Folk Music Ontario Wraps Up 2018 Event and Announces NEW Board Members + 2019 Conference Dates!

FMO 2019 occurs Sept 27 - 29 at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel!
​

---

Folk Music Ontario 2018 was a stellar success, delegates and artists, arrived from around the world, and the weekend was filled with panels, networking, B2B meetings and music! During the 32nd annual conference, FMO facilitated over 320 showcase performances in total, 38 Official/Family showcases, 42 Sponsored showcases and 241 private showcases (17 private showcase rooms.)

Folk Music Ontario would like to thank everyone who attended #FMO2018, including our sponsors and partners, and to congratulate the showcasing artists, Art Beat participants, welcome our new board members and share the 2019 FMO dates. We also have a survey we are asking all FMO 2018 attendees to fill out, and want to send out special congratulations to FMO members who received a 2018 CFMA nomination.

“Folk Music Ontario would like to thank all our delegates, volunteers, sponsors and funders for a great 2018 conference! Some highlights I can think of are the Developing Artists Program, the Export Development Program, Art Beat and all the amazing artists we had showcasing. Some successes that I’m particularly proud of are the Indigenous Artists Showcase, the Indigenous Women in Music panel, Being Queer in Folk Music and Women in Music. We’re super excited about next year’s conference as we grow the organization further.” states Executive Director Alka Sharma.

Showcases and music were not limited to the host hotel, and we would like to thank
this year’s participants in the Art Beat program. Art Beat is an opportunity for FMO participants to give back to the community, and this year, there were eleven performances that took place in ten venues. The venues included: a high school, two elementary schools, a women’s shelter, a men’s correctional institute, and two hospitals with five separate wards.

Both the artists and the audience had a wonderful time, “We had an amazing experience being a part of Art-Beat 2018. The patients and staff really enjoyed the performance. One patient said it really lifted her spirits. Hearing that was worth it alone.”  – shared Noel and Jared of Johnson Crook.

“On Behalf of the men of Ontario Correctional Institute (OCI), I would like to thank Benjamin and Peter for a wonderful musical performance. The men were blown away at the level and versatility of talent  and the pipes on Benjamin and the seamless harmony between Peter and himself. Anytime Benjamin would like to come back to OCI he’s always welcomed.”  - Elaine from OCI

Thank you again to the following artists and venues, we look forward to Art Beat 2019!

ART BEAT 2018 Artists and Venues:

Piper Hayes and Carson – Brampton Civic Hospital

Jorge Miguel – Princess Margaret Junior School

Preetam Sengupta – St. Michaels Hospital

Abigail Lapell – Mary’s Home

Kristine St.Pierre – Brampton Civic Hospital

Johnson Crook - St. Michael’s Hospital

Pete Eastmure – Brampton Civic Hospital

Benjamin Dakota Rogers – Ontario Correctional Institute/OCI

Safe As Houses – Central Etobicoke High School

Andy Griffiths – St. Lukes Elementary Schoo

Ben Heffernan – Central Etobicoke High School

FMO 2019
The 2019 conference will take place September 27–29. The conference next year will have shortened dates as we move the organization forward to becoming more year-round. Next year’s conference will focus more on the music industry as we conduct retreats, workshops, singer/songwriter get-togethers, etc., throughout the year. This change came about through extensive research and input from you, the members. We are excited to be taking these next steps to further the growth of FMO and make it beneficial for all our members. Registration for the 2019 conference will begin March 1.

Conference Survey
While the 32nd annual conference is still fresh in our delegates' minds, we would like to collect opinions and input on several aspects of it, through our conference survey.  All respondents who complete the survey by October 26, 2018 will be entered into a random draw for one of five registrations for the 33rd Annual FMO Conference, taking place September 27-29, 2019 at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites.

FMO Board of Directors
We are thrilled to announce the Folk Music Ontario new Board of Directors and are thrilled to have them lead the organization through growth and expansion. FMO cannot thank Darin Addison, Janice Cody, Dave Cool, Christa Couture and Katharine Partridge enough for all their hard work over the years on the Board.

Folk Music Ontario's 2018-2019 Board of Directors are:
Preetam Sengupta & Amie Therrien as the Co-Presidents,
Rosalyn Dennett as the Vice President,
Paul Fortune as the Treasurer,
Syma Shah as the Secretary,
Emma Jane Julien & Max Merrifield as your Members-at-Large, and
Directors Tim Des Islets, Richard Henderson, Liz Scott, and Alex Sinclair.

Sponsors and Partners
Folk Music Ontario would like to thank our sponsors and partners, including our new International partners, Showcase Scotland, for making the 2018 Conference the best to date. They are: Bandzoogle, Borealis, COAX Records, Folk Alliance International, Manitoba Music, MyEventsApps, Long & McQuade, Musicians United To Protect Bristol Bay, SOCAN, Stingray, ACTRA RACS, AIM Artist Booking, Canadian Federation of Musicians, Knox Hutchison Entertainment Insurance, The London Music Office, Music Canada Live, MusicOntario, TicketPro, Beau’s Brewing, Edwards Creative Law, and Stakeholder Research Associates.

Folk Music Ontario is proud to recognize the support of our generous funders. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and the Ontario Arts Council.

Special Congratulations to FMO members on their CFMA 2018 nominations! The nominees for the 14th annual Canadian Folk Music Awards, being presented in Calgary at the end of November (Nov 30-Dec 1), were recently announced. FMO would like to congratulate its member nominees and wish everyone the best of luck:

Contemporary Album    
The LYNNeS - Heartbreak Song For The Radio
    
Traditional Singer    
Lenka Lichtenberg - Masaryk: Narodni pisne

English Songwriter    
Lynne Hanson, Lynn Miles (The LYNNeS) - "Heartbreak Song For The Radio"
    
French Songwriter    
Kristine St-Pierre - "La promesse"
    
Ensemble    
The LYNNeS - "Heartbreak Song For The Radio"
    
World Solo Artist    
Lenka Lichtenberg - "Masaryk: Narodni pisne"
Daniel Bellegarde (of Bellegarde) - "Anba Tonèl"
    
New/Emerging Artist    
Annie Sumi - "In the Unknown"
The Lifers - "Honey Suite"
Aerialists - "Group Manoeuvre"
    
Producer    
Lynne Hanson, Lynn Miles - "Heartbreak Song For The Radio" (The LYNNeS)
Chris McKhool, John 'Beetle' Bailey - "Christmas Caravan" (Sultans of String)
    
Young Performer    
Jessica Wedden - "One More Time"

Full list of #CFMA2018 nominees here.

Join Folk Music Ontario to stay up to date with opportunities and community interest news.

ABOUT FOLK MUSIC ONTARIO:
Formed in 1986, and formerly known as OCFF, Folk Music Ontario is the largest folk and roots music organization in Canada and serves its members as a recognized arts service organization. The 33rd Annual Folk Music Ontario conference will take place Sept 27-29, 2019 in Mississauga, ON. Follow @FolkMusicOn  on twitter,  instagram or “like” on facebook.  

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kimberly Sinclair | SpinCount.ca
(902) 350-3968
kimberly@spincount.com

LINKS:
Folk Music Ontario: http://www.folkmusicontario.ca/
JOIN FMO: http://www.folkmusicontario.ca/membership/join/

Conference Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/survey-taken/?sm=481fpqAveM69T7tBFlVNcGXJpOqKDQrszDWBlWSGPAZGUAXtgc3t93G7HyIAqGq5Ezhcr9eZnUxzyP6O4swpVlAgojD9EVwImBTGN0F3i9M_3D

---