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Folk Alliance Holding Virtual Conference in February
In place of an in-person conference this year , Folk Alliance International ( FAI ) is hosting Folk Unlocked , a four-day virtual event for the international folk and roots music community from Feb . 22-25 , 2021 . Like the annual FAI Conference , the online event will offer panels , workshops , showcases , affinity and peer group meetings , exhibit spaces , networking , and mentorship .
“ We are unlocking the doors and windows of the house of folk to be as broad and inclusive as possible , inviting those who have been loyally attending Folk Alliance International conferences for years while aiming to reach folk musicians and professionals who have never benefited from or attended FAI before ,” the organization says . “ We hope to push the boundaries of what our community can achieve with technology , and though this means not every aspect of our typical annual conference will be able to exist in this format , we ’ re excited for this opportunity to initiate a new way of connection .”
Programming will be interactive , whether live-streamed or pre-recorded , and recordings will be available for later viewing , allowing folks from around the globe to tune in when they can .
In order for Folk Unlocked to be accessible to everyone during this difficult year , FAI has instituted a pay-what-you-can pricing structure . All registration prices provide the same level of access . Registration is valued at $ 150 USD and there are three other registration tiers : $ 75 , $ 25 , and free . Those who are able to pay full price will offset the cost to help folks attend who would not have been able to .
For more information , go to www . folk . org / unlocked .
18 CANADIAN MUSICIAN
50 th Juno Awards Moved from March to May in Toronto
CARAS has announced that the 50 th annual Juno Awards , which were originally scheduled for March 2021 , will now be broadcast nationally on Sunday , May 16 th across CBC Music platforms from Toronto . There was no announcement about if , or in what format , the rest of the Juno Week events will be held .
CARAS also unveiled three new Juno Award statuettes inspired by the late Shirley Elford ’ s individually-crafted trophies that were awarded between 2000-2010 . To commemorate its 50 th anniversary , a gold version will be awarded to Juno Award winners , a silver version for Special Award recipients , and a gold and silver version ( pictured above ) for Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees .
“ It ’ s been a decade since the Junos returned to Toronto and while this 50 th anniversary celebration is certainly going to be different , we still intend on celebrating all of the artists who unite our country through their music ,” says Allan Reid , president and CEO of CARAS , the Juno Awards , and MusiCounts . “ The impact of the pandemic has brought exceptional challenges , especially to our artist community , but even through these challenging times our artists are resilient , and CARAS is here to recognize their achievements .”
“ Our government is proud to support CARAS with a $ 1-million investment and excited to welcome the Juno Awards back to Ontario in 2021 ,” adds Lisa MacLeod , Ontario ’ s minister of heritage , sport , tourism , and culture industries . “ This investment will ensure we will be able to safely celebrate this incredible 50-year milestone as we adapt to deliver this program safely .”
To mark the Juno Awards ’ 50 th anniversary , Canadian music education charity MusiCounts will be awarding $ 1.5-million worth of instruments and equipment to schools and community organizations across Canada through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program and TD Community Music Program .
For more information , go to www . junoawards . ca .
Submissions Open for International Songwriters Day Song Contest
The second annual International Songwriters Day Song Contest is looking for “ songs of inspiration ” and is open to writers all around the world , from all levels of experience . Contest is now open and runs until April 2 , 2021 .
This year ’ s theme is “ inspiration ” and organizers are looking for songs that inspire (“ think new beginnings , second chances , starting over ”). They can be ballads but they should have an element of hope or redemption in the storyline , to fit the theme . Production and performance aren ’ t a consideration . Judges will be focusing on originality , melody , and lyrics .
This year there is an Indie Music Video category , which is open to any artist / band who is not signed to a major label .
The prizes include radio promotional opportunities , song pitch opportunities , and educational songwriting resources .
For more information , go to www . internationalsongwritersday . com .
Second Annual ‘ Women ’ s Freedom Song Contest ’ Now Accepting Submissions
The second year of the Women ’ s Freedom Song Contest is accepting entries starting until March 1 , 2021 .
“ If the song celebrates the power of a woman in one ( or all ) aspects of her glory , send it in ,” the organizers say . They are not looking for production and performance as originality , melody , and lyrics are the main judging criteria .
This year there are two video categories . Artists are welcome to submit an “ indie ” music video with a “ female theme ,” and a documentary short under 10 minutes that deals with female-related issues .
Winners will be announced on International Women ’ s Day — March 8 , 2021 . The prizes include radio promotional opportunities , song pitch opportunities , and educational songwriting resources . For more information , go to www . womensfreedomsong . com .