FOLK MUSIC ONTARIO

12:30-1:30PM, Friday, Oct 14 
2nd Floor, Windsor Club, DoubleTree Hotel

Europe has become the secondary market for many Canadian folk musicians. Find out why, and where you can find the connections you need to devlop a sustainable career, touring and building a fanbase in the UK and other European countries. This panel will consult regional experts, as well as Canadian artists who have found success across the Atlantic. 

Panelists: 
Neal Pearson, Sounds Just Fine (UK) - Moderator
Sebastian Buccioni, Estonian Music Week
Tamara Kater, Mavens Music Management
Ebba Hellsten, Norrkoping Folk Music Festival (SE)

1:30-2:30PM, Friday, Oct 14 
3rd Floor, Suite 200, DoubleTree Hotel 

Presented in partnership with Music Declares Emergency Music Climate Summit

In this workshop, speakers will invite participants into a conversation about how to respond to a world in ecological crisis and how we keep environmentalism centred in our daily work. As artists, how do we write compellingly about environmental issues? How do we avoid hopelessness and cynicism? Slow-touring, reducing our carbon footprint, ethical spending, and artist activism will be some of the topics covered by the round-table. We live in precarious times, and it’s time for strong action. 

Panelists: 
Liv Cazzola, Tragedy Ann/The Lifers - Moderator
Sam Baardman, Artist, River on the Run Artist Collective
Kim Fry, Music Declares Emergency Canada
Ian Garrett, Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts

3-4:PM, Friday, Oct 14 
3rd Floor, Suite 200, DoubleTree Hotel

Presented in partnership with MusicOntario

You're an artist, you're a brand, you're a human, and a band; what lines are being blurred, and how do we define boundaries to preserve a healthy work/life balance? The speakers in this session will lead a discussion examining how artists' lives and priorities have shifted during the pandemic, and if there are lessons we can take with us as we recover. 

Panelists: 
Mélanie Brulée, Ottawa Music Industry Coalition - Moderator
Tara Shannon, Willow Sound Records
Joni Nehrita, Artist
Anna Ruddick, Unison Benevolent Fund
Cindy Doire, Artist, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

12:30-1:30PM, Saturday, Oct 15
2nd Floor, Windsor Club, DoubleTree Hotel

Folk as a genre gets defined and redefined at every turn, so who is driving folk forward? This session will be a discussion of how we can leave folk tropes in our dust, and map the paths to brighter folk futures. 

Panelists: 
Treasa Levasseur, Folk Alliance International - Moderator
Chris White, Host, Canadian Spaces, CKCU
Morgan Toney, Artist
Janice Jo Lee, Artist
Rosalyn Dennett, Folk Music Ontario

1:30-2:30PM, Saturday, Oct 15 
3rd Floor, Suite 200, DoubleTree Hotel

You have a new album. Cool story, bud, but that alone won't cut through the noise and get the attention of radio and media. Our panelists will work with participants in an interactive session to root out authentic and compelling stories, and how artists can use their personal stories in various mediums to catch the eyes of industry and fans. 

Panelists: 
Hilary Saunders, Editor, No Depression - Moderator
Sarah Greene, TRANZAC Club 
Anne Marie Brugger, Writer, Radio Host 
David McPherson, Writer

2:30-3:30PM, Saturday, Oct 15   
2nd Floor, Windsor Club, DoubleTree Hotel

Presented in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Musicians

Artists have been hanging up their instruments and getting day jobs in response to the precariousness of employment in the music industry, which reached its peak during the height of the pandemic. Is there another way forward? Can musicians expect to earn a living wage in today's gig economy? Our speakers will discuss with participants what kinds of collective actions are needed to create security and solidarity amongst live music workers. 

Panelists: 
Candace Shaw, Secret Frequency - Moderator
Arthur MacGregor, AFM Local 1000, Upper Canada Folk Fest
Liana White, Canadian Federation of Musicians
Stefanie Purificati, APA 
Emy Stancheva, MusicOntario, CIMA

3:30-4:30PM, Saturday, Oct 15 
3rd Floor, Suite 400, DoubleTree Hotel 

Presented in partnership with ADVANCE, Canada's Black Music Business Collective

There is a need to promote greater awareness of the diversity of music by black folk artists. There is a need to increase opportunities for Black Folk artists to collaborate, increase their skills, network and encourage each other. There is a need for strategies to encourage and support more mentorships between emerging and established Black Folk artists. Many Black Folk artists would be interested in working with managers, agents and promoters but do not know where to find them, or how to structure and manage professional relationships of that nature.  

Panelists:  
Angelique Francis, Moderator 
Zainab Muse, Author and Filmmaker
Daniel Bellegarde, Artist 
Joni NehRita, Artist

11-12AM, Sunday, Oct 16  
3rd Floor, Suite 300, DoubleTree Hotel

Presented in partnership with SOCAN

SOCAN is excited to once again present an interactive songwriting “Masterclass” workshop at the 2022 Folk Music Ontario Conference on the process of songwriting. Host, Dan Mangan, will lead the group through the process of songwriting (including co-writing, structure, writing within and out of the folk genre, finding inspiration, etc.), allowing participants to gain valuable insight into the craft of writing a good song. This workshop is part of SOCAN’s A&R strategy in craft development created in effort to help members improve their songwriting and reach new heights in their careers. 

Panelists: 
Dan Mangan, Artist
Cameron Kennedy, SOCAN

FRIDAY PEER SESSIONS
All Sessions in Suite 400, 3rd Floor, DoubleTree Hotel

11:30AM-12:30PM - Peer Sessions - Indigenous Artists and Industry Workers

2:30-3:30PM - Peer Sessions - Francophone Artists and Industry Workers

4-5PM - LOCAL 1000 Meetup

SATURDAY PEER SESSIONS
All Sessions in Suite 400, 3rd Floor, DoubleTree Hotel*

10AM-11AM - Peer Session House Concert Presenters

11AM-12PM - Peer Session - Music Managers Meetup, Presented by Music Managers Forum (*taking place in the Prime Minister's Suite, on the 22nd)

11:30AM-12:30PM - Peer Sessions - 2SLGBTQ+ Artists and Industry Workers

1-2PM - Peer Sessions - Concert Presenters

2:15-3:15PM - Peer Sessions - Agents

4:30-5PM - Peer Sessions - Black Artists and Industry Workers