Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI) and the National Music Centre announced a new partnership today to bring CMI’s highly regarded Toronto-based Artist Entrepreneur Program to Studio Bell in Calgary, AB. Artist Entrepreneur (AE) West will launch this fall, and the organizations have put out a national call for submissions.

AE West is a five-week creative entrepreneurship program (Nov. 7, 2017 – Dec. 8, 2017) to help emerging professional artists, of all musical genres, develop sustainable businesses and careers via hands-on mentoring, networking, and collaboration.

“Over the past three years our outreach programs have regularly visited Alberta and Western Canada. The result has been many artists deciding to travel to Toronto to work with us more extensively. By establishing a presence in Calgary, we will be more easily accessible.” said Vel Omazic, Executive Director of CMI in a release. “We intend to complement the work being done by our partners at the National Music Centre, Alberta Music and the Western Canadian music industry by contributing high-level expertise, access to ongoing mentorship and connectivity to the music industry in Toronto.”

“This is another example of National Music Centre investing in our regional music industry, by bringing this level of expertise and support closer to home for western-Canadian artists,” said Adam Fox, Director of Programs, National Music Centre. The program will cost $1,600 for artists, which will allow them access to the NMC’s facilities, including three recording studios, live rooms, classrooms, and archival collections.”

“AE West represents a great opportunity for artists living and working in Alberta,” said Carly Klassen, Executive Director of Alberta Music. “Alberta Music is proud to partner on this pilot program and is excited for the creative support, business development, and networking that artists from Alberta and beyond will have access to.”

Eligible artists must be 18-years-old or over and actively writing, recording, releasing (or about to release) music and performing live. Interviews will be conducted with appropriate candidates prior to program admission. The program is valued at $7,500, with the majority of costs being offset thanks to the generous support of TD Bank and the Viewpoint Foundation. The AE West program application is available at: http://canadasmusicincubator.com/aewest