BPM | Black Professionals in Music

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BPM X WAG-Qaumajuq (Graphics by Keisha Booker)

About BPM

The Black community has an immeasurable impact on music and culture across the globe and here in Manitoba. Everyday, we listen to music created, produced, and inspired by Black artists yet they still face discrimination and barriers within the industry. Dismantling these barriers begins with recognizing the need for Black music professionals to have their own specific spaces within the industry.

Launched in February 2021 and facilitated by Sannie, BPM | Black Professionals in Music is a program via Manitoba Music that supports Black music professionals in Manitoba. BPM presents quarterly mixers for participants to meet and build their community and networks, followed by live performances. Participants can bring ideas, share their professional needs and barriers, and influence the future direction of the program. 

Black music makers and industry professionals from Manitoba are welcome.To get involved, please email bpm@manitobamusic.com.

The original artwork for BPM was created by Keisha Booker.

BPM Speaker Series

Manitoba Music celebrated Black History Month with the launch of a virtual speaker series featuring Black music industry professionals. The series aims to connect with and inspire emerging Black music entrepreneurs and musicians and recognize the immeasurable impact of the Black community on music and culture across the globe and here in Manitoba.

The series is presented through the BPM | Black Music Professionals program and in partnership with Black History Manitoba and will feature influential speakers sharing their career journeys and lived experiences working in the music business, showing different career paths. The series will be streamed live via our Facebook and YouTube. The BPM Speaker Series is made possible by the support of FACTOR

Watch the first BPM Speaker Series with Vivian Barclay

Watch the second BPM Speaker Series with Witch Prophet

Watch the third BPM Speaker Series with Dalton Higgins 

Andrew Sannie

Andrew Sannie is a Canadian creative and business owner, as well as a member of acclaimed Canadian hip hop group, The Lytics. Andrew is also a co-founder of Canadian based experiential marketing and consultation company, Grape Experiential. In his personal time, Andrew works with several community groups and non-profits contributing to executive boards of several organizations across the country.

BPM Playlist

Coinciding with the BPM program, Manitoba Music launched a Spotify playlist to recognize Black artists from Manitoba, celebrating their contributions and amplifying their voices, featuring guest curators from the local community. 

Guest curator spots are open to all BPM participants and offer a small honorarium. Email info@manitobamusic.com if you're interested in signing up for a spot. 

Guest curators will be asked to provide:

  • A Spotify playlist link (songs will be copied to Manitoba Music's Spotify) of up to one hour featuring Black artists from Manitoba.
  • Playlist may include up to three songs by the guest curator, if applicable.
  • A short bio

open.spotify.com/playlist/6MReHjtpr0uTo8mQoMasO5?si=537302e0ba7a4b9e

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