BUILDING NEW MARKETS: Manitoba Music Heads to Australia, Launches Busy Showcase Season

Manitoba Music is gearing up for a busy fall season of market development events that will connect homegrown talent to influential industry contacts in major music markets in Canada, the U.S., Germany, and Australia. 

Manitoba Music will make its first voyage to Australia to develop connections with key music industry companies in Melbourne and at Brisbane's BigSound 2014. Already a known commodity across the U.S. and U.K., pop/rock pair Mise en Scene will hit the showcase circuit in Melbourne and Brisbane as part of Canadian Blast September 8 and 10, along with the band's Winnipeg-based label, Pipe + Hat. 

Next, Manitoba Music will team up once again with prairie counterparts SaskMusic and Alberta Music to present events in Nashville during the 15th annual Americana Music Festival (AMA), September 16-20. The series of collaborations at international industry events under the BreakOut West banner are vital to the market development and career advancement of Manitoba artists and music companies, and work to strengthen our combined exporting power.

The September 18 showcase at East Nashville haunt, The Groove, will feature performances by four acts that are already making waves in the hot Americana market: internationally-acclaimed Manitoba roots crooner Del Barber and alt-country darlings The Bros. Landreth, plus Saskatchewan’s Zachary Lucky and Alberta's The Royal Foundry. The prairie triumvirate will also co-host a networking event with Nashville-based music publishers on September 16 featuring Manitoba singer/songwriter Sierra Noble and more. Del Barber and The Bros. Landreth also landed coveted official AMA showcases, while roots songstress Jess Reimer will join a Canadian Blast showcase during the festivities. 

At the exact same time, Manitoba Music will split its atoms and send them across the ocean to Germany for its fourth event at Hamburg's massive music fest, Reeperbahn Festival, on September 18 with JUNO Award-winning soul/pop outfit Chic Gamine and JUNO-nominated instrumental prog rock act Mahogany Frog, as part of Canadian Blast's annual event. 

On the horizon, Manitoba Music will present showcases at Folk Music Ontario in Toronto, October 16-19; a tour of the American Midwest, November 4-6; Toronto showcase, November 18; M for Montreal, November 20-22; and more. Details and performer lineups will be announced prior to each event.

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, Manitoba Film & Music, 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.