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KENTYA KURBAN ( LEFT ) & WIDNEY BONFILS
ADVANCE Unveils Regional Advisory Committees in B . C . & Quebec
ADVANCE , Canada ’ s Black Music Business Collective , has announced regional advisory boards in British Columbia , chaired by Kentya Kurban ; and in Quebec , chaired by Widney Bonfils . The advisory boards are created to deepen relationships , provide strategic guidance , and address the specific needs of Black music professionals in their respective territories .
Kentya Kurban is the community engagement coordinator at Music BC and brings together a vast network of people , with the goal of strengthening the Black music business network in British Columbia . She is tasked with developing an ecosystem that supports local residents as they develop professionally in the field . This advisory group will assess the supports and resources required to elevate and educate music professionals there , and aims to build a strong group of successful local creators and expand professional reach .
Widney Bonfils is the director of A & R at Universal Music Canada and will chair the advisory committee with the objective to support Black business in Quebec , and further elevate the artist-focused culture of the province .
Through advisory committees , ADVANCE says it will be able to have feet on the ground to make real change , working with the community to grow and forward the industry and expand the organization ’ s growth beyond Ontario .
New members of the British Columbia Advisory Committee are : Buk Nkosi Jason , “ Floetic ”, Mavis Harris , G-Luve , and Tanisha Clarke .
New members of the Quebec Advisory Committee are : Carla Beauvais , Benjamin Akpa , Corneille , Ansfrid Tchetchenigbo , Marc-Evans Jeannot , Patrice Agbokou , and Marieme Ndiaye .
National Music Centre Launches New Programming Initiative & Opportunities for Indigenous Artists
The National Music Centre ( NMC ) in Calgary , with support from TD Bank , has announced OHSOTO ’ KI- NO , a new Indigenous programming initiative that will launch at Studio Bell in 2022 and focus on three elements : creation of new music in NMC ’ s recording studios , artist development through a music incubator program , and exhibitions via the annually-updated Speak Up ! gallery .
OHSOTO ’ KINO is a Blackfoot phrase that means “ to recognize a voice of .” This title acknowledges the Blackfoot people and the territory on which National Music Centre resides . NMC ’ s National Indigenous Programming Advisory Committee will lead the direction of the initiative designed to forge stronger bridges of understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities .
The three-part initiative will launch with the OHSOTO ’ KINO Recording Bursary . With support from TD , NMC will provide access to its world-class recording studios and “ living collection ” of musical instruments , which spans 450 years of technical innovation . Two submissions ( one for contemporary music , the other for traditional ) will be selected by NMC ’ s Indigenous Programming Advisory Committee and awarded a one-week recording session at Studio Bell to produce a commercial release .
As well , NMC will launch a call for applications for the OHSOTO ’ KINO Indigenous Music Incubator later this year . The week-long intensive program for emerging Indigenous artists will offer career guidance and mentorship designed by Indigenous music leaders .
As part of the initiative , TD will continue to invest in the Speak Up ! exhibition at Studio Bell , which highlights Indigenous artists making social and political impacts in Canada .
MARK YOUR CALENDAR ...
40 th Annual Canadian Music Week Moves to June
Canadian Music Week ( CMW ) has announced a change of dates for its 40 th anniversary event . Originally scheduled for April , it will now take place June 6-11 , 2022 , in-person , across a variety of venues in Toronto . The CMW Conference , Canada ’ s largest and longest-running music industry conference , will take place June 7-10 at the InterContinental Toronto Centre . The CMW Conference will include the Radio Active 2022 Conference from June 7-8 , with the International Music Summit from June 8-10 , 2022 .
Previously announced for April 19-23 , CMW organizers say they ’ ve rescheduled as a mindful precaution with the hopes of hosting a safe , in-person festival and conference in June .
“ It is important to us to celebrate our 40 th anniversary in-person with our audiences and colleagues ,” says CMW President Neill Dixon . “ We continue to monitor local and provincial public health measures as we look forward to our exciting music festival , and dynamic industry conference , in the heart of downtown Toronto this June .”
More details about the 40
th Anniversary Canadian Music Week will be announced in the coming weeks . For more information as it becomes available , go to
www . cmw . net .
PHOTO : BITTERMANN PHOTOGRAPHY
16 CANADIAN MUSICIAN