SaskMusic

The Western Canadian Music Alliance (WCMA) capped off BreakOut West 2017 in Edmonton with the announcement that next year's event will take place in Kelowna, BC. The 16th annual conference, showcase festival and awards celebration will bring together artists, industry professionals, and the music loving community of Kelowna for a 4-day takeover of live performances, business opportunities, career development, and camaraderie from October 10-14, 2018. For more information as the event develops and for year-round opportunities supported by BreakOut West, visit www.BreakOutWest.ca

BreakOut West was last hosted in Kelowna in 2010, when famed Kelowna grown rockers The Grapes of Wrath were inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame. It was also the first year the annual WCMA event was renamed BreakOut West, and has seen much change and growth in the past seven years. The 2018 event will include a 3-night music festival of new talent from Western Canada, a 4-day career development conference and international industry program, awards programs honouring the best of Western Canada's artists and industry, and much more.

The Kelowna host committee and Kelowna community are excited to see the event return to the Okanagan area to showcase what the city has to offer, "Our host committee, made up of an amazing individuals interested in the music sector development in our community, is very excited to be welcoming the BreakOut West suite of events to our city next year! We know the event will drive economic impact through tourism and music industry development as well as being a super fun time for all that attend, local and visitors!" says Karma Lacoff, Host Committee Chair.

The potential impact of BreakOut West is measurable on several levels, "The performance and production of music in British Columbia is both culturally and economically valuable at the local level," said Prem Gill, CEO of Creative BC. "Through support of the BC Music Fund, the city of Kelowna will host BC, Canadian and international music industry professionals at BreakOut West, creating a forum for business while providing music lovers a fantastic festival experience."

"Tourism Kelowna is proud to support Kelowna's successful bid for BreakOut West 2018," said Harvey Hubball, Sport and Event Sales Manager with Tourism Kelowna. "Our city is a proven host of many concerts and events, including BreakOut West in 2010, and we're looking forward to the event returning. The event will bring artists from across Western Canada as well as national and international delegates to our beautiful destination, all of who will have a positive economic impact on Kelowna's tour operators, accommodations and local businesses."

BreakOut West Executive Director, Robyn Stewart concludes, "Kelowna is a perfect fit for BreakOut West. We are happy to be heading West to Kelowna and are honoured with the excitement that is already growing in the Host Committee and the community. We look forward to working with community partners to combine this beautiful destination and the incredible talent coming out of Western Canada."

BreakOut West and the Kelowna Host Committee will host a community open house at 11:15am on Wednesday, November 29th at Milkcrate Records (Lawrence Avenue, Kelowna) to share more about the event to come and to meet with Kelowna businesses interested in being part of the festivities. If you are interested in getting involved, come down to this session, or reach out to BreakOut West at mailto:info@breakoutwest.cominfo@breakoutwest.com.

Submissions for BreakOut West Festival and Western Canadian Music Awards will open in January 2018 at www.BreakOutWest.ca. Watch for workshop sessions to support Kelowna and area artists applying to showcase, coming in early 2018.

About BreakOut West:

BreakOut West is an annual gathering to celebrate, develop and support the best of western Canadian music, taking place this year in Edmonton, AB from September 13-17, 2017. Western Canadian artists are developing sustainable careers of national and international scope, and BreakOut West is an integral component of this development. Through the annual conference and festival, industry from around the world and western Canadian artists are given the opportunity to discover, educate, network and grow. The event consists of the BreakOut West Festival; showcasing the talent contained in the "left half" of Canada and delivering Western Canadian Music Awards to honoured nominees, and the Conference itself with educational panels, networking events, and so much more.