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Music ignites Ottawa for the 2017 JUNO Awards

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JUNO Week 2017 is officially underway in the city of Ottawa, hosting the awards and festivities for the first time since 2012. Beginning today, bars, clubs and theatres across the city will be taken over by JUNOs programming, with many events open to the public and appropriate for the whole family.

This is the third time Ottawa has hosted the JUNO Awards, and Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation adds even more excitement to the 2017 edition. In the fourteen years the awards show has been presented in cities across Canada, the impact has be felt to the tune of $135 million, with each city showing an economic impact of around $10 million.

On Wednesday evening, Mayor Jim Watson helped officially kick off JUNO Week with the lighting of the five metre tall cauldron outside City Hall with Allan Reid, President & CEO of the Canadian Academy Of Recording Arts & Sciences (CARAS), and Ward 18 Councillor Jean Cloutier.

The 2017 JUNO Awards, hosted by Russel Peters and Bryan Adams, will broadcast live from the Canadian Tire Centre on CTV on Sunday, April 2. Performers this year include Alessia Cara, Arkells, A Tribe Called Red, Billy Talent, Dallas Smith, July Talk, Ruth B., Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Mendes, and The Strumbellas. Grammy Award-winning DJ Zedd will join Alessia Cara for her performance, and Feist will perform a special tribute to legendary songwriter and JUNO winner Leonard Cohen.

Many events have already begun across the city, like Art Is Art, which showcases JUNO nominees and Canadian recording artists’ artwork, The JUNO Photography Exhibition, and the JUNO House: R·Evolutions exhibition.

Below is a listing of events occurring across Ottawa leading up to Canadian music’s biggest night.

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

JUNO Week 2017 will kick off with the second annual JUNO Cup Jam, featuring collaborations and covers by Jim Cuddy, Gord Bamford, Devin Cuddy Band, and members of Billy Talent, Hollerado, Monkeyjunk, The Strumbellas, Walk Off The Earth, Wintersleep and more. The JUNO Cup will take place the following night at TD Place, with rock stars hitting the ice against NHL superstars and alumni like Daniel Alfredsson, Gary Roberts, and Paul Coffey.

Earlier on Thursday evening, Music Canada’s Executive Vice President Amy Terrill will take part in a conversation with JUNO Award winning singer-songwriter Lynn Miles and interviewer Samantha Slattery, Founder and Chair of Women in Music Canada. The event takes place at Otto’s Club, located in TD Place (1015 Bank Street).

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017

As artists, industry folk, and contest winners step aboard the JUNO Express trains leaving from Toronto and Montreal, Friday morning’s programming will feature Amy Terrill joining the Ottawa As A Music City panel hosted by the Ottawa 2017 Juno Host Committee. The panel will also feature Scott May of Bar Robo, Kelly Symes (General Manager – Festival of Small Halls Ontario), artist/entrepreneur Kathleen Edwards (Quitters Coffee) and Shelley Fraser of Lixar – advocates for the role that music industries can play in building sustainable, vibrant cities.

Later in the evening, Music Canada is proud to sponsor this year’s JUNO Welcome Reception, a private event welcoming industry VIPs to the festivities. Music Canada is thrilled to be a sponsor of Welcome Reception, and we look forward to sharing our activity from the event through Twitter and our blog.

Following the reception, JUNOfest will be put in full gear, with over 100 artists performing across the two-night schedule. This year’s lineup features more than 35 JUNO nominees, including The Strumbellas, Silla + Rise, The Dirty Nil, Whitehorse, Tasha The Amazon, Holy Fuck, Bit Funk, Cold Creek County, Exco Levi, and more. Wristbands ($30) are still available and provide priority access to all venues participating in JUNOfest for both nights.

SATURDAY APRIL 1, 2017

Saturday’s programming gets underway bright and early with family fun at Junior JUNOs at KIDSFEST, the city’s biggest children’s show and expo. 2017 Children’s Album of the Year nominees Diana Panton, Kattam, Splash’N Boots, and Will Stroet will perform at the event, which takes place at the EY Centre (4899 Uplands Drive). Tickets are still available.

From noon to 3pm on Saturday, fans will gather at CF Rideau Centre for the sold-out JUNO Fan Fare, featuring live performances, giveaways, artist interviews, and the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the 2017 JUNO Award nominees. Artists confirmed include Aaron Pritchett, Arkells, Chad Brownlee, Cold Creek County, Coleman Hell, Dallas Smith, Gord Bamford, Jess Moskaluke, July Talk, Marianas Trench, Ruth B, The Strumbellas and Tyler Shaw.

Saturday’s festivities come to a close with the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards presented by SOCAN, and hosted by Tom Power of CBC’s Q. 34 awards will be handed out during the dinner, which will feature performances by 2017 JUNO Award-nominees Daniel Caesar (R&B/Soul Recording of the Year), Jess Moskaluke (Country Album of the Year), Koriass (Francophone Album of the Year), and William Prince (Contemporary Roots Album of the Year sponsored by National Arts Centre and Indigenous Music Album of the Year sponsored by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network). The event will also feature a special performance by one of the three 2017 Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class winners, Neon Dreams. The JUNOs Gala will be live-streamed at junotv.ca.

SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 2017

Prior to the big show, Sunday will kick off at noon with the JUNO Songwriters Circle co-presented by SOCAN & Yamaha Canada Music in association with CMPA. 2017 JUNO nominees Chantal Kreviazuk, Colin Linden, Daniel Caesar, Donovan Woods, Lisa Leblanc, and Paul Murphy (Wintersleep) join host Bruce Cockburn in sharing the stories behind their songs. Previously sold out, the event has moved to Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre, with limited tickets still available.

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Nominations are open for the 2nd annual Live Music Industry Awards

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Music Canada Live and Canadian Music Week (CMW) have announced the second annual Live Music Industry Awards, presented by El Mocambo, will be taking place Wednesday, April 19, 2017, from 4-6pm at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. The Awards will be held during CMW 2017 and will recognize and celebrate the best of the live music business sector.

Nominations are now open until January 27, 2017. Live Music Industry Awards are presented in the following categories:

Festival

  • Family Program of the Year
  • Small Festival of the Year (6,000 and under)
  • Medium Festival of the Year (6,001 – 15,000)
  • Major Festival of the Year (15,001+)
  • Not-For-Profit Festival of the Year
  • Green Operations Festival of the Year

Venues

  • Best Teamwork in an Arena
  • Best Teamwork in a Soft Seat Theatre / Performing Arts Centre
  • Best Teamwork in a Major Club (1,000+ Capacity)
  • Best Teamwork in a Medium Club (300 to 999 Capacity)
  • Best Teamwork in a Small Club (less than 300 Capacity)

General Live Music Awards

  • Agent of the Year (Canada)
  • Agent of the Year (International)
  • Manager of the Year
  • Road Warrior of the Year (Tour Manager)
  • Production Manager of the Year (Festival/Concert)
  • Concert/Club Talent Buyer of the Year
  • Festival Buyer of the Year
  • A/V Production Company of the Year
  • Brand/Music Program of the Year
  • Sponsorship Activation of the Year
  • New Touring Artist of the Year
  • Legends of Live

Music Cities

  • Music City of the Year Canadian

“Last year the first-ever LMIA’s proved beyond a doubt that we have much to celebrate, by acknowledging lives’ incredible contributions to the industry.  This year, we continue to shine a spotlight on this passionate and dedicated community – one that works tirelessly to put artists and fans together. This effort is at the heart of what Music Canada Live is about, and we are thrilled to co-present the second annual LMIA’s in 2017 with CMW on behalf of our members and Canada’s live music industry,” said Erin Benjamin, Executive Director of Music Canada Live.

In addition to the Live Music Industry Awards, Canada’s live sector will be in greater focus during CMW 2017 with an expanded, 2-day Live Music Summit, running from April 19-20.

Visit the Live Music Industry Awards website for more information, including criteria and previous winners, or to submit nominations for 2017’s awards.

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

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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.

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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.”

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“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.

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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.

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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.

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Barrie Chamber CEO calls Burl’s Creek an economic boost

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Yesterday, Rod Jackson, CEO of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce, authored a column in the Barrie Examiner, expounding on the benefits that the Burl’s Creek Event Grounds brings to the community. The event grounds is host to two large-scale, world class events: the WayHome Music Festival and the Boots and Hearts Music Festival. Together, they draw more than 75,000 people to the Barrie and Oro-Medonte area.

Photo credit: Bram Gonshor

Wayhome 2016. Photo credit: Bram Gonshor

“The massive economic impact of Burl’s Creek events on the region clearly assists many of our hotel, food and beverage, tourism and trades members,” writes Jackson. His op-ed identifies the various benefits that festivals like these bring to both the community, the city, and the businesses of the region:

  • In 2015, the Boots and Hearts Music Festival sold out every hotel in Barrie, earning the city’s 11 hotels and Georgian College rentals more than $3.7 million;
  • During the two festivals in 2015, tourists spent more than 54.4 million dollars, across the region—these dollars being put into the hotel, food and beverage, and related tourism industries;
  • These events also generate 584 full-time jobs for the community during the two festival weekends.

In addition to the economic impacts, the festivals support various charities in the community. Last year, they donated approximately $40,000 to the Seasons Centre for Grieving Children and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.

“We at the Barrie Chamber of Commerce are proud to have such an active and contributing community business as a member of the chamber,” writes Jackson.

The Chamber of Commerce isn’t alone in speaking about the benefits that these festivals bring to the community. Last year, the Central Ontario Music Council outlined its Music City vision for downtown Barrie to city council. They want to see the city capitalize on its music assets and leverage the events that take place in Burl’s Creek to bring more visitors to downtown Barrie. One option they recommended was to create events within the city—pop-up shows and local performances—that would function as a “road to WayHome” in advance of the popular festival.

You can read the Barrie Chamber of Commerce letter yourself here.

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Canadian Country Music Association announces 2016 CCMA Award nominees

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Today, the Canadian Country Music Association revealed the nominees for the 2016 CCMA Awards, taking place in London, Ontario. 34 CCMA Award categories were revealed, with 8 of the categories being presented during the live CBC broadcast on Sunday, September 11, 2016, hosted by Jessi Cruickshank.

The nominees for the 2016 CCMA Fans’ Choice Award were revealed last night on ET Canada, featuring artists Dean Broady, Brett Kissel, Johnny Reid, Dallas Smith, and Yoan. Fans can vote beginning today, and have until 5 PM on September 11 to cast their vote.

2016 also marks the 40th anniversary of the Canadian Country Music Association bringing Country Music Week across the country. Along with the CCMA Awards, London will also host an industry conference and music festival, which includes a Songwriters’ Series, talent showcases, FanFest, and Legends Show that pays tribute to Canada’s most cherished country artists.

Country Music Week and the 2016 CCMA Awards are expected to generate an economic impact of $6-$8 million dollars for London. In 2015, Halifax, NS, exceeded economic impact estimates, generating $11.8 million in economic activity for the province, and $5.5 million in new money (GDP).

Performers for the broadcast will be announced throughout August. For more information, visit the full CCMA release.

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CMW announces 2017 dates and the first Austin-Toronto showcase

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Canadian Music Week 2017 will take over Toronto from April 18 – 22. The four-night festival will host over 800 showcasing bands at more than 40 venues in the city’s downtown. 2017’s convention will be held at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen Street West.

CMW 2017

At CMW 2016, global city planners and the music industry met for The Mastering Of A Music City, a one-day international creative economy summit, which was inspired by Music Canada’s report of the same name. Austin was a focal point of the conference, and the report, because of its incredible music economy, where music tourism accounts for almost half of their US$1.6 billion economic output.

Neill Dixon (right), CEO Canadian Music Week and Don Pitts (left), Music & Entertainment Division Manager - ATX Music & Entertainment Division, City of Austin. Photo via CMW.

Neill Dixon (right), CEO Canadian Music Week and Don Pitts (left), Music & Entertainment Division Manager – ATX Music & Entertainment Division, City of Austin. Photo via CMW.

CMW 2017 will present the first Austin-Toronto showcase, featuring premier talent from both cities. The showcase is an outcome of the recent Austin-Toronto Alliance Summit, where industry leaders met in Toronto in June of 2016. The Music City Alliance between Toronto and Austin was formed in 2013 to promote mutual growth opportunities between governments and industry.

For more information on CMW 2017, head over to their website at www.cmw.net

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The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport unveils Ontario’s Tourism Action Plan

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Roots at Luminato

A crowd enjoying The Roots at Toronto’s Luminato Festival, via Ontario’s Tourism Action Plan

One of the final announcements made by Michael Coteau as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport was the release of Ontario’s Tourism Action Plan. Since the release, Eleanor McMahon has been appointed Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport, and Michael Coteau is now Minister of Children and Youth Services. In the Plan, the province’s tourism industry is said to generate over $28.5 billion annually, which represents 4% of the GDP.

According to the press release, sector wide engagement across the diverse tourism industry produced an agreement amongst leaders – the need for immediate action. The Plan identifies five priority areas the Government will focus on: Indigenous-led tourism, Francophone tourism, the sharing economy, culture and sport linkages, and events and celebrations.

Music Canada has found that live music events and celebrations contribute significantly to Ontario’s economy. In our report, Live Music Measures Up: An Economic Impact Analysis of Live Music in Ontario, we determined that in 2013, the total impact of music tourism in Ontario was 9,530 jobs, $405.1 million in labour income, and $609.1 million in gross domestic product.

The Action Plan’s five priority areas are further broken down into twelve action items.  Several of them provide clear opportunities for the live music, and music tourism sectors:

  • An Investment Approach for Economic Growth recognizes that investment from the private sector is critical to increasing visitation and creating jobs.
  • A New Approach to Data Collection to Improve Data Quality and Availability could allow for data relating to music events, whether it’s live or recorded music, to be collected in its own independent category.
  • Working Together to Improve the Business Climate for Tourism – Reduce Regulatory Burdens. The Government has expressed a commitment to improving the regulatory environment for the tourism industry, and plans to hold discussions with industry partners to prioritize regulatory challenges faced by the sector. In Live Music Measures Up, Music Canada found that the legal and regulatory environment was the only factor live music companies in Ontario identified as having a net negative impact on their success.

We encourage our partners involved in live music and events to continue to engage in discussions, and provide feedback to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport as more detailed plans are developed.

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Does Toronto need a night mayor? Music Canada’s Amy Terrill asks the question in Huffington Post article

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Music Cities banner

Amsterdam was the first city to appoint a night mayor, and since then the concept has grown in popularity as cities attempt to foster vibrant nightlife economies, while balancing the needs of residents. Is this concept a good fit for Toronto? In a new Huffington Post Canada article, Music Canada’s Amy Terrill asks; Does Toronto Need A Night Mayor?  This piece follows Music Canada’s previous Huffington Post submission Making Music History Work For The Present.

For further information on the topic of Music Cities, you can download Music Canada and IFPI’s 2015 report The Mastering Of A Music City.

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Town of Aurora Approves Music Strategy

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Earlier this week, the Town of Aurora, ON, approved of a music strategy which will guide local policy and support the needs of existing music businesses as the Town continues in its plans for development. The strategy will support Aurora musicians, create easier access to music programs, and support music programs for disadvantaged communities.

The music strategy acknowledges the significant role of music in providing employment, attracting tourism, and generating spending in other sectors of the local economy. Further, the strategy shows that the Town of Aurora understands how much a vibrant music sector can contribute to the social and cultural fabric of a community.

The five areas of focus in the strategy include:

  1. Supporting an environment friendly to music creators;
  2. Encouraging the business of music in Aurora;
  3. Promoting Aurora’s music sector locally;
  4. Fostering alliances with other music cites; and,
  5. Implementing a process for monitoring progress and measuring success.

Aurora’s music strategy follows the key recommendations of Music Canada’s The Mastering of a Music City report, which is a roadmap for communities of all sizes can follow to realize the full potential of their music economy. The global report is the result of more than forty interviews with music community experts, government officials, and community leaders. Nearly a year since its release, the report continues to drive policy discussions around music in cities around the world.

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2016 JUNO Award nominees announced

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JUNO nominee Scott Helman performing his Gold-certified song “Bungalow”

The nominees for the 2016 JUNO Awards were announced today by The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) at a press conference at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.

Celebrating its 45th year, the JUNO Awards broadcast will take place in Calgary, AB, on Sunday, April 3, 2016, with scheduled performances from 2016 JUNO nominees The Weeknd, Alessia Cara, Shawn Mendes, Dean Brody, and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Bryan Adams. Singer/songwriter and 2016 JUNO nominee Scott Helman closed out the event, which also included a performance by Calgary hip hop artist Transit.

Music Canada is proud to return as sponsor of the Album of the Year award, which includes nominees:

  • The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness
  • Shawn Mendes – Handwritten
  • Justin Bieber – Purpose
  • Jean Leloup – À Paradis City
  • Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

“Music Canada is proud to work alongside record labels who invest in great Canadian talent by helping them create an album, develop as artists, and build a passionate fan base,” says Graham Henderson, President of Music Canada. “This kind of support gives Canadian artists what it takes to not only break into the international market – but as we saw in 2015 – rule it.”

JUNOs/CARAS President Alan Reid provided opening remarks and thanked Calgary for allowing the 45th JUNOs to be apart of the city’s Year Of Music festivities, which celebrates the opening of the National Music Centre, the anniversaries of Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Sled Island and much more. “Things out west haven’t exactly been easy in Alberta and I just want to thank Mayor Nenshi as well as the people of Calgary for recognizing how important music can be to a city and for making 2016 the Year Of Music.”

Leading up to the broadcast, Calgary will host JUNO Week March 28 – April 3, 2016, featuring events like the JUNO Cup, JUNO Fan Fare presented by HMV, JUNO Songwriters’ Circle co-presented by SOCAN & Yamaha Canada Music and the two-day music celebration JUNOFest.

Fans will be able to vote for their favourite artist in the JUNO Fan Choice Awards presented by TD. Voting is open now through April 3 at junofanchoice.ca and through Twitter using their favourite artists JUNO hashtag.

The full list of nominees for the 2016 JUNO Awards can be viewed here.

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