We wrapped up The Retreat portion of our ARC Accelerator 2023 this past Sunday, and we’re still buzzing. Thank you to our amazing cohort of artists for bringing such incredible energy and creativity to this process; we are so full of excitement to witness the future that is ahead for each of you.
Thank you to our incredible faculty, and the wonderful folks at Rockridge Canyon for hosting us for a second year. You all made this an unforgettable experience.
What’s next? Be sure to save the date for our ARC Showcases, coming up on October 3rd-5th in Vancouver. Tickets will be available soon!
Follow along with ARC to see Retreat recaps, and stay up to date with showcase announcements.
ARC is made possible through the ongoing support of FACTOR and the Government of Canada, Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia, and Stingray.
Join us for a free 2-part roundtable panel discussion facilitated by Breaking Down Racial Barriers (BDRB) initiative on anti-Black racism in British Columbia’s music and entertainment industry on September 14th and 21st.
Initiated, curated and coordinated by Canadian music and entertainment community mainstays Ian Andre Espinet and David “Click” Cox, BDRB discussions are CENTRED in the voices and lived experiences of working Black music professionals. To build an inclusive, economically viable Canadian music and entertainment industry, it is critical to address the anti-Black racism that exists in the systems and working environments within which Black music professionals and creatives operate.
September 14th Speakers: Buk Nkosi – Founder, Chaos Club Digital & Holdr Johnny Black – Talent Buyer, Timbre Concerts Mavis Harris – Founder & Publicist, Nice Marmot PR Teon Gibbs – Artist, Label Owner, Culture Con Director
Register for FREE at the link below to attend these virtual panels.
The series is presented by Music BC and supported by BreakOut West, CIMA and ADVANCE, Canada’s new Black Music Business Collective. Thank you to Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia, FACTOR and the Government of Canada for making this series possible.
Calling all bands, artists, comedians, podcasters and more! Treefort Festival is looking for artists who are taking their craft to new levels and transforming their scene – wherever that may be.
Apply now for your chance to be selected to perform in Boise, Idaho for the 12th annual Treefort Fest, taking place March 20-24, 2024.
BC Artists are encouraged to apply by October 13th, 2023.
We would like to thank Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia, FACTOR and the Government of Canada for making helping to make this opportunity possible for BC artists.
Rifflandia Festival is coming up quickly, featuring six days over two full weekends in beautiful Victoria, BC! Kicking it off is “Electric Avenue”, happening from September 7th-9th.
Music BC is pleased to be partnering with Rifflandia, adding up to 20 BC artists to an already stacked lineup.
APPLY TO PERFORM AT THE GREAT ESCAPE 2024 The Great Escape welcomes artists from every genre across the globe to apply for a chance to play at the world’s most renowned festival for breaking new talent, against the seaside backdrop of Brighton, UK. 450+ acts will be filling over 30 venues, making May 15-18th, 2024 a great opportunity to meet key music industry figures who come to TGE looking for the next big thing. Application Deadline: February 16th, 2024 MORE INFO
APPLY FOR AMPLIFY BC: CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Creative BC’s Amplify BC – Career Development Program is still accepting applications! This program supports the economic growth and career development of emerging and established B.C. artists in the areas of sound recording, marketing, and music videos. Application Deadline: September 6th, 2023 MORE INFO
MMF LEVEL UP: VIRTUAL SERIES Attention all artist managers and teams! Are you eager to take your career to new heights and expand your artist’s reach on the global stage? Join Music Managers Forum Canada for an immersive 2-part online event series designed exclusively for artists managers and self-managed artists – Mastering Conference & Showcasing Events. Panel # 1 Date: September 7th, 2023 MORE INFO
APPLY FOR ADVANCE CANADA’S BLACK ADVANCEMENT GRANT ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective, in partnership with The City of Toronto and The Slaight Family Foundation, announces the launch of The B.A.G. (Black ADVANCEment Grant), which will inject over $200,000 into Canada’s Black-owned for- profit and non-for-profit businesses. Application Deadline: September 18th, 2023 MORE INFO
ARC is an accelerator program highlighting, nurturing and sending into orbit the exciting, diverse voices that beat in BC 💫
Sadé Awele to perform at Business Excellence Awards On September 9th, 2023 ARC participant, Sadé Awele will be performing at the Business Excellence Awards, hosted by the Black Business Association of BC. This will be an evening to celebrate the great talents of the Black business community. – GRAB TICKETS
ARC 2022 & 2023 Alumni to support DijahSB in Vancouver 2022 and 2023 ARC Artists, Missy D and Teon Gibbs are both set to support Polaris Prize-nominated rapper, DijahSB at their upcoming Vancouver performance. Catch this show on September 16th at the Biltmore Cabaret! – GRAB TICKETS
INDUSTRY NEWS
50 Canadians Who Shaped Hip-Hop: 10 Artists Pushing Things Forward After paying homage to the past and present, it’s time to look into the future. Hip-Hop might be in the midst of celebrating 50 years of existence, but the movement still feels young, with plenty of room to grow. – READ MORE
Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India Launch New Joint Venture Supporting South Asian Artists Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India have teamed up to launch 91 North Records, a new label to support South Asian artists. Canada-based Punjabi singer Karan Aujla and award-winning playback singer Jonita Gandhi are the first artists signed to the new venture. – READ MORE
Carsen Gray is a Vessel for Haida Gwaii’s Quiet Magic on Debut Album ‘Misadventures’ Today, Haida Gwaii-based Indigenous singer-songwriter Carsen Gray releases her debut album Misadventures via Nettwerk. –READ MORE
Return of Live Shows After COVID Closures Revived Performing Arts Industry: StatCan A new report from Statistics Canada says the return of live shows and events after pandemic restrictions revived the country’s performing arts industry in 2022, with significant revenue and salary growth in specific sectors.– READ MORE
AI-Generated Art Cannot Be Copyrighted, Rules US Federal Court in Another Landmark Decision When Stephen Thaler, the creator of an AI system he calls the “Creativity Machine,” sought to register work generated by the system for copyright, the Copyright Office denied the request on the grounds that the work had no human authorship, which they determined as a prerequisite for copyright issuance.– READ MORE
Songwriters Are Worried About BMI’s Private Equity Sale – And if it Will Hurt Their Royalties. What Happens Now? The on-again, off-again sale of US-headquartered performing rights organization BMI appears to be on again, and this time around, songwriters are asking pointed questions about what BMI’s sale could mean for their royalties. – READ MORE
SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK
Sarah’s early exposure to mainstream pop music as a child of the 90s, the blues and rock’n’roll cassette tapes on rotation in the Ford Bronco driven by her hippy parents, and her enigmatic Russian Doukhobor ancestry—a heritage preserved through psalm singing— all had a significant impact in shaping her musical journey. Developing singing and performance for her as a profoundly spiritual and creative form of expression.
Because of this, she has forged varying paths in the music industry as a versatile and dynamic vocalist, songwriter, nascent producer, and diverse collaborator. The fruits of her labor can be heard in her original alt-soul 5-piece outfit Penny Shades through their self-produced 4-track FACTOR-funded EP, with performances at Kaslo Jazz Etc. Music Festival and Nelson International Music Festival in the summer of 2022, and a new EP on the way in 2023 with the support of Creative BC.
Some of Ortons’ singing can be heard on the nationally renowned electro-folk act ‘Moontricks’ latest album ‘Currents’. She was featured as a backing and guest vocalist on their release tour accompanying them at several music festivals and sold-out venues across Western Canada, such as the renowned Commodore Ballroom, Shambhala Music Festival, and Rifflandia.
Exploring the depths of her musicianship through her solo project, the much-anticipated release of three savvy pop-forward singles from Sarah is expected to drop by late summer of 2023.
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.
