Artist of the Month: Sacha
February 9, 2021
Patrice’s Pick: Josh David
March 12, 2021In The News (March 2021)
This section of the newsletter is comprised of news stories, press releases and links to Internet articles that are sent in by our members who believe they will be of general interest to the membership. We include them as a courtesy to our members but do not verify or edit their content. Their inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by the CMAOntario nor do their contents reflect the views or opinions of the CMAOntario. If you would like to have something included in the newsletter, please send us a short synopsis, a photo or graphic and the hotlink that can be included in the news listing. Submissions can be sent to verle@cmaontario.ca. Please make sure the Subject Line reads “For inclusion in the CMAOntario Newsletter”. The deadline for submissions is the 20th of each month.
Supporting Arts and Live Events Workers In Response to COVID-19
On March 2, 2021, the Honourable Steven Guilbault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, in collaboration with Simon Brault, CEO for the Canada Council for the Arts, announced details of the implementation of $181.5 million in new funding for the live arts and music sectors for 2021-2022. These funds were first announced on November 30, 2020, as part of the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.This new funding will support the planning and presentation of COVID-19 safe events in the arts and music sectors – including both live and digital – and provide work opportunities in these sectors. It includes the one-year renewal of an additional $25 million initially provided in Budget 2019 to help stabilize the overall environment for the arts and music sectors through the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program ($7 million), the Canada Arts Presentation Fund ($8 million) and the Canada Music Fund ($10 million).For its part, the Canada Council for the Arts will distribute $116.5 million, as follows:
- $50.5 million in new funding for a new digital innovation initiative (Digital Now), to enable arts groups, collectives and organizations to adapt or create works to be shared with virtual audiences
- $66 million in new funding to stimulate increased research, creation and production of new work through the Explore and Create program
The Department of Canadian Heritage will deliver $40 million in new funding to stimulate short-term contracting of workers in the live events sector, through the Support for Workers in the Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund.
Objectives
The Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund aims to:
- support the arts and music cultural sectors in immediately contracting and employing artists and cultural workers, as part of the federal government’s overall efforts to help Canadians and Canadian businesses weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
- provide arts and cultural experiences, both live and digital to Canadians, while restrictions on gatherings and travel continue across the country
Programs delivering the Support for Workers in the Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund:
- Building Communities through Arts and Heritage – Local Festivals component ($5 million)
- Canada Arts Presentation Fund ($20 million)
- Canada Music Fund ($15 million)
- The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) for the English-language market
- Fondation MUSICACTION (in French only) for the French-language market
(Source: Canadian Heritage)
Music Industry Leaders Launch Kilometre Music Group to Reclaim Music Rights of Canadian Artists
Veteran Canadian music industry leaders Michael McCarty, Gavin Brown and Rodney Murphy have announced the formation of the Kilometre Music Group, a ground-breaking music rights management company whose mission is to reclaim the financial rewards of the multi-decade worldwide “Canadian music invasion” for the benefit of Canadian artists, investors and culture.
“Canadians dominate the global music charts right now, but this has been building for over five decades,” says Kilometre CEO Michael McCarty. “This Canadian Invasion has fostered some of the greatest songs of all time and we see a brilliant future investing in them. Since the rights to most of these songs are owned by foreign companies, the Canadian economy has been deprived of billions in global royalty revenue. We want to reverse that flow by bringing home the rights to our most important music.”
(Source: Press Release)
The Canadian Live Music Industry Calls For Your Help
The people behind Canadian live music have launched an awareness campaign to bring attention to the damage COVID-19 shutdowns have caused Canada’s live music industry – the artists, festivals, venues, promoters, clubs, concert halls, arenas, talent agencies, unions, crew and many others working in the supply chain that connect Canadians with extraordinary live music experiences.
On February 9th, the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) launched #ForTheLoveOfLive and is asking fans, industry and all those who miss live music to share their memories and support their friends and neighbours who make up this industry.
“Live music is a major economic driver across the country, and we know that Canadians will want to return to live music venues, when it is safe to do so,” said Erin Benjamin, President and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association. “Real people in your community are at risk of losing their jobs forever. They need additional, ongoing targeted support from governments to ensure that when COVID measures are lifted, Canadians continue to have access to the artists and live music experiences they know and love.”
(Source: Press Release)
MusiCounts Announces Gary Slaight As the 2021 MusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award
On March 9th, MusiCounts announced Gary Slaight, President and CEO of The Slaight Family Foundation, as the 2021 recipient of theMusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award, presented by The Canadian Scholarship Trust (CST) Foundation. Gary is being recognized for the extraordinary philanthropic contributions he has made to music education in Canada. To amplify Gary’s efforts, $30,000 worth of MusiCounts Band Aid Program instrument grants will be awarded to three Canadian schools in his name.
“Our family has always been involved and supported the creative arts and believe music education in schools is as essential to the healthy development of kids as fresh air and water. MusiCounts does a fantastic job in providing the tools to help and develop these impressionable minds through music,” said Gary Slaight.“Playing an instrument and bonding with other kids of a similar age helps build character and nurture creativity. Now with issues around the covid-19 pandemic and learning from home, music is more valuable and provides the kids an outlet to express themselves and connect beyond the virtual world.”
Over the past 10 years, Gary Slaight and the Slaight Family Foundation have donated over $750,000 to MusiCounts to support over 55 schools in the Greater Toronto Area and First Nations communities. Through the Slaight Family Foundation, he has supported a variety of humanitarian and cultural causes, and continues to invest in media and entertainment ventures, through both Slaight Communications and Slaight Music, a division launched in 2009 with a mandate to invest, nurture, and develop Canadian artists.
(Source: Press Release)
The Reklaws & Jade Eagleson Nominated for 2021 JUNO Awards
Congratulations to The Reklaws and Jade Eagleson who have both been nominated for 2021 JUNO Awards. The Reklaws are nominated for Group of the Year (alongside contenders The Arkells, Half Moon Run, Loud Luxury and The Glorious Sons) while Jade Eagleson is nominated for Country Album of the Year for his self-titled, debut album. Good luck to both!
(Source: JUNO Awards)
Suzi Kory Launches New Phase Of Her ‘Love Revolution’
In the past year, Suzi Kory has organized two mini music festivals and recorded several new songs. What follows, in her own words, is an accounting of what’s gone on through to today, including the release of a new single.
Say what you will about 2020, but it definitely taught us many lessons about what is truly important in life. We learned it was okay to slow down, to exercise patience and focus on our relationships with friends and family…. And the importance of music in our lives.
Ironically, in the summer of 2019 I had co-written and recorded a song called Love Revolution with my producer, Brent Woods. The song was inspired by feeling that a big change was coming in the world. A change that would have humanity returning to the simply things in life and what mattered most… A love for each other. Although the song was completed by fall of 2019, I had decided to hold onto it until I felt the time was right for the message to be put out into the world.
Over the past three years I had been working as a manager with a commercial airline, while building a career as a musician, however halfway through the year I found myself becoming a full-time musician as a result of the economic downturn of the airline industry. If I am to be completely honest, it was the happiest day of my life when I got the call that I was being let go. It wasn’t because I didn’t love my job, but I knew you could never reach your true potential in any pursuit until you were all in, and now I finally was.
(Full Story: FYI Music News)
CMRRA Expands To Collect International Mechanical Royalties
The Canadian Mechanical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) is working with new global partners to provide music publishers and self-published songwriters an option to use the agency as a one-stop for international licensing and royalty collections.
Mandated by US congress via the Music Modernization Act, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) launched on January 1, 2021. Digital service providers will be paying mechanical royalties for streaming to the MLC, both for prior periods and on a going-forward basis.
As a member of the MLC, CMRRA will work to ensure that, for those publishers who sign up for MLC collection, their repertoire will be properly registered so that past and future US digital mechanical royalties are flowing efficiently, in line with the same service levels provide to member orgs for Canadian royalties.
CMRRA is also working in phases to implement international collections with IMPEL, and will begin with their Core Territories, which include the European Economic Area (including the UK and Switzerland) to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In future phases we will expand to include additional IMPEL territories, with coverage for Latin America and India.
(Full Story: FYI Music News)
Jim Beam Virtual National Talent Search Now Accepting Submissions
Canadian Music Week (CMW) is producing the Jim Beam Virtual National Talent Search Tour, which will take place virtually June 14-30. Each of the resulting regional webisodes will be streamed via Indies.ca. CMW and the Talent Search Tour will provide 18 of Canada’s best new bands their own virtual stage, ownership of their own recordings, and starring roles in this musical event. Each episode will focus on one Province and feature performances from three local bands, as well as feedback commentary from three Canadian Industry Mentors. Apply here.
(Source: Indies.ca)
