Jill Krajewski
Mehdi Cayenne Club performs during the launch party of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition on Sept. 17. The organization will announce plans for future events to help the growth of the Ottawa music business by early November. A new organization has been created to help develop Ottawa’s growing music business. The Ottawa Music Industry Coalition aims to bring different sub-groups of the music business together to improve networking between artists and other behind the scenes groups.
Andrew Vincent, executive director of the not-for-profit organization, says the coalition will fill gaps between different areas of the business.
“The goal is supporting the development of the music industry as a whole, rather than one particular component,” he says. “It’s about looking at the components we need to have a music industry – a music eco-system – that works well and provides opportunities for people to make careers.”
To do this, the coalition is collaborating with municipal partners, such as the city’s Cultural Initiatives and Economic Development departments, local business improvement areas and business and industry groups. Provincially, they will work with groups such as Music Ontario.
Vincent hopes these relationships will build stronger connections between artists, venues, event planners and promotional companies so these groups can thrive together.
Jon Evenchick is the co-owner and booking manager for LIVE! on Elgin, a music venue focusing on presenting local, original artists. He says networking and promotions are crucial to an artist’s success. Being a good band isn’t enough anymore.
He also says as a venue owner, he does not have time to do that himself, so organizations to do this work are important.
Local band Moroccan Sun has been performing gigs in the city for three years. Guitarist Alex Kwok says all but one of their shows were set by a promoter or by other bands.
He says there is a real need for organizations dedicated to connecting bands with events and promoters.
“But overall, it’s a young community and I think that it could develop well if there was someone to be able to push that to the next level.”
Vincent says employees at the coalition are busy scheduling events to promote growth and expansion in Ottawa music for the next half year.