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Tag archive: Miranda Mulholland (21)

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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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VIDEO: Artists discuss strategies to make positive change at Folk Alliance International 2019

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Folk Alliance International, the world’s largest folk music conference, descended on one of Canada’s most culturally historic cities in 2019 and was host to countless spirited performances, discussions, and interactions. The festival is known for musical performances into the wee hours, but a relatively early panel yielded profoundly moving, honest, and inspiring discussion.

On Saturday, February 16 at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Music Canada, in participation with Miranda Mulholland, was proud to present an event titled ‘Artist Advocates in Action.’

Five artists, each with their own advocacy issues close to their hearts, discussed how they most effectively work to create change, and how they tackle challenges such as criticism, drawing a line between their personal and professional lives, and balancing life on the road with parenting and other commitments.

The panel featured musicians Zoë Keating, Peter Katz, Aaron Myers, and Caroline Brooks, with Miranda Mulholland moderating the discussion. Watch the full ‘Artist Advocates in Action’ panel below.

 

More on the artists:

 

Caroline Brooks

Caroline Brooks is a singer-songwriter, session vocalist and guitar player from Toronto. She is one third of critically acclaimed Good Lovelies, a JUNO award-winning band that has toured internationally for the last 12 years. They have released 8 albums and their latest single “I See Gold” is up for Song of the Year at the International Folk Music Awards.

Outside of performing, Caroline is a sitting board member with the Mariposa Folk Festival and Muskoka-based advocacy group Safe Quiet Lakes. She and her partner also co-founded Secondhand Sunday, a community re-use and waste reduction program based in Toronto.

Website: http://goodlovelies.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3hh35eWuRs5ZqIUIKyne5S

Zoë Keating

DIY Cellist and composer Zoë Keating has worked with many artists and productions, including Jeff Russo, Amanda Palmer, Imogen Heap and the podcast Radiolab. Her music has achieved a surprising degree of ubiquity for a DIY artist, from the bumper music to NPR’s Morning Edition to the thinking-music of the Sherlock Holmes character on CBS Elementary to the theme music for the Brazilian telenovela Para Sempre.

A vocal advocate for the rights of creators, Keating was elected a governor of the San Francisco chapter of the Recording Academy, named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and serves on the board of CASH Music, a nonprofit organization that builds open source digital tools for musicians and labels.

Website: http://www.zoekeating.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6OHXnLZCeWUwtdDsBdqOdr

Aaron Myers

Mr. Myers is a life-long social activist and musician who uses entertainment to increase awareness of social issues. While a full-time college student Mr. Myers ran unsuccessfully for the office of Mayor in Corsicana, Texas. In 2008 he served as a field organizer for the Obama campaign in Florida. Mr. Myers is also a skilled volunteer coordinator event manager and public speaker an experienced music teacher and an army veteran. He has also served as National Director of the nonprofit Global Family Program. A jazz and soul musician Mr. Myers is the Resident Artist at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant in DC.

Website: http://www.aaron2.me
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5JqWYlpaw2lH5PrAXxFtqK

Peter Katz

Over the past decade, Peter has seen his albums debut at #1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts; he’s shared the stage and studio with the likes of Academy Award Winner Glen Hansard (Once, The Swell Season), JUNO Award-Winners The Good Lovelies, Polaris-Prize nominated Melissa McCelland (Whitehorse) and the Legendary Garth Hudson from The Band. He’s toured all over the world, regularly playing to capacity crowds, and has managed to build an impressive fan-base of loyal listeners, selling over 25,000 copies of his discs mostly from the stage, one show at a time. Never content to sit still for long, Peter Katz has his eyes firmly set on the future.

Website: http://www.peterkatz.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6O5zKwY8kFFYhBwZdJ7VKI

Miranda Mulholland

Classically trained on violin and in voice, Miranda is a versatile performer and in high demand as a fiddler and singer covering a wide range of styles. Her debut full length solo album, Whipping Boy, was released in May 2014 to critical acclaim.  It became the flagship of her own record label, Roaring Girl Records which is quickly gaining a reputation for as a home for diverse and excellent artists. She is the founder of a music festival in historic Gravenhurst, Ontario called Sawdust City Music Festival which is now three years old.

Currently she is a member Harrow Fair, a duo with Andrew Penner of Sunparlour Players. She makes select appearances in the violin show, ‘Bowfire’ and her fiddle trio, Belle Starr as well as with Stephen Kellogg and the South West North East Band. She has also sung and played fiddle with Jim Cuddy, Steven Page, Calexico, Joel Plaskett, Rose Cousins, Alan Doyle, Raine Maida, Dan Mangan, John Borra, The Rattlesnake Choir and Justin Rutledge, among others.  Not limited to band performances, Miranda has appeared in various theatre productions including the Dora winning productions of ‘Parfumerie’ and ‘Spoon River’ with Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto.

Website: https://www.mirandamulholland.ca/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/25SnqefE8tn1TyqvvivBEb

 

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Panel Preview: Artist Advocates in Action at Folk Alliance International 2019

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Musician, label owner and music festival founder Miranda Mulholland, in participation with Music Canada, will present a panel discussion at Folk Alliance International 2019 titled Artist Advocates in Action. The panel is scheduled for Saturday, February 16 from 10:00 am to 11:15 am in the Anne Murray Room at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montréal.

The discussion will explore various elements of artist advocacy including work / life balance, best practices, and art as an advocacy tool. How can artists best navigate through their careers while advocating for changes to global and local landscapes? What is the personal cost and how can artists maintain their own interests while championing for necessary causes? Moderator Miranda Mulholland will take the panelists – all practicing artists and advocates – through their own experiences, fears, challenges and triumphs. 

The panel will feature the following artist advocates:

Caroline Brooks

Caroline Brooks is a singer-songwriter, session vocalist and guitar player from Toronto. She is one third of critically acclaimed Good Lovelies, a Juno award-winning band that has toured internationally for the last 12 years. They have released 8 albums and their latest single “I See Gold” is up for Song of the Year at the International Folk Music Awards.

Outside of performing, Caroline is a sitting board member with the Mariposa Folk Festival and Muskoka-based advocacy group Safe Quiet Lakes. She and her partner also co-founded Secondhand Sunday, a community re-use and waste reduction program based in Toronto.

Zoë Keating

DIY Cellist and composer Zoë Keating has worked with many artists and productions, including Jeff Russo, Amanda Palmer, Imogen Heap and the podcast Radiolab. Her music has achieved a surprising degree of ubiquity for a DIY artist, from the bumper music to NPR’s Morning Edition to the thinking-music of the Sherlock Holmes character on CBS Elementary to the theme music for the Brazilian telenovela Para Sempre.

A vocal advocate for the rights of creators, Keating was elected a governor of the San Francisco chapter of the Recording Academy named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and serves on the board of CASH Music, a nonprofit organization that builds open source digital tools for musicians and labels

Aaron Myers

Mr. Myers is a life-long social activist and musician who uses entertainment to increase awareness of social issues. While a full-time college student Mr. Myers ran unsuccessfully for the office of Mayor in Corsicana Texas. In 2008 he served as a field organizer for the Obama campaign in Florida. Mr. Myers is also a skilled volunteer coordinator event manager and public speaker an experienced music teacher and an army veteran. He has also served as National Director of the nonprofit Global Family Program. A jazz and soul musician Mr. Myers is the Resident Artist at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant in DC.

Peter Katz

Over the past decade, Peter has seen his albums debut at #1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts; he’s shared the stage and studio with the likes of Academy Award Winner Glen Hansard (Once, The Swell Season), Juno Award-Winners The Good Lovelies, Polaris-Prize nominated Melissa McCelland (Whitehorse) and the Legendary Garth Hudson from The Band. He’s toured all over the world, regularly playing to capacity crowds, and has managed to build an impressive fan-base of loyal listeners, selling over 25,000 copies of his discs mostly from the stage, one show at a time. Never content to sit still for long, Peter Katz has his eyes firmly set on the future.

 

Folk Alliance International is the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community. To attend this panel you must be registered for the conference. Registration also gains you access to conference showcases, and passes can be purchased from the Folk Alliance International website.

 

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Miranda Mulholland highlights copyright and artist remuneration issues at the 2018 World Trade Organization Public Forum

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In October 2018, Canadian musician and artist advocate Miranda Mulholland participated in the the World Trade Organization Public Forum 2018 in Geneva as part of a panel discussion on the future of innovation and creativity.

The panel also featured Richard Bagger, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Market Access at Celgene, and Nicholas Hodac, Government and Regulatory Affairs Executive, IBM, and was moderated by Ellen Szymanski, Executive Director, Global Innovation Policy Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In her remarks, Mulholland provided a stark picture of the current realities of artist remuneration in this increasingly digitized musical landscape. She outlined the differences in opportunities for artists in the 1980’s and 1990’s, whose earnings sustained their livelihood and enabled them to enter the middle class –  in a way that artists today are simply not able to.

Photos: © WTO/Jay Louvion

“Royalty checks that once paid for a down-payment on a home for those lucky enough to be working before the digital disruption, only amount to enough to buy a cup of coffee today.”

Indeed, rapid technological and digital advancements has meant that music has become instantly accessible, in a variety of mediums and services. Yet, the remuneration of creators and musicians for the use and commercialization of this work has not matched the pace of these developments.

Mulholland connected this reality to the phenomenon of the Value Gap: the significant disparity between the value of creative content that is accessed by consumers, and the revenues that are returned to its creators.

She ended her remarks by reflecting on the positive regulatory and legislative steps that have been occurring at the federal level worldwide. Canada’s ongoing statutory review of the Copyright Act, as well the EU’s review of the Copyright Directive have both created opportunities for meaningful reforms that better protect creators.

Watch Miranda Mulholland’s full remarks below.

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The Agenda panel appearance illustrates Miranda Mulholland’s depth as an Artist Advocate

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Last week, TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin focused an episode on “Copyright for the Digital Age,” which featured impactful remarks on the importance of fair copyright for creators by Canadian musician, label owner and music festival founder Miranda Mulholland. Joining Mulholland on the panel discussion were composer Donald Quan and activist and author Cory Doctorow.

“Recent changes to copyright rules in Europe are designed to better compensate artists whose work fuels the revenue earned by digital platforms such as YouTube,” said host Steve Paikin at the outset of the episode. “But some have expressed concern that the new regulations will stifle innovation and harm free speech. As Canada updates its own copyright regulations, should these new rules serve as a roadmap?”

Mulholland, who has been increasingly sought-after as an artist advocate, brought a clear and personal message to the discussion.

On the importance of strong copyright laws for artists:
Paikin: “Miranda, how about for you – how much does copyright matter to your bottom line?

Mulholland: “Well it matters to me, because it matters to my community. I think we live in an ecosystem, so this is very, very important. For me, I’ve been a side-person, I was in Great Lake Swimmers for 7 years, I was in Bowfire … most of my income comes from performing. This is a problem though, because it means if I ever wanted to take a break from the road – say, have a child – and have some kind of time where I wasn’t just paid for when I was exactly on the stage, then loose copyright laws don’t allow me to have any kind of income coming back.”

On the problem of the current definition of a “sound recording” in the Copyright Act:
Paikin: “You do scoring work – do you get royalties for that?”

Mulholland: “Well, actually, that’s a very interesting one, because as of right now, I do a lot of work with composers, so I play for film and television. But in Canada, unlike 44 other countries around the world, the performer is not paid for soundtracks. So I am not actually paid when anything I’ve played on is (aired) around the world. I do get paid for anything I compose on.”

On the need for a functional marketplace for creators’ work:
Paikin: “It’s not enough obviously to sell tickets to a concert, or to sell records … Are you in the t-shirt business now?”

Mulholland: “Well, no, I’m not… I do feel as though we are close to finding some sort of a market. What we want is a marketplace. And YouTube is really our biggest disrupter in the marketplace, because while Spotify and Apple Music are trying really hard to pay creators and try come up with some sort of market share version of what this is going to be, or how it’s going to be, (YouTube) is giving it away for free. … So of course I’ve portfolio’d my income though, because I absolutely have to. I’m an entrepreneur, but I also play for hire, so I play with Jim Cuddy, I work for SoulPepper Theatre – I have so many hats that I have to wear, but I am so far not in the t-shirt business.”

Although the Music Technology Policy blog has identified some examples of what Chris Castle deemed “sloppiness” in the questions – such as The Agenda citing a crowd-sourced job search site to suggest Canadian authors earn an annual salary of $61,798; a marked departure from The Writers Union of Canada’s study finding an average annual income of $9,380 – Mulholland calmly disputed the flawed statistic.

After Paikin cited a quote opposing copyright protection measures from German MEP Julia Reda, whom Paikin neglected to mention is the sole member of the European Parliament from the Pirate Party, Mulholland expertly brought the conversation back to focus on the need for regulations that supports creators.

“I think that one of the biggest problems is that those people who are responsible for those copyright filters don’t want to pay people to do that, so they’re trying to implement this software that maybe can’t catch it all. But I really think that this type of fear-mongering isn’t helpful,” said Mulholland. “We have history to show us, since the beginning – we have the printing press, the invention of compass – history shows us that there are disruptions that happen, and then there is a time that shifts, and people that come in and try and monetize these periods of disruption, and then regulation needs to set in. And fear-mongering doesn’t help… the most important thing is that people in the EU, people in Canada, and in the US are actually listening now to creators. And that is the most important thing that we’re seeing – the sea-change that’s different. … We’re seeing a real change for the better, and finding technical reasons to oppose this, I think is just ludicrous.”

This clear response to this topic shows why Mulholland is increasingly being invited to speak on artist rights issues. She recently appeared at the World Trade Organization Public Forum 2018, presented a keynote at the Banff World Media Festival, and delivered a keynote at Midem 2018.

Mulholland also made an impactful appearance before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s study of remuneration models for artists and creative industries, where she shared her personal experience as an artist living in the Value Gap. She also called for action for creators in the NAFTA negotiations at an ACTION for Trade event in Washington, D.C., and was the first creator to deliver a keynote address at the Economic Club of Canada.

The full program is available on TVO’s website, and is embedded below.

 

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Playback 2018: Fireside Chat with Cary Sherman, CEO and Chairman of the RIAA

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On Tuesday, October 16, Music Canada hosted Playback 2018, our annual industry dialogue and celebration. The event began with an annual review from Music Canada Executive Vice President Amy Terrill, followed by a keynote address from professor and author Debora Spar, and a subsequent panel discussion on how to help music creators living in the Value Gap.

The final program of the afternoon was a ‘fireside’ chat with Cary Sherman, the Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Moderated by brilliant artist advocate and musician Miranda Mulholland, the conversation centered on Sherman’s long career as an industry titan and passionate supporter of the rights of music creators.

The discussion began with a deep-dive into the recently passed Music Modernization Act (MMA) in the US, and an outline of Sherman’s role in the evolution of this historic legislation. The MMA contains several important new components, but some of the key achievements include:

  • The creation of a cohesive ‘blanket’ mechanical license: involves the establishment of a blanket license for streaming services to companies, managed by a new collecting society that will receive these payments and distribute them to the creators.
  • Pre-1972 Recordings: royalty protections are now ensured for pre-1972 performances.
  • New ability for producers (and other ‘adjunct’ creators like sound engineers and mixers) to be paid directly from their share of the artist’s royalties.

In addition to outlining the key policy components of the MMA, Sherman also touched on how rewarding it was to see the strong support and recognition of the value of this legislation that existed on both sides of the aisle. As he described, the consensus that formed between different aspects of the industry became a powerful force that ultimately helped present a united coalition.

To watch more of the conversation, check out the video below.

Following the conversation, Music Canada President and CEO Graham Henderson presented Sherman with a framed Leonard Cohen poster, commemorating Cohen’s 2017 Polaris Prize Short List nomination. Sherman is a Leonard Cohen fan and shared a recollection of a special performance of his song ‘Hallelujah’ by k.d. lang at Cohen’s Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

 

A full Playback 2018 photo gallery can be viewed on Music Canada’s Facebook page.

 

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Canadian artist Miranda Mulholland to participate in WTO Public Forum panel on investing in the future of innovation and creativity

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On Thursday, Canadian musician, label owner and music festival founder Miranda Mulholland will participate in the World Trade Organization Public Forum 2018, as part of a panel discussion on the future of innovation and creativity. The Public Forum includes more than 100 sessions organized by NGOs, governments, academics, other international organizations, and the WTO secretariat. This year’s theme is “Trade 2030”, as the Public Forum examines how the increasing pace of technology changes will affect sustainable trade, technology-enabled trade, and a more inclusive trading system in the year 2030.

The panel, which is presented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is titled “Investing in the future of innovation and creativity – Promoting environmental sustainability, medical breakthroughs, artificial intelligence, and cultural expression,” and takes place on Thursday October 4th at 10am in Room D of the World Trade Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

“Our most valuable resources is human ingenuity,” states the panel description. “Through our creativity and innovation, we can solve the most pressing problems facing our generation and future generations.  Join us for an in-depth discussion of medicines, artificial intelligence, and creative expression – taking a look at new products and services that will meet the goals of Trade in 2030 and beyond.”

“Not only do we cherish the creators and innovators in our world, but we must also support them and incentivize their continuity and success,” continues the description. “Policy leaders around the world play an important role in the ecosystems of innovation and creativity.  This session will look at the global investment environment, cross-border collaborations and the legal and regulatory environments that will propel us toward a better future for humanity.”

The panel will also feature Richard Bagger, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Market Access at Celgene, and Nicholas Hodac, Government and Regulatory Affairs Executive, IBM, and will be moderated by Ellen Szymanski, Executive Director, Global Innovation Policy Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to her impressive resume as a classically trained violinist and vocalist, Mulholland is becoming increasingly well-know internationally for her advocacy work. She recently appeared before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s study of remuneration models for artists and creative industries, where she shared her personal experience as an artist living in the Value Gap. Earlier this year, she delivered keynote addresses at the Banff World Media Festival and the Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa, as well as speeches internationally at Midem and an Action For Trade event in Washington, DC.

Music Canada urges any of our international colleagues attending the WTO Public Forum to attend this important panel, which will provide an insightful look ahead at what cultural expression and the creative industries may look like in 2030. For those unable to attend in person, the World Trade Organization will be posting audio from the panels on their website following the Forum.

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At Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, Miranda Mulholland illustrates why urgent action to address the Value Gap is needed

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Last Thursday, musician, label owner and music festival founder Miranda Mulholland appeared before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s study of remuneration models for artists and creative industries, where she shared her personal experience as an artist living in the Value Gap.

She began by making Committee members aware that although they may not recognize her, they had most certainly heard her play. “Over the last 19 years, I have played or sung on hundreds of recorded songs on over 50 records including many JUNO Award nominated or winning albums,” she said. “I have done film and television work – you can hear my fiddle playing on every episode of Republic of Doyle and in the film Maudie and on the Good Things Grow in Ontario jingle.”

Mulholland then stated that creators are storytellers and that the story she would tell them today had a beginning, a middle and that she hoped that she and the Committee members would write the end together.

After outlining how she got her start in music, becoming a fiddle player as the digital revolution took off, Mulholland spoke about the Value Gap, and what it has meant to her career.

Mulholland then referenced previous testimonies that the Committee has heard, from artists like Andrew Morrison of the JUNO-nominated group The Jerry Cans, and Music Canada President and CEO Graham Henderson, who both spoke of the disappearance of middle class artists.
Mulholland underscored this point, stating: “The musician middle class is gone – and even the ladder to get there is gone.”

In the middle of her dynamic and authentic presentation, Mulholland proposed four immediately actionable solutions that Committee members could recommend to help improve the framework, which are captured in the video embedded below.


Approaching the end of her story, Mulholland expressed hope that the Committee would help write the ending. Referencing the recent actions that lawmakers in Europe and the United States have taken to help close the Value Gap, Mulholland expressed hope that the Heritage and Industry Committees can work with artists like herself to fix the broken framework and update the laws to reflect artists’ day to day lives.

Her testimony was encapsulated by one of her closing remarks: “Artists have adapted and we need our laws to do the same.”

Mulholland’s dynamic and authentic presentation seemed to truly engage members of the Committee. Following her testimony, Pierre Breton, Member of Parliament for Shefford, Quebec, commented:

“Wow, thank you for your excellent presentations. It’s really from the heart, and I would say that you are excellent at explaining the issues – so if there is anyone who had a hard time understanding the scope of the challenge that you’ve been living through, well, now they understand it. Thank you for your testimony – it was exceptional. These are very sensible recommendations in my opinion, and they could be implemented very quickly.”

Martin Shields, Member of Parliament for Bow River, Alberta, said:

“I think you’re passionate, I think you’re great – but I understand fairness, and what we have is an industry that needs fairness, and we need legislation changed.”

During the question and answer portion of the hearing, Breton asked Mulholland which of the recommendations she offered could have a quick impact if enacted by government. Mulholland replied:

“Each one would have an immediate effect. The first one, the radio royalty exemption, getting rid of that subsidy – and again, subsidizing – artists are subsidizing the big media conglomerates – that needs to stop. And if that ended, that money would be filtered through into artists pockets immediately.

Same with sound recording … I just played with Alan Doyle on a new kids show that he’s writing the music for… if this was enacted and the sound recording wording was changed, as soon as that is played, I will get paid for my work – so that would help me immediately.

The private copying – that would help immediately as well.

And having a term extension would help me value my work for longer, so I would be able to leverage that if I was talking to a publisher or a label about my catalog. So all four would help me right now.”

Anju Dhillon, Member of Parliament for Dorval — Lachine — LaSalle, asked Mulholland:

“In many interviews you’ve done, I noticed that you’re talking about how the Copyright Act is not protecting creators and artists – what concrete changes would you like to see to the Copyright Act so that we can have more fairness and money can be distributed from the distributors to the creators?”

Mulholland replied that right now, she and her creator colleagues are subsidizing billionaires. She told Dhilllon, “the subsidies need to stop – so that would be the radio royalty exemption… it was supposed to be temporary, and it needs to be removed… We just want to have a functioning marketplace.”

Following the hearing, Committee members enthusiastically thanked and congratulated Mulholland for her concise and moving testimony.

(l-r) Members of Parliament Randy Boissonnault, Julie Dabrusin, Anju Dhillon and Pierre Breton with Miranda Mulholland

 


Full video of the September 20, 2018, Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage hearing is available on the House of Commons website.

 

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Miranda Mulholland issues call to action at Banff World Media Festival

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On June 11 at the Banff World Media Festival in Banff, Alberta, musician, label owner and music festival founder Miranda Mulholland presented a keynote address titled “Your content isn’t free – fixing the Value Gap.” Mulholland has become an internationally-recognized figure in artist rights advocacy, having just returned from Midem in Cannes, France, where she was the keynote speaker at an event presented jointly by Music Canada and the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL). She also participated in panel discussion on North American copyright updates at Midem on June 7.

The Banff World Media Festival, now in its 39th year, brings together creators, producers, media moguls, and industry stakeholders to learn, build relationships, and tackle the biggest issues facing their industries. The festival features high profile speakers from media industries, pre-booked face-to-face meetings, and other networking and development opportunities.

In Mulholland’s keynote, she reflected on her path to speaking publicly on the challenges creators face and her experiences working with politicians and other decision makers. In her trademark style, she also issued a call to action, urging everyone, regardless of their position or affiliation, to take steps to help creators succeed in the digital marketplace. Many of these actions are detailed in an infographic available on Mulholland’s website.

Below are select passages from Mulholland’s keynote address.

All of us need to stay updated on all the ways artists can be compensated. This includes royalty opportunities, the differences between streaming platforms and how fans consume our art. Use your platform to advocate for change for creators. Create opportunities for others to speak – like this conference! and speak up yourself. This will help everyone, including you. We are all highly effective advocates. No one knows about our experiences as well as we do and sometimes making change is as easy as being very honest about how things really are.

 

The legal framework within which we are operating and trying to innovate was concocted in the 1990s. This is when I wore scrunchies. Governments haven’t meaningfully adapted their laws since then. I should have kept the scrunchie. The fashion has come back but the policies have left us far behind.

 

Minister Joly has herself concluded that “The benefits of the digital economy have not been shared equally. Too many creators, journalists, artists have been left behind, and there needs to be a better balance.” Imagine if the governments around the world had realized that in 2003? Where would we all be now? 

 

Much has changed since I first spoke to Minister Joly two years ago. I get the sense now that the Government is finally listening to us but we have to act with urgency. In Europe there is a very important vote going through in a few weeks – their stance on Safe Harbours could set a precedent for the rest of the world. If we, as creators, don’t speak up, pieces of important of legislation will be drafted without our consent.

 

None of us gave our informed consent about what was going to happen to our work, our businesses, our industries twenty years ago. We do however have the ability to inform policies moving forward.

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Artist advocacy takes centre stage at Midem 2018 during Value Gap event presented by Music Canada and IAEL

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Entertainment lawyers have always played a crucial role in the success of their artist clients. But during Midem 2018, Miranda Mulholland urged them to take complimentary steps to empower artists and leverage their network to be connectors, helping to introduce, start discussions, and activate their artist clients.

Mulholland was the keynote speaker at a June 6 event hosted by Music Canada and the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL) in Cannes, France. The Value Gap theme flowed through both this event and the launch of IAEL’s new book, Finding the Value in the Gap, later the same day.

Music Canada’s President and CEO Graham Henderson introduced Miranda and shared some opening remarks about Music Canada’s report The Value Gap: Its Origins, Impacts and a Made-In-Canada Approach and thoughts on the vital role of artist advocates.

Two representatives from IAEL, including President Jeff Liebenson and Anne-Marie Pecoraro, as well as Lodovico Benvenuti, Director of IFPI’s European Office, joined Mulholland for a panel discussion following her keynote.

In addition to discussing the IAEL’s brand new publication Finding the Value in the Gap, the international experts leading the charge to address the Value Gap in multiple territories discussed how artists have been instrumental in their campaigns, including a letter to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The letter was originally signed by more than 1,000 musicians and urges the Commission to address misapplied safe harbour provisions at the heart of the Value Gap to secure a sustainable and thriving music sector for Europe. Similarly, in Canada, more than 3,650 Canadian artists and creators have now signed the Focus On Creators letter to Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly calling on the government to put creators at the heart of future policy.

Guests at the Midem event included influential Canadian and international delegates, as well as members of the legal community, media outlets and European leaders in addressing the Value Gap.

You can watch the full keynote and panel discussion below.

Below is a selection of photos from the event and more information on Finding the Value in the Gap will be available on the IAEL website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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