanor McMahon, delivers opening remarks

Posted by

At Music Canada’s 2016 Annual General Meeting, held Oct 18 at Revival in Toronto, we were privileged to have the Honourable Eleanor McMahon deliver opening remarks to our guests.

Minister McMahon was introduced by Shane Carter, President of Sony Music Canada, who noted the passion for music she has shown since being appointed Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport in June of 2016.

dsc_1022
The MPP for Burlington is a booster of music education, and believes her own musical training helped her to be a better politician.

“I took vocal lessons right up into university…music was everywhere in our home,” said the Minister. “And singing with others, whether in our church choir, or around a campfire taught me the value of personal expression, creativity, discipline and craft, as well as harmony and teamwork.”

dsc_1035

“Having the opportunity to express myself through music was integral for me to understand who I was growing up, and who I am today,” said Minister McMahon.

It was the first opportunity for many in attendance to meet the Minister, who spoke with guests including Universal Music Canada recording artist Alx Veliz, who would later perform at the event.

av-mm

Minister McMahon speaks with Universal Music Canada recording artist Alx Veliz

In her remarks, she addressed the connection between culture and the economy, saying “our culture and our economy are inextricably linked.”

“Our government recognizes the many opportunities for the province’s music scenes to build up our cultural sector and our economy, to mobilize Ontario’s wealth of talent, our state-of-the-art production facilities, the wide range of venues, and vibrant festivals, with the aim to make it Canada’s largest – and one of the world’s most diversified music jurisdictions.”

The Ontario Government has indeed displayed recognition of the value our music sector brings to the province. The Minister referenced the formulation of Ontario’s Culture Strategy, which per the Minister “commits the government to continue to build Ontario as a leading North American center for music production and performance,” and OntarioLiveMusic.ca, which promotes Ontario’s live music events. Minister McMahon called the Ontario Music Fund “something truly unique in Canada,” a leveraging of talent and economic opportunity that other jurisdictions are now looking to replicate. The Ontario Music Fund has resulted in “1,274 full-time equivalent jobs, supporting events attended by 1.6 million people, while giving a platform to more than 1,900 Ontario artists to show the world what they do best,” remarked the Minister.

Music Canada’s President & CEO, Graham Henderson, thanked Minster McMahon for her remarks, adding how great it is that she has displayed a belief in the power of music to change society, a belief no doubt shared by many in the room.

minister-and-presidents

Music Canada’s 2016 AGM with (L-R) Warner Music Canada President Steve Kane, Music Canada’s Executive Vice President Amy Terrill, The Honourable Minister Eleanor McMahon, Sony Music Canada’s President Shane Carter, Music Canada’s President and CEO Graham Henderson, and Universal Music Canada President Jeffrey Remedios.

Below is the full video of Minister McMahon’s opening remarks.

For more photos from the Annual General Meeting, visit our photo album on Facebook.

Categories: Industry News, Music Cities, Music Education, Music Tourism
Tags: , , , , , ,
Comments

This website made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation.