WOMEN IN MUSIC SASKATCHEWAN PLAYLIST

We put together a playlist to celebrate Saskatchewan women working in music as part of our International Women's Day celebrations, give it a listen!
Check it out on our SPOTIFY or YOUTUBE channels.

THIS SUNDAY IN SASKATOON - FREE!

Sunday, March 12
The Refinery Arts and Spirit Centre (609 Dufferin Ave, Saskatoon)

Daytime: doors 12:30pm, educational events 1:00-5:00pm
Evening: networking/song share 7:00-9:30pm

Please click here to Register to help us get an idea of numbers ahead of time.

Please join SaskMusic for a free afternoon of learning and connecting in celebration of women in music. We’ll dive into grants and funding supports available for artists, the world of exporting your music and showcase opportunities, mental health & wellness for musicians and more! 

Then join us back at the Refinery for an evening of networking, collaboration and song. We'll be joined by guest artists to lead off the song-sharing for a casual, supportive open mic, "in-the-round" style. Bring a song to share and your guitar/keyboard, or just come to listen and visit. 

Everyone is welcome to attend. This event will prioritize the voices and experiences of women and gender-diverse individuals who wish to participate in discussions and the song share. This is an all-ages event.

Educational events

Doors open 12:30pm

	1:00pm Demystifying Grants Join Lindsay Knight (Eekwol), who will lead us through a deep dive into her career and highlight the ways she has accessed funding to support her own artistic projects. From her time spent working at SK Arts, to her soon-to-be-released Canada Council-supported album, Lindsay will be helping to answer your questions. Eekwol (Lindsay Knight) is an award-winning hip hop performing artist living in Saskatoon, Treaty Six Territory, originally from Muskoday First Nation. Eekwol has been making music for many years.  Her 5th full-length album titled, Good Kill was released in 2017 and the single,”Pitiful feat. 2oolman” made it to the #1 spot on the National Aboriginal Music Countdown and charted in Sirius Radio and numerous college and community stations and streaming site playlists. For 2019, she successfully received a Canada Council grant and completed a concept project with fellow lyricist, T-Rhyme titled, For Women By Women. She is currently working on a new album funded by the Canada Council for the Arts to be released in the Spring of 2023 Eekwol uses her music and words to spread messages of resistance, revolution and keeping the language, land and culture alive for the next generations. Through her original sound she displays her activist roots by living and creating as a supporter of both Hip Hop and Indigenous culture and rights. She is currently working towards her PhD Degree at University of Saskatchewan, which she has taken along with her many years of dedication to hip hop and created something unique and astounding to give back to the community. Along with motherhood, music and academic work, Eekwol frequently works with young people across the country as a mentor and helper. She achieves this through performances, workshops, speaking events, conferences and programs.
	2:00pm Mental Health and Wellness for Musicians Erin Redekop from Oaks Mental Health will present a 1-hour panel on mental health & wellness including tips and exercises geared toward those in the music industry. We will touch on the basics of mental health, as well as strategies for self-care specific to musicians. Based out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Oaks Mental Health offers training to organizations and individuals across Canada. We are passionate about equipping helping professionals to be skilled and compassionate in supporting peoples’ mental health.
	3:00pm Exporting Your Music Nevada Eaglespeaker (The North Sound) and Emilie Lebel (eemi/Beau Nectar) will discuss their experiences participating in export showcase opportunities, and break down the goals and planning that go into maximizing these experiences. SaskMusic’s Lorena Kelly will join the discussion to shed light on how SaskMusic can support your goals of exporting. Country roots rocker Nevada Eaglespeaker is a vocalist and multidisciplinary artist based out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Treaty 6 Territory. Making up one half of the award winning duo The North Sound, Nevada brings her "tight and crisp harmonies" to the "family band with a big heart." Nevada has toured festivals, concert halls, and showcases across Canada and the United States accompanying various Saskatchewan based acts. As a session vocalist Nevada has recorded on albums in Nashville, Toronto, Calgary, & Saskatoon. Expect to see Nevada on stages across the continent this year with The North Sound supporting their upcoming album release éemi (pronounced emmy) is a bilingual singer-songwriter from Saskatchewan. The Fransaskoise musician sets herself apart with her rich and powerful voice, minimalist lyricism and electro-folk tone. Her lyrics, though poetic and dark, play in contrast with her sense of humour. éemi released her first EP 'Honey' in April 2020 with her solo project, and is now working on her new duo project Beau Nectar with Franco-Ontarian artist Marie-Clo. The duo delivers intimate, vibrant and surreal synth pop with lyrics that spark their fans' empathy towards nature. They've had a whirlwind year, doing residencies at the National Arts Centre, the Banff Arts Centre and a market-adaptation residency with Christian Bordarier in the south of France. They recently signed with Montreal label Indica Records and are set to release their first album Two Lips, produced by Jace Lasek (who produced Besnard Lakes, Wolf Parade, Patrick Watson etc.) in May 2023. Though éemi is focusing on Beau Nectar, she still loves to perform intimate concerts and collaborate with as many artists as she can!
	4:00 Who Am I? Perfecting Your Artist Brand Fiyin Obayan of Okiki Consulting will empower attendees to harness the power of their brand, diving deep into marketing and video content strategies in order to communicate to their target audience and build their fan base. Okiki Consulting empowers entrepreneurs to present their personal brands virtually: Video content strategies in order to communicate to their target audience and increase their inbound leads. OKIKI Def'n: a Yoruba word from the western part of Nigeria meaning fame, prestige, and RENOWN. Fiyin Obayan is a Gospel, Jazz  and R&B artist. Her first dose of professional performing arts training, came from the Canadian college of performing arts in Victoria, British Columbia, where she performed in the musicals "footloose", and " crazy for you" and a solo " daddy's son" with the Victoria symphony. Upon finishing her certificate, she returned to Saskatoon to complete a major in marketing and a minor in jazz music, in which she has had several opportunities to perform with the jazz band. She had her debut full performance at the Nutrien stage, at the Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival on June 24, 2018 and this past summer in the Maurice Drouin lounge. She was also awarded a grant from SK Arts to record a demo with producer t-bone (Brent Blazieko) and Juno award winning sound engineer Bart Mackay in September 2018. Her favourite styles to listen to are gospel, jazz, folk and electronica and in her music you will hear influences of Mary Mary, Ella Fitzgerald, Nikki Yanofsky, Beyonce, Janelle Monae, Relient K, Coldplay and Esperanza Spalding.

Break

7:00pm Doors open/networking time

Cash bar service will be provided by the Refinery for the evening. Free non-alcoholic beverages and munchies will be provided.

7:30pm Song Circle-Song Share

Guest artists will kick off a songwriter in-the-round style open mic. If you'd like to share a song with us, we'll add your name to the hat to draw for sharing order as we go around the circle. Please bring your own guitar or keyboard. There will be vocal mics and DIs available.

MARCH 21 IN REGINA

Tuesday March 21, 7-9:30pm
The Club (The Exchange, 2431 8th Ave, Regina)

Join us in the evening of networking, collaboration and song. We'll be joined by guest artists to lead off the song-sharing for a casual, supportive open mic, "in-the-round" style. Bring a song to share and your guitar/keyboard, or just come to listen and visit.

A cash bar will be available, and free non-alcoholic beverages and munchies will be provided.

We thank FACTOR Canada and Creative Saskatchewan for their support of these events.

Next URSU Open Mic, Regina: MARCH 16

The University of Regina Students' Union and SaskMusic will present our next Open Mic night March 16 at the Lazy Owl, U of R main campus, from 7pm. This event has been building each time, showing off some fantastic talents and artists so come down to perform or hear some emerging local talent. Great opportunity to get some stage experience and meet others in the music community. Free admission. The featured artist performing this month is Brian Mendoza.

Signup to perform: https://ursu.campusgroups.com/ursu/rsvp_boot?id=820

Are you an arts contractor? Take this quick, 1 minute survey!

Edith Rattary is busy writing an essay series for the SAA about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on contractors in the creative sectors, precariousness in the sector, and the experience of working as a freelance employee in the sector. 

Share your voice if you exhibit as an artist, facilitate residencies, teach, are a freelance arts admin, curator, preparator, grant writer, or do any arts-based contract work (often or occasionally)! 

Take the Survey

Film/TV Composer Registry

We are looking to renew our list of film composers in the province who are available to work to spec. This will allow us to quickly provide accurate information to productions looking to hire Sask talent for film, TV, or commercial scoring usages.

Please get in touch with us at info@saskmusic.org with your current resume, types of projects you are currently looking for/availability, weblinks and contact information. You are welcome to post this same information publicly in the Saskatchewan Music Directory by logging in to your profile or creating a free basic profile (under Join) at www.saskmusic.org.

This is an ongoing call.

New music workshops and webinars are constantly being added at www.saskmusic.org/workshops! Check out more upcoming offerings at the link.

Our Opportunities page is continually updated as we hear of things.
Bookmark it for future reference!

Upcoming Export Events

The Garrys Selected for New Colossus 2023
March 8-13/2023, New York NY

The 2023 edition of NYC's New Colossus Festival runs March 8-13 at venues all over the East Village and the Lower East Side, including Mercury Lounge, Berlin Under A, Arlene’s Grocery, Bowery Ballroom, Bowery Electric, Heaven Can Wait, Pianos, and more. Happening just before SXSW, the festival catches artists from all over the world on their way to Austin and was designed to have the same flavour that CMJ had, so you can hop from venue to venue each night.

Among the artists selected by New Colossus for performances are The Garrys. In addition to their official selection spot, SaskMusic will be partnering with the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) and M for Montreal to present a networking event and full evening of showcases by Canadian artists, including The Garrys, at Arlene’s + Pianos on Thursday March 9. Stay tuned for updates.

The Garrys, SaskMusic at SXSW
March 13-18, 2023, Austin TX

Congratulations to The Garrys, selected for an official showcase at this year's SXSW. SaskMusic will be attending and presenting events with our Canadian partners at this year's event. Stay tuned for further details.

Showcase times so far:

• March 15: The Garrys at Swan Dive Patio, presented in partnership with BreakOut West

The SXSW Music Festival brings together artists, industry professionals, and music lovers from around the world to make connections, elevate their careers, and celebrate the magic of live music – from legendary performers to the most exciting new talent.

New, developing, and established Showcasing Artists enhance their careers by reaching new audiences and attendees at the SXSW Music Festival each year. Showcases are curated by South By Southwest® in collaboration with record labels, booking agencies, management and PR firms, export offices, publishers, media outlets, lifestyle brands, festivals, and more.

SaskMusic thanks Creative Saskatchewan for their support of this project.

SaskMusic and Artists at The Great Escape
May 10-13/2023, Brighton UK

Congratulations to Ellen Froese and Katie Tupper on their official showcase selections at The Great Escape 2023. SaskMusic will be on hand networking and presenting additional opportunities for the artists at and around TGE. More details to come.

The Great Escape is the festival for new music, showcasing 500 emerging artists from all over the world in 30+ walkable venues across the city and a pop-up festival site on Brighton Beach. It’s the first place to discover your new favourite artist and see them in an intimate setting before they go on to headline major festival stages.

TGE is also attended by the music industry who are on the hunt for the next big thing. A conference runs alongside the gigs featuring insightful panels, topical debates, keynote speeches and networking opportunities in abundance.

The Alternative Escape, Spotlight Shows, secret gigs, club nights and spontaneous collaborations all add to the festivities and make this weekend in Brighton one not to miss.

SaskMusic thanks Creative Saskatchewan for their support of this project.

Sask Artists at Focus Wales 2023
May 4-6/23, Wrexham Wales

"With 300+ live performances, the festival showcases the very best new talent emerging from the nation alongside established names and a selection of exciting international acts."

Ellen Froese and Grimelda are among the dozen Canadian artists thus far announced as official performers at Focus Wales 2023.

Awarded ‘Best Festival for Emerging Talent’ - UK Festival Awards
‘One of the most vital showcase events in the UK’ - Under The Radar

FOCUS Wales is a not-for-profit organization, established to provide the annual new music showcase event for the Welsh Music Industry. Their core work centers around the delivery of an international multi-venue showcase festival taking place in Wrexham each year, which places the music industry spotlight firmly on the emerging talent that Wales has to offer the world, alongside a selection of the best new acts from across the globe. FOCUS Wales 2023 will mark the festival’s 12th edition, welcoming over 20,000 people to the town, building upon 2022′s record attendance across a jam-packed weekend of events. There’s no place like Wrexham during FOCUS Wales, as they showcase 250+ artists from across the world, fill out a variety of spaces and music venues, using 20 stages, and hosting a full schedule of interactive industry sessions, arts events, and film screenings, throughout the festival. In addition to the delivery of the FOCUS Wales festival, they also deliver a number of international FOCUS Wales events throughout the year.

At this time SaskMusic is not planning to attend/present at Focus Wales 2023.

New Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association

SaskMusic offers big congratulations to the founders and board of the new Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association, announced January 26 via a press event.

"The Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association (S.I.M.A.) is a non-profit organization that supports, promotes and advocates for Saskatchewan-based Indigenous artists, groups, and music. We are made up of individuals from across Saskatchewan, with a wealth of diverse and valuable experiences with the music industry. We are committed to raising the profile of Indigenous music in Saskatchewan and making continual improvement to the music community for Indigenous artists, groups, and music. We recognize all genres of music and strive towards supporting all Indigenous artists, groups, and music to achieve success."

Read the full press release here

Featured Singles/Videos: https://saskmusic.wufoo.com/forms/p1b5aft60baybgl/

Submit Albums/News: https://saskmusic.wufoo.com/forms/p1j5txnh11l7bht/

Have you recently released or will soon be releasing an official single, music video, or album, in any genre? Have some exciting music news to share? We want to know what you've got going on! Even if we follow your socials, we (and media outlets) don't see, or catch everything you post about. Please let us know your release date and/or other activities. Just follow the links above!

Musician Seeking Gigs?

The Saskatchewan Music Directory provides listings of freelance players available for live shows and studio recordings, and is our main referral point to those who call looking to hire musicians/singers. We want to know about you! Visit www.saskmusic.org to login to your existing account, or to join (free 'subscriber' option available) and add your listings. (Sask-based players only.)

The more information the better! Remember to include your specific instrument, styles you specialize in/techniques (ie fingerstyle, rhythm, lead), location, description of experience, and links to videos/examples if available for best results. You can create multiple listings with different descriptions if you play multiple instruments! Think about what people would want to know before reaching out to a player, and include that information in your entry.

• Alvvays Spring Tour, March 9, 2023, Coors Event Centre
• OSAC - Over The Moon, March 9, 2023, St. Stephen's United Church - Hudson Bay
• The Fat Badger Presents: Crosby Harle Band!, March 9, 2023, The Fat Badger
• The Real McKenzies w/ The Anti-Queens, March 10, 2023, Amigos
• Old Dominion - No Bad Vibes Tour!, March 10, 2023, Brandt Centre
• The People - Show, March 10, 2023, O'Hanlon's Irish Pub
• OSAC - Over The Moon, March 10, 2023, Melville Community Works
• The Fat Badger Presents: Kelten Chyz, March 10, 2023, The Fat Badger
• Ecobash Fundraiser w/ Boomlag, Chesterfield, Landfall & Pink Perry!, March 10, 2023, Louis' Pub
• Jackie K and Friends - 'She's A Story' Album Release, March 10, 2023, Somewhere Else Pub and Grill
• Guys and Dolls - The Musical!, March 10, 2023, George Layh Theatre
• The Residuals live at the Craven Motor Inn, March 11, 2023, Craven Motor Inn
• The SJO Presents: Rhapsody in Blue, March 11, 2023, Broadway Theatre
• OSAC - Ballet Jorgen - Cinderella , March 11, 2023, Moose Jaw Cultural Centre/Mae Wilson Theatre
• OSAC - Over The Moon, March 11, 2023, Kipling Community Centre
• A Jazz Rock Fusion Night With Carl Mayotte // Une Soirée Jazz Rock Fusion Avec Carl Mayotte in quintet formula!, March 11, 2023, Artesian on 13th
• OSAC - Over The Moon, March 12, 2023, Prince of Wales Cultural & Recreation Centre
• OSAC - Poltava Ensemble of Song, Music and Dance, March 12, 2023, Estevan Comprehensive High School
• Cecilian Chamber Series: Tesla Quartet w/ David Kaplan, March 12, 2023, Darke Hall
• Women in Music Saskatchewan Mini Summit and Song Share, March 12, 2023, Refinery Arts & Spirit Centre (The)
• Sloan “Steady Tour”, March 13, 2023, Amigos
• Bushwakker Presents: The U of R Jazz Band!, March 13, 2023, Bushwakkers
• OSAC - Ballet Jorgen - Cinderella , March 15, 2023, Event Centre
• Broadway Theatre Presents: Nostalgia!, March 15, 2023, Broadway Theatre
• Bushwakker Presents: Mitchell Makoons Duo!, March 15, 2023, Bushwakkers
• OSAC - American Rock Legends, March 16, 2023, The Cugnet Centre
• Andy Shauf: NORM Live, March 16, 2023, TCU Place (Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium & Convention Centre)
• The Fat Badger Presents: Casey Stone & Dan Silljer, March 16, 2023, The Fat Badger
• The Station Arts Presents: A Live & Local St. Patrick's Social, March 16, 2023, Station Arts Centre
• Jackie K and Friends - CD Release Party!, March 17, 2023, North Battleford Basement of the Legion
• OSAC - Ballet Jorgen - Cinderella , March 17, 2023, EA Rawlinson Centre for the Arts
• JJ Voss - Roots Rust N' Roads 2023, March 17, 2023, Chocolate Bean Cafe & Flowers on Main
• Adam Johnson In Warman!, March 17, 2023, The Cork And Kettle
• Bear Claw Casino Presents: The Tilted Kilts!, March 17, 2023, Bear Claw Casino
• The Fat Badger Presents: Jay Ford!, March 17, 2023, The Fat Badger
• St. Patty's Day with Jackie K and her All-Star Band!, March 17, 2023, North Battleford Legion
• Bushwakker Presents: The Biggest St. Patrick's Day Party -- EVER!, March 17, 2023, Bushwakkers
• The Residuals celebrate St. Patrick's day at the Thirsty Scholar, March 17, 2023, The Thirsty Scholar
• Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra: Disney's Frozen - In Concert Live to Film, March 18, 2023, TCU Place (Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium & Convention Centre)
• Krash w/ Bone Crate!, March 18, 2023, The Spice Trail Restaurant
• Healthcare Rocks featuring Hells Bells!, March 18, 2023, Moose Jaw Cultural Centre/Mae Wilson Theatre
• GIMMIE GIMMIE DISCO, March 18, 2023, Coors Event Centre
• Coors Event Centre Presents: Gimme Gimme Disco!, March 18, 2023, Coors Event Centre
• OSAC - Motus O - The Prisoner of Tehran, March 20, 2023, Vic Juba Community Theatre, Lakeland College
• The Johner Brothers Tour!, March 20, 2023,
• Primordial Transit Equinox Show w/ Adam Clouthier!, March 20, 2023, St. Andrew's College
• Bushwakker Presents: A Storry With Hughes!, March 20, 2023, Bushwakkers
• Tri-Community Celebration!, March 20, 2023, Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre
• OSAC - Motus O - The Prisoner of Tehran, March 22, 2023, Station Arts Centre Cooperative
• Louisiana Hayride Show, March 22, 2023, Moose Jaw Cultural Centre/Mae Wilson Theatre
• Bushwakker Presents: Brad Papp & Melissa Mannett!, March 22, 2023, Bushwakkers