Manitoba Acts Head to Kansas City for International Folk Alliance

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The Crooked Brothers

Manitoba acts are packing up their guitars and heading to Kansas City, Missouri next week to showcase for the folk and roots music industry. The International Folk Alliance Conference (IFA), which runs February 19-12, is the premier professional development conference focused on folk, roots, multicultural, and world music in North America.

The showcase is the latest in a series of partnered events with SaskMusic, Alberta Music, and MusicBC under the BreakOut West banner. The lineup boasts 40 acts in total, including Manitoba performers Del BarberRuth Moody, JP Hoe, Crooked Brothers, Sweet Alibi, Red Moon Road, plus Manitoba/BC act Fish & Bird and banjo-wielding expat Jaxon Haldane. See the schedule of Manitobans

Other Western Canadian artists include Rolla Oak, Zachary Luky, Tim Hus, Pear, 100 Mile House, The Midnight Roses, and many more. See the complete schedul here

Manitoba has built a reputation for its strong roots scene, garnering attention from major media outlets, and touring to sold-out halls throughout North American, Europe, Australia, and beyond. In the last decade alone, Manitoba artists have landed five JUNO Awards and 17 nominations in the roots and traditional categories, including a nod in 2014 for Little Miss Higgins & The Winnipeg Five. 

Bringing Manitoba music to new geographic areas and finding new markets to intensify trade activity in existing markets is a key component of Manitoba Music's trade and business development project, which is funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada. Manitoba Music's market development initiatives are also funded by FACTOR and Manitoba Trade & Investment.

Through events like these, Manitoba Music is able to increase the level of awareness and connection between our province’s music industry and the broader national and international industry, which is vital to the career advancement of Manitoba artists and industry professionals. Over the years, Manitoba Music has presented successful showcases throughout Canada, the U.S., England, and Germany, including at major music events like South by Southwest, The Great Escape, North by Northeast, International Folk Alliance, and more.

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