The Province of BC is providing a historic investment of $42 million to support people and businesses working in motion picture, music, publishing, and interactive digital media industries in British Columbia.
This commitment includes $22.5 million over three years for Amplify BC, to build the province’s music talent and help launch careers, extending the Province’s music funding programs until 2027.
New funding to the creative sector supports B.C. businesses and jobs, and maximizes value for local communities. The Province heard from the sector that the music and publishing industries were continuing to struggle, and that the motion picture and digital media industries needed support to take advantage of new opportunities. The funding will strengthen the entire sector to better weather global shifts, making it more competitive and sustainable in the years ahead.
Thank you to the Province of British Columbia for this historic investment in the arts!
Music BC’s travel grants are now open for Artists and Businesses! As such, we are hosting a virtual grant info session on May 4th, featuring very special guest consultant Nancy Lee.
Nancy is a Grant Coach, Event Producer, Curator, and Community Organizer based in Vancouver, BC. They are also a talented Filmmaker and Multi-Media Artist, as well as one of Music BC’s Jumpstart Career Consultants. Nancy will be bringing their high-level experience in fundraising for artists and creative projects to this informative session, while the Music BC team guides you through the process of the application and answers attendee questions.
Register now for this free informational session, and we’ll see you there!
Travel Grant Deadline: May 26, 2023 at 5:00 PM PST
Music BC Travel Grants are made possible through the ongoing support of Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia.
ARC is an intensive artist accelerator program that highlights, nurtures, and sends into orbit the exciting, diverse voices that beat in BC.
This multi-stage program will advance the business, creative, and technical skills of recording artists to help them build sustainable careers in the music industry—both at home and away. Led by a faculty of music industry professionals, participants will benefit from decades of experience and success within the music business.
CIMA once again presents Canada House at The Great Escape, UK! Partnering with Music Industry Associations across the country, CIMA will showcase Canadian independent artists to music fans as well as international and UK industry on May 11, 12 & 13 at the Green Door Store venue.
As the UK’s premier new music and industry gathering, The Great Escape Festival is where sectors from the entire UK music industry come to network, make deals and generally grease the wheels of industry.
Heading to TGE? Don’t miss the rising talent that BC has to offer!
Catch the scream-into-your-pillow bedroom pop anthems ofHaley Blais on May 11th, and the hypnotic hip-hop sounds of Boslen on May 13.
OHSOTO’KINO Indigenous Music Incubator It’s the final week to apply for the OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator! This program is a five-day artist development intensive for Indigenous artists in Canada. Each year, six Indigenous artists will converge on Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (NMC), to learn new skills, connect with music industry experts from across the country, and hone their craft and professional chops. Application Deadline: April 28, 2023 APPLY NOW
HENRY ARMSTRONG AWARD SUBMISSIONS It’s the final days to apply for the Henry Armstrong Award! The Henry Armstrong Award (HAA) is a newly launched bursary and mentorship program, created to develop, elevate, and support Indigenous artists within the Canadian music industry. The chosen act receives a $10,000 bursary, along with a tailored mentorship program of professional development services. Application Deadline: May 5, 2023 APPLY NOW
APPLY TO PERFORM AT CANADA HOUSE: AMERICANAFEST 2023 CIMA is excited to be heading back to Nashville for AmericanaFest 2023. They’ll once again be hosting Canada House and presenting showcases. Americana Music Festival & Conference brings together thousands of legendary artists, the next generation of rising stars and industry professionals for six days of music and education. The 2023 edition will be taking place between September 19-23. Application Deadline: May 26, 2023 APPLY NOW
FULL CIRCLE IS HIRING! Full Circle: First Nations Performance is seeking enthusiastic individuals to join their team for Talking Stick Festival 2023, starting ASAP and working until the end of June. Be a part of festive celebrations this summer and help promote Indigenous arts. Full Circle will provide training and support to ensure you’re prepared for your role. LEARN MORE
INDUSTRY NEWS
‘I still can’t believe it’: B.C. teen shocked by American Idol judges’ decision Seventeen-year-old Tyson Venegas looked on nervously as he waited to learn if he’d made it to American Idol’s top 24, after telling the judges he knew his last performance was not his best. – READ MORE
AI-Generated Fake ‘Drake’/’Weeknd’ Collaboration, ‘Heart on My Sleeve,’ Delights Fans and Sets Off Industry Alarm Bells It’s no joke, though, to artists and labels wondering whether such soundalike tracks can quickly be quashed, and whether gullible fans may have a hard time telling the difference if the trend accelerates. – READ MORE
Music streaming has ‘outsized impact’ on U.S. economy, says DiMA study The Digital Media Association (DiMA) has released a study that looks at the economic impact of music streaming on the U.S. economy, including the creation of 92,000 jobs. – READ MORE
The Woman Behind Music’s Most Important Catalog Valuations Explains How It’s Done Citrin Cooperman partner Nari Matsuura oversaw roughly 750 catalog valuations worth more than $15.5 billion between 2021 and 2022. – READ MORE
Official: Latin Music Surpassed $1 Billion In Us Recorded Music Revenue In 2022 (And Claimed An 8% Market Share Of Streaming Revenues)MBW called it a year ago, and now we can say we were right: US revenues from Latin recorded music shot past the USD $1 billion mark in 2022. – READ MORE
Is TikTok changing your taste in music? Inside the rise of #MusicAd influencersFrom ‘Heat Waves’ by Glass Animals to Lola Young’s ‘Don’t Hate Me’, songs and soundbites routinely go viral on TikTok. Some more organically than others. Lydia Spencer-Elliott explores the booming business of #MusicAd influencers paid to make songs go viral. – READ MORE
SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK
Neela is a multi-talented singer-songwriter. She writes with bare honesty, marrying her soulful voice with luscious indie-R&B musicality. Stemming from fierce, passionate artistry, her songs explore the complexity of human emotions in the face of raw, sensual desire. In 2019, she made her debut with “”Lovers in Danger ” produced by Juno Award-winning, Beatchild (Drake, Justin Nozuka). In 2021, released “Prelude” with 3x Grammy Award-winning producer, Chin Injeti (Eminem, Lecrae). In the upcoming year, Neela is releasing her highly anticipated third EP, Exposed produced by 5x Grammy-nominated, Akeel Henry (John Legend, Mary J. Blige) and Kofo (John Legend, WizKid), accompanied by a short film. She will be embarking on an international tour across India, and then a national tour across Canada.
Her new single “You’ll Never Know” revolves around the trauma of domestic violence, and the liberation that comes from healing.””You’ll Never Know”” is quickly gaining momentum, and has been featured on Rolling Stones India and ETalk Canada. This is the first time where Neela actively incorporates visuals from her culture, collaborating with powerful Indian Indigenous elders from her ancestry, representing her identity proudly. Neela and her team traveled to India to capture the visuals to accompany this song.
Reach out to info@musicbc.org if you would like to include an upcoming application or funding deadline.
ROLLING DEADLINES
FACTOR:Live Performance, Industry Events, Collective Initiatives – Showcase Production for Artists from Official Language Minority, Collective Initiatives – Showcase Production for Export-Ready Artists, Comprehensive Artist, Comprehensive Music Company, Business Travel, Marketing & Promo for Non-FACTOR Funded Sound Recordings, Songwriter Development, Sponsorship, Video
SOCAN:Travel Assistance, Professional Development Assistance, SOCAN Foundation Relief Fund
Canada Council:Travel, Residencies, Professional Development for Artists, Research and Creation
This project is funded in part by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters. Ce projet est financé en partie par FACTOR, le gouvernement du Canada et les radiodiffuseurs privés du Canada.
