(February 23, 2017 - Toronto, ON) Folk Music Canada has packed up the showcase gear and returned to its Canadian home base after another successful edition of Folk Alliance International, the world’s largest folkconference and industry gathering, with more than 3000 attendees. While specific results are still being tabulated, the success of its #FMCTopNotch initiatives is evident and the impact on the Canadian folk music marketplace are significant.
With this fifth edition of presentations at Folk Alliance International, Folk Music Canada produced more than 40 showcases featuring 38 Canadian acts, and coordinated multiple international partnerships over the course of this music conference that took place from February 15 to 20 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Through its annual networking event, Folk Music Canadabrought together 40 exporting artists and Canadian industry members with 80 programmers, booking agents, and managers from across the USA, UK, Ireland and Australia.
New in 2017, Folk Music Canada worked with its fellow Canadian music industry associations, under the banner of the Pan-Canadian Initiative, to offer a networking brunch with B2B meetings. With more than 100 participants, the event facilitated 900 meetings between Canadian music entrepreneurs and key folk industry members from record labels, venues, festivals and organizations from the US, UK and Australia. Thanks to the Pan-Canadian Initiative members: Canadian Independent Music Association, Folk Music Ontario, East Coast Music Association, Music Ontario, Manitoba Music, SaskMusic, Alberta Music, Music BC, Music NWT, Music PEI, Music NS, Music NL and Music-Musique NB.
With this fifth edition of presentations at Folk Alliance International, Folk Music Canada produced more than 40 showcases featuring 38 Canadian acts, and coordinated multiple international partnerships over the course of this music conference that took place from February 15 to 20 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Through its annual networking event, Folk Music Canadabrought together 40 exporting artists and Canadian industry members with 80 programmers, booking agents, and managers from across the USA, UK, Ireland and Australia.
New in 2017, Folk Music Canada worked with its fellow Canadian music industry associations, under the banner of the Pan-Canadian Initiative, to offer a networking brunch with B2B meetings. With more than 100 participants, the event facilitated 900 meetings between Canadian music entrepreneurs and key folk industry members from record labels, venues, festivals and organizations from the US, UK and Australia. Thanks to the Pan-Canadian Initiative members: Canadian Independent Music Association, Folk Music Ontario, East Coast Music Association, Music Ontario, Manitoba Music, SaskMusic, Alberta Music, Music BC, Music NWT, Music PEI, Music NS, Music NL and Music-Musique NB.
With a strong brand and worldwide reputation, Canadian artists left very favourable impressions on the international marketplace. Lisa Schwartz from the Philadelphia Folk Festival, one of North America’s largest, and longest running, folk festivals indicated: “Folk Music Canada’s showcases have proven to be a treasure trove of fantastic musicians that never disappoints. I have discovered some of the most talented artists in this room and have seen and heard what are likely my favorite Folk Alliance International musical moments presented against the now-familiar red and white backdrop. Because of Folk Music Canada’s stellar efforts, we have booked several Canadian artists for the Philadelphia Folk Festival.”
Qualitative feedback from Canadian artist representatives also reflects these positive results. Nathalie Kleinschmidt, of Prairie Mix, a Winnipeg-based management group, offered the following feedback about the results working with her client singer-songwriter William Prince, a Winnipeg-based artist from the Peguis First Nation: “Thanks to the support of the Folk Music Canada team, our Folk Alliance International experience surpassed our expectations. We were able to turn contacts into contracts. We left with a record label and publishing deal, offers to perform in both Canada and the USA, and opportunities to collaborate with world-class artists. Perhaps more importantly, we found a sense of community and commitment that bodes well for our long-term business relations across the border.”
Qualitative feedback from Canadian artist representatives also reflects these positive results. Nathalie Kleinschmidt, of Prairie Mix, a Winnipeg-based management group, offered the following feedback about the results working with her client singer-songwriter William Prince, a Winnipeg-based artist from the Peguis First Nation: “Thanks to the support of the Folk Music Canada team, our Folk Alliance International experience surpassed our expectations. We were able to turn contacts into contracts. We left with a record label and publishing deal, offers to perform in both Canada and the USA, and opportunities to collaborate with world-class artists. Perhaps more importantly, we found a sense of community and commitment that bodes well for our long-term business relations across the border.”
Additionally, digital marketing was a significant component of the #FMCTopNotch presentations, with SpinCount supporting this initiative as media sponsor. The analytics for Folk Music Canada’s social channels indicate that engagement throughout the conference was at an all-time high, totalling more than 460 000. Engagement reflected the export focus of this project, with highest clicks outside of Canada generated in the United States, United Kingdom, Spain and Ireland.
To complement these showcasing activities, Folk Music Canada also created two SoundCloud streams (see below) to help promote the showcasing artists to delegates and programmers. During the 30 day campaign, more than 2200 plays were registered, with listeners primarily concentrated in the USA.
All of these #FMCTopNotch initiatives were made possible with the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the SOCAN Foundation, FACTOR, The Government of Canada and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.
Folk Music Canada would also like to thank its #FMCTopNotch partners: Folk Music Ontario. Folk Alliance International, SpinCount, and Ear Trumpet Labs.
To complement these showcasing activities, Folk Music Canada also created two SoundCloud streams (see below) to help promote the showcasing artists to delegates and programmers. During the 30 day campaign, more than 2200 plays were registered, with listeners primarily concentrated in the USA.
All of these #FMCTopNotch initiatives were made possible with the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the SOCAN Foundation, FACTOR, The Government of Canada and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.
Folk Music Canada would also like to thank its #FMCTopNotch partners: Folk Music Ontario. Folk Alliance International, SpinCount, and Ear Trumpet Labs.
About Folk Music Canada:
Folk Music Canada is a membership organisation that supports and promotes the Canadian folk music community and its industry. We work to raise awareness about the importance, diversity and cultural value of all types of folk music in Canada.
Folk Music Canada works to promote the excellence in Canadian Folk music to export markets through more than 150 international showcases presentations per year, and its export industry gathering, FolkNorth, taking place in Toronto from December 1 to 3, 2017.
Key Links
Link to SoundCloud for all artists performing in the evening programming:
https://soundcloud.com/folkmusiccanada/sets/fmctopnotch-at-fai2017
Link to SoundCloud for all artists performing as part of Crossing Borders: https://soundcloud.com/folkmusiccanada/sets/aaafolk-music-canada-crossing
Our Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1752012135113399/
List of Artists who performed for the 2017 Folk Music Canada Showcase at #FAI2017
Folk Music Canada Suite 534
Wednesday 10:30 PM David Newland ON
Wednesday 11:00 PM Meaghan Blanchard PE
Wednesday 11:30 PM Poor Nameless Boy SK
Wednesday 12:00 AM Mariel Buckley AB
Wednesday 12:30 AM James Hill & Anne Janelle NS
Wednesday 1:00 AM Ken Stead AB
Wednesday 1:30 AM Ten Strings and a Goat Skin PE
Thursday 2:00 PM ITR The Bombadils QC Ken Yates ON Jake Morley UK
Thursday 3:00 PM ITR Bobby Dove QC Abigail Lapell ON David Newland ON Eve Sheldon PA
Thursday 10:30 PM The Lonesome Ace Stringband ON
Thursday 11:00 PM Abigail Lapell ON
Thursday 11:30 PM The Young Novelists ON
Thursday 12:30 AM Dione Taylor and the Backsliderz ON
Thursday 1:00 AM Winona WIlde ON
Thursday 1:30 AM Ken Yates ON
Thursday 2:00 AM Brock Zeman ON
Thursday 2:30 AM Digging Roots ON
Friday 2:00 PM Oh Susanna ON Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage UK Sam Gleaves KY
Friday 3:00 PM Sussex QC Erin Costelo NS Malachi Graham WA
Friday 10:30 PM Ken Tizzard ON
Friday 11:00 PM William Prince MB
Friday 11:30 PM Dave Gunning NS
Friday 12:00 AM The Once NL
Friday 12:30 AM Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers NS
Friday 1:00 AM Belle Plaine SK
Friday 1:30 AM Sussex QC
Friday 2:00 AM Roger Roger MB
Friday 2:30 AM Lonely Heartstring Band BC
Saturday 2:00 PM Alysha Brilla ON Coco Love Alcorn ON Giri and Uma Peters TN
Saturday 3:00 PM William Prince MB Rachel Baiman TN Sam Baker TX
Saturday 10:30 PM Heather Rankin NS
Saturday 11:00 PM Scott Cook AB
Saturday 11:30 PM The Doll Sisters AB
Saturday 12:00 AM Erin Costelo NS
Saturday 12:30 AM Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys PE
Saturday 1:00 AM Cécile Doo-Kingué QC
Saturday 1:30 AM Ariana Gillis ON
Saturday 2:00 AM The Bombadils QC
Saturday 2:30 AM Slocan Ramblers ON
Folk Music Canada is a membership organisation that supports and promotes the Canadian folk music community and its industry. We work to raise awareness about the importance, diversity and cultural value of all types of folk music in Canada.
Folk Music Canada works to promote the excellence in Canadian Folk music to export markets through more than 150 international showcases presentations per year, and its export industry gathering, FolkNorth, taking place in Toronto from December 1 to 3, 2017.
Key Links
Link to SoundCloud for all artists performing in the evening programming:
https://soundcloud.com/folkmusiccanada/sets/fmctopnotch-at-fai2017
Link to SoundCloud for all artists performing as part of Crossing Borders: https://soundcloud.com/folkmusiccanada/sets/aaafolk-music-canada-crossing
Our Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1752012135113399/
List of Artists who performed for the 2017 Folk Music Canada Showcase at #FAI2017
Folk Music Canada Suite 534
Wednesday 10:30 PM David Newland ON
Wednesday 11:00 PM Meaghan Blanchard PE
Wednesday 11:30 PM Poor Nameless Boy SK
Wednesday 12:00 AM Mariel Buckley AB
Wednesday 12:30 AM James Hill & Anne Janelle NS
Wednesday 1:00 AM Ken Stead AB
Wednesday 1:30 AM Ten Strings and a Goat Skin PE
Thursday 2:00 PM ITR The Bombadils QC Ken Yates ON Jake Morley UK
Thursday 3:00 PM ITR Bobby Dove QC Abigail Lapell ON David Newland ON Eve Sheldon PA
Thursday 10:30 PM The Lonesome Ace Stringband ON
Thursday 11:00 PM Abigail Lapell ON
Thursday 11:30 PM The Young Novelists ON
Thursday 12:30 AM Dione Taylor and the Backsliderz ON
Thursday 1:00 AM Winona WIlde ON
Thursday 1:30 AM Ken Yates ON
Thursday 2:00 AM Brock Zeman ON
Thursday 2:30 AM Digging Roots ON
Friday 2:00 PM Oh Susanna ON Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage UK Sam Gleaves KY
Friday 3:00 PM Sussex QC Erin Costelo NS Malachi Graham WA
Friday 10:30 PM Ken Tizzard ON
Friday 11:00 PM William Prince MB
Friday 11:30 PM Dave Gunning NS
Friday 12:00 AM The Once NL
Friday 12:30 AM Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers NS
Friday 1:00 AM Belle Plaine SK
Friday 1:30 AM Sussex QC
Friday 2:00 AM Roger Roger MB
Friday 2:30 AM Lonely Heartstring Band BC
Saturday 2:00 PM Alysha Brilla ON Coco Love Alcorn ON Giri and Uma Peters TN
Saturday 3:00 PM William Prince MB Rachel Baiman TN Sam Baker TX
Saturday 10:30 PM Heather Rankin NS
Saturday 11:00 PM Scott Cook AB
Saturday 11:30 PM The Doll Sisters AB
Saturday 12:00 AM Erin Costelo NS
Saturday 12:30 AM Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys PE
Saturday 1:00 AM Cécile Doo-Kingué QC
Saturday 1:30 AM Ariana Gillis ON
Saturday 2:00 AM The Bombadils QC
Saturday 2:30 AM Slocan Ramblers ON
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