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Tag archive: Advisory Council (5)

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ADVANCE and Music Canada Announce 3 Year Partnership

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September 16, 2020, Toronto: ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective, and Music Canada and its members, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada, are honoured to announce a new three year partnership. Black artists and music industry professionals are a driving force in the success of the music sector, and our organizations will work together to advance the shared values of the promotion, elevation and retention of Black people working in the Canadian music business.

ADVANCE is thrilled to work alongside Music Canada to create initiatives and pathways for change for Black music professionals. The partnership includes direct financial support as well as a commitment from Music Canada to contribute professional services to help achieve tangible reform in the music business landscape, particularly in the corporate, private, and government sectors. Initiatives will focus on creating, changing and sustaining the infrastructure needed to advance and amplify Black voices in the music industry. This commitment will support actions that align with ADVANCE’s four pillars: research, advocacy and government partnerships; mentorship and education; community outreach; and business development and entrepreneurship.

“ADVANCE looks forward to our partnership with Music Canada and its members. This partnership will facilitate direct lines of communication with the leaders in the industry and therefore is an integral step in not only identifying structural barriers for entry and employee/artist advancement, but most importantly, working to implement change that results in increased employment and development opportunities for Black music professionals in Canada,” said ADVANCE.

“Music Canada acknowledges the need to support this movement, and we are honoured to partner with ADVANCE,” said Jackie Dean, Interim Co-CEO of Music Canada. “We remain committed to sustained action that supports the values of equity, diversity and inclusion at every level of the music industry.”

Music Canada thanks our members for their support to build, with greater urgency, real and  meaningful change for the Black community. With the leadership and vision of our Advisory Council, Music Canada will also continue to promote initiatives that help shape a fairer future through education and accountability. 

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About ADVANCE
Serving as a unified front for Black people working within the business sectors of the Canadian music industry, ADVANCE creates conditions for long-term success by addressing racial equality and inclusivity through four areas: Advocacy, Mentorship, Community Outreach and Business Development and Entrepreneurship. By holding the corporate, private and government sectors accountable, ADVANCE is committed to building a more equitable Canadian music industry that grants Canada’s Black music communities a fair and valued voice in a consistently growing music nation. 

About Music Canada
Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada:  Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Music Canada also works with some of the leading independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music cluster.

 

Jamelia Campbell
ADVANCE
jamelia@advancemusic.org

Erica Meekes
Music Canada
emeekes@musiccanada.com
(416) 462-1485

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Music Canada, and its Advisory Council congratulate Meghan Symsyk, incoming President and CEO of FACTOR

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Music Canada, and its Advisory Council congratulate FACTOR and Meghan Symsyk on their recent announcement of her role as incoming President and CEO, effective in 2021. Symsyk is a recognized leader within the music industry, starting her career at Universal Music Canada in 1998. 

Symsyk’s previous roles include Vice President, International Marketing and Artist Management at eOne, and with SRO/Anthem also in Artist Management, as well as Director of Creative, Marketing & Media. She brings a wealth of experience and insight that encompass a broad range of skills and relationships from all segments of the music sector, both domestic and international.

This appointment comes at a pivotal time within the music industry, and signals a further positive step forward for gender inclusion at the executive level.

Music Canada looks forward to continuing to work with FACTOR and Meghan Symsyk in her new role.

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COVID-19 continues to hit the music industry’s most vulnerable: Music Canada survey

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The COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented challenge for the music community, and has shed light on the sad realities faced by artists everyday. As Chair of Music Canada’s Advisory Council, I partnered with Music Canada and CONNECT Music Licensing to conduct an Artist Impact Survey. Developed in consultation with artist members of the Advisory Council and with Deloitte, the survey received responses from artists from across the country and across all stages of their careers. The preliminary results are in and they make crystal clear the serious and possibly irreparable harm the pandemic has had on Canada’s artists. The majority were already living in a precarious state – and this pandemic has only exacerbated their challenges. 

The financial impacts of this crisis on artists are widespread, and significant. When asked whether they would lose income due to the crisis, the answer was a nearly unanimous yes. Canada’s entire artist community is concerned about making ends meet: more than 80% of artists are in need of financial assistance. Many artists already live close to the poverty line, and now the pandemic has pulled the rug out from under them financially: almost half of the respondents reported that they have lost more than 75% of their income.

The impact on artists will ripple throughout our communities: Artists are entrepreneurs, and job creators. Respondents to the survey create an average of 3.7 jobs per artist – with artists unable to perform or create, these jobs will be lost as well.

There have been further impacts to the creative process. A majority of artists also stress that they are struggling to find the creativity and inspiration needed to generate work. This is especially true for those who are caring for children or loved ones at home. 

Also alarming is the significant number of people in our music community who report that they must go deeper into debt just to survive this moment in their lives. It’s clear that these losses are threatening the survival of entire sectors of the industry, and that the impact will be felt long after the pandemic ends. 

The Federal Government has taken important first steps for providing immediate relief to many individuals, including the self-employed, who have lost income due to COVID-19. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit is a key component for helping the hardest hit as they try to weather this storm. However, a post-COVID-19 environment needs to be one where artists can thrive. Artists have the power to generate massive economic growth – when they are supported. As concert halls, venues and theatres remain closed for the coming months, artists will need our sustainable support to ensure that they can cross the bridge over this chasm. 

The Unison Benevolent Fund offers a free 24/7 toll-free number to connect Canadian music professionals and their immediate family with counselling and health solutions in both English and French as well as emergency financial assistance, and I encourage those who may find this useful to reach out. 

It is a frightening time for everyone but heartening to note that we are collectively turning to art to make our way through this. Let’s support our creators however we can. For those who are quarantined at home, I encourage you to please continue to stream music over paid platforms and purchase merchandise online from your favorite artists to support them.   

Miranda Mulholland
Artist Advocate & Chair of Music Canada’s Advisory Council
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WATCH: Board Chair Jennifer M. Sloan unveils Music Canada’s new Advisory Council

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On March 15 at the 2019 JUNO Awards Chair’s Reception, Music Canada President and CEO Graham Henderson officially introduced Jennifer M. Sloan, the association’s new independent Chair of the Music Canada Board of Directors. In Sloan’s first public remarks as Chair, she unveiled Music Canada’s new 15-member Advisory Council.

The Council is comprised of exceptional and passionate individuals representing diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds, sexual identities, and geographic regions – reflecting Canada’s vibrant and diverse music community. The Council will evaluate Music Canada’s progress against the stated goals and objectives in the association’s strategic plan. The Council will also advise Music Canada on its programs, activities and research to support the organization in its mandate as an agent of change and thought leader in the music community.

Watch Sloan’s remarks in full below.

For more information on Jennifer Sloan’s appointment to the Music Canada Board of Directors, as well as Music Canada’s new Advisory Council, see our media release.

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Release: Music Canada announces new Board Chair and Advisory Council at 2019 JUNO Awards Chair’s Reception

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The appointment of independent board Chair Jennifer M. Sloan and new 15-member Advisory Council reflect the findings of a comprehensive organizational review

Newly appointed Chair of the Music Canada Board of Directors Jennifer M. Sloan unveils Music Canada’s new Advisory Council at the 2019 JUNO Awards Chair’s Reception (Photo Credit: Ryan Bolton)

March 15, 2019, London, ON: At the 2019 JUNO Awards Chair’s Reception in London, Ontario, Music Canada announced key actions resulting from a comprehensive organizational review. Focusing on Board diversity and governance practices, the extensive review was commissioned to provide recommendations on ways Music Canada could demonstrate leadership in inclusion and good governance.

The first action stemming from the review was the addition of two new independent member positions to Music Canada’s Board of Directors, increasing the representation of women on the Board to 40 percent.

At the Chair’s Reception, Music Canada President and CEO Graham Henderson announced another important step: the appointment of Jennifer M. Sloan as the new independent Chair of the association’s Board. As Vice President, Public Policy at Mastercard Canada, Sloan brings outstanding expertise in corporate governance, finance and accountability, and government relations.

“I’m pleased to be joining Music Canada at this pivotal time, as the organization heads down a new and exciting path,” says Sloan. “We’re working to ensure a balance of skills, experience, knowledge and perspectives are represented in our governance and activities. The changes announced today will strengthen Music Canada in promoting the interests of our members and their partners, the artists, and to realize our vision for all Canadians to appreciate the power and value of music.”

In her first public remarks as Music Canada’s new Board Chair, Sloan unveiled another outcome of the association’s organizational review, the new Music Canada Advisory Council.

Reporting directly to the President and CEO, the Advisory Council is comprised of 15 exceptional and passionate individuals representing diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds, sexual identities, and geographic regions – reflecting Canada’s vibrant and diverse music community. The Council will evaluate Music Canada’s progress against the stated goals and objectives in the association’s strategic plan. The Council will also advise Music Canada on its programs, activities and research to support the organization in its mandate as an agent of change and thought leader in the music community.

The Music Canada Advisory Council members are:

  • Heather Bambrick
  • Steve Bellamy
  • Josh Colle
  • Nick Davis
  • ShoShona Kish
  • Amanda Martinez
  • Miranda Mulholland
  • Errol Nazareth
  • Alicia Rose
  • Mike Schroeder
  • Alka Sharma
  • Eon Sinclair
  • Darlene Tonelli
  • Chris Topping
  • Charlie Wall-Andrews

“The changes announced today are designed to ensure our leadership is guided by a broad spectrum of voices representing the exquisite mosaic that is our music community,” says Henderson. “I’m excited to welcome Jennifer Sloan and our new Advisory Council members to Music Canada to help us build a more robust music ecosystem. With the support of our members, Sony, Universal, and Warner, we are committed to reflecting the communities in which we live and work, and to fostering an environment in which music businesses can thrive, and artists can prosper.”

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For more information:
Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 808-7359

 

About Music Canada
Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada:  Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Music Canada also works with some of the leading independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music cluster.

 

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