MusiCounts, a music education charity associated with The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), along with the help of JUNO Award winning special guest singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett, celebrated the $10,000 Band Aid Grant awarded to Sackville High School. The event featured Plaskett, who talked about the importance of music education and performed for those in attendance. Performances were also given by the Sackville High School Concert Band, Jazz Band and Vocal Ensemble. (more…)

In an effort to recognize global reforestation needs, Vancouver-based Prestige Guitars is launching a reforestation initiative where a tree will be planted for every guitar manufactured.

“By launching our own reforestation initiative, we hope to do our part for the environment, and also persuade and motivate other companies in our industry to follow suit,” says Michael Kurkdjian, President of Prestige Guitars. “Although trees play an integral part in manufacturing a guitar, it’s frightening to imagine the state of our environment and our industry in the near future if we don’t start taking action now.”

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Musicians looking for an affordable benefits package including drug, health, and dental care coverage can now apply for The Arts & Entertainment Plan.

Fully launched on November 1, the plan, which is being offered exclusively to artists, provides a package that covers drug, health, and dental care. “The Actra Fraternal Benefit Society (AFBS) is based on the belief that artists require and deserve health, dental, and prescription drug coverage as much as anyone else,” says AFBS President and CEO Robert M. Underwood, “AFBS has been providing insurance to Canadian writers and performers for over 35 years, and is the only financial institution in Canada that is dedicated exclusively to the Canadian artistic community.” (more…)

On October 24, ole launched its Stop Corporate Music Piracy campaign with a full-page ad in the Ottawa Hill Times. At the same time a companion website www.protectcreativity.ca was unveiled and the message was delivered via posters to all 308 Canadian Members of Parliament.

According to ole, The Copyright Modernization Act – Bill C-11, will fail Canadians because it does nothing to stop the ISPs, search engines, advertisers, websites, and device manufacturers who profit from enabling music piracy. (more…)

The Radio Star National Talent Search (formerly the Radio Star National Songwriting Competition) is now underway. Through December 16th, Canada’s emerging new artists can submit their songs at www.radiostar.ca for a chance to win $10,000 in cash plus thousands worth in music equipment, services, and more.

For more than 18 years, the competition has been providing an opportunity to Canadian artists to be discovered by radio programmers, music publishers, industry executives, and audiences alike across Canada. The contest expands this year to (more…)