Market Builder participants announced

Manitoba Music and the Canada Council for the Arts are proud to announce that seven artists and four  music entrepreneurs have been selected for the 2015 edition of the Market Builder Residency for Aboriginal Artists and Industry (Market Builder). The week-long project will include more than 40 hours of roundtable discussions, mentor sessions, and networking events with industry leaders in and around Toronto. The project begins on February 9th and ends on the 13th.

A jury of industry professionals reviewed all submissions and identified suitable artists based on their regional profile, the quality of their music, and the goals for the project that they articulated in their applications. Dedication to building a career in the music industry along with the successes of their clients were the main factors that lead to the selection of the music entrepreneurs.

The artists:
Amanda Rheaume (ON)
Christa Couture (ON)
Cris Derksen (ON)
Don Amero (MB)
Leela Gilday (NT)
Leonard Sumner (MB)
IsKwé (MB)

The industry:
Gary Joseph (ON)
Kim Wheeler (MB)
RoseAnna Schick (MB)
Thomas Crier (AB)

Market Builder is a pilot project that expands on the developmental programming delivered during seven editions of the Aboriginal Music Performers Camps (AMP Camp) and five export missions under the Native America North banner. It targets export ready Aboriginal artists along with Aboriginal music entrepreneurs for the very first time. 

Manitoba Music's Aboriginal Music Program was launched in 2004 to help First Nation, Inuit, and Métis people in Manitoba develop sustainable careers in music by connecting them with opportunities within Manitoba Music and beyond. Manitoba Music would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Province of Manitoba, Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Film & Music, and FACTOR through the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters.