Ottawa’s music scene is set to take centre stage this spring with the launch of Capital Music Week, a six-day festival May 20-25 that the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition is hoping will help transform the city into the Nashville of Canada.
The inaugural Capital Music Week will feature concerts and other events, including the sixth annual Capital Music Awards on May 22 at the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall, celebrating the best and brightest among local performers.
Dubbed “CxMW” by OMIC, the city-funded organization that promotes Ottawa’s music industry, the list of festival activities will includes”a diverse lineup of public concerts, showcases, industry panels,
workshops, networking opportunities, and a trade show,” according to a Feb. 28 press release.
The festival is “designed to strengthen and promote Ottawa’s music industry ecosystem and celebrate the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition’s 10th anniversary,” OMIC added.
Among the highlights of Capital Music Week will be a special collaboration with the Ottawa Nightlife Council, a recently launched City of Ottawa initiative to enliven and better promote the capital’s nighttime scene with local residents and tourists.
The ambitions of festival officials reach beyond creating a new showcase for local artists; they are seeking to position Ottawa as a national music hub, elevating its profile as a major player in Canada’s music industry alongside hotspot cities like Toronto and Montreal.
“This year’s Capital Music Week marks an exciting new chapter for Ottawa’s music industry,” said Melanie Brulée, executive director of OMIC. “We’re looking forward to bringing the community together and showcasing the incredible talent in this city.”
OMIC has played a central role in Ottawa’s push to become a “global music city.” In collaboration with the City of Ottawa, OMIC released a 2018 strategy that painted an ambitious picture: “Ottawa has the potential to become a key player in the global music scene, with a thriving industry and vibrant local talent.”
The report called for a music economy that would not only thrive locally but also make waves internationally.
Building on this foundation, OMIC set its sights on emulating successful music cities in the United States, such as Nashville and Austin. The strategy aimed to “build on Ottawa’s strengths” by cultivating local talent and attracting global attention.
OMIC’s has led the effort to position Ottawa as a city recognized on the world stage for its musical heartbeat.
The city’s push to improve its reputation as a music hub and as an exciting place at night come together in the Canada After Dark Summit, a two-day forum to be held during Capital Music Week (May 20-21) and focused on reshaping Ottawa’s nightlife.
That effort is being led by the city’s nightlife council, which is mandated with reviewing policies and identifying opportunities to boost the number and range of evening activities in Ottawa. By bringing together leaders from entertainment, hospitality, and culture, the council’s stated goal is to build a thriving, inclusive nightlife ecosystem.
The idea is to foster a vibrant late-night economy that ensures safety and sustainability while supporting the creativity and energy of Ottawa’s diverse communities.
Mathieu Grondin, Ottawa’s nightlife commissioner, was hired last year to lead the transformation of the city’s late-night scene. With a focus on innovation and sustainability and experience drawn from Montreal’s entertainment industry, Grondin is leading the charge to revitalize Ottawa’s nightlife by creating an environment that nurtures both local businesses and community-based groups.
“This international dialogue offers Ottawa a rare chance to drive collaboration and innovation, creating a dynamic and sustainable nightlife that resonates far beyond our city.”
— Mathieu Grondin, Ottawa’s nightlife commissioner, on the Canada After Dark summit
Grondin said the summit will connect policymakers, industry leaders and artists to discuss ways to create a more vibrant and sustainable late-night economy.
“This international dialogue offers Ottawa a rare chance to drive collaboration and innovation, creating a dynamic and sustainable nightlife that resonates far beyond our city,” Grondin stated in OMIC’s announcement about Capital Music Week.
He said the city’s nightlife office “is eager to leverage Capital Music Week to boost late-night programming and champion policies that empower Ottawa’s live music scene.”
Capital Music Week organizers are inviting local music venues and artists to get involved through showcase performances and specialized programming. Submissions opened in late February. The City of Ottawa, Ontario Creates and the National Arts Centre are among the partners supporting the nightlife event, which is expected to attract more than 5,000 attendees.
Jesse Stewart, director of the music program at Carleton University, was integral in the creation and inauguration of the first Capital Music Awards in 2019. Stewart said Capital Music Week is a broader initiative to change Ottawa’s image from a boring bureaucratic capital to a livelier city.
“In 2019, we were involved in the process of shaping the future of Ottawa’s music scene,” Stewart explained. “A task force was set up to look at what the next 20 years of music in the city could look like. This isn’t just about putting on a festival — it’s about long-term sustainability.”
Stewart said he hopes that initiatives like Capital Music Week will entice Canadian musicians from smaller municipalities such as Kingston, Belleville and Peterborough to come to Ottawa to build their musical career.
“City Hall, alongside former mayor Jim Watson, has been supportive, recognizing that music isn’t just entertainment; it’s an economic driver. We need to make music life a key part of Ottawa’s identity,” said Stewart. “We don’t want young professionals to feel like they have to leave for Toronto or Montreal to make a career in music. We want them to see Ottawa as a place where they can thrive.”
Despite some efforts and ambitions, Stewart highlights various logistical problems facing the music industry in Ottawa that has so far been preventing its success. One major issue he highlighted was shortcomings of the city’s built environment.
“One of the biggest challenges we face is infrastructure,” Stewart said. “There’s no parking near venues, and loading in equipment can be a nightmare. These little things add up and make it harder for working musicians to do their job.”
For Ottawa to be serious in its development of the music scene, there needs to be a lot of investment to foster the industry’s growth.
“Musicians need to be paid properly. Too often, they’re expected to work for exposure, and that’s just not sustainable.” said Stewart. “The city needs to invest real capital into its artists — not just in grants, but in infrastructure that makes it easier to perform and make a living.”
OMIC said part of the mission of Capital Music Week is to showcase artists from diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous performers. Stewart also highlighted the importance of music venues in supporting diversity as racism, misogyny and other forms of prejudice continue to pose challenges for many artists.
“We are improving safety and inclusivity for artists, staff, and audiences, especially addressing barriers for women and minority groups,” said Stewart. “We’re creating safer, more inclusive spaces by amplifying underrepresented voices across the music scene, hoping to attract people from everywhere.”
In today’s economic climate, various industries and sectors have been forced to play catch-up after the COVID-19 pandemic upended normal activities. During the COVID shutdown era, many Ottawa artists lost revenue and traction from performing live shows and relied on digital platforms like SoundCloud and Spotify to boost their profile with audiences.
“We’re competing with streaming services, but the goal is to get people back into live music, making it a priority and driving long-term traffic for venues and club owners.”
— Jesse Stewart, head of Carleton University’s music program
“We’re competing with streaming services, but the goal is to get people back into live music, making it a priority and driving long-term traffic for venues and club owners,” said Stewart.
OMIC emphasized that Capital Music Week will “showcase Ottawa’s diverse talent” and “enhance the city’s reputation in the Canadian music industry.” Still, as Stewart made clear, many obstacles must be overcome before Ottawa can achieve its goal of becoming the “Nashville of the North.”
“A healthy and vibrant music scene doesn’t happen by accident,” said Stewart. “It requires investment, policy support, and commitment from all levels of government.”
