The Alberta government is set to establish an Alberta Music Commission aimed at championing the province's music sector, promoting music tourism, and helping local musicians thrive within Alberta. The announcement was made by Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, during a news conference at the National Music Centre in Calgary on Thursday.
Music Commission Modelled After Film Commission
The new commission will be modelled after Alberta's Film Commission and will focus on supporting music organizations, individual artists, and related businesses. Fir emphasized the need for a commissioner with strong industry experience, familiarity with the music sector from large organizations to independent artists, and an understanding of cross-sector collaboration. While no start date has been set, the job posting is expected within the next few weeks.
Alberta Music Action Plan Unveiled
The commission is central to the Alberta Music Action Plan, developed in partnership with advocacy group West Anthem. This plan, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada, involved studying music sectors in Calgary, Edmonton, and rural Alberta, with input from 20 industry representatives. The announcement featured performances by Alberta artists including John Wort Hannam, Morgan Klaiber, Sargeant X Comrade, and The Daniel Pelton Collective.
The plan outlines broad goals, such as communicating the economic impact of the music sector to municipalities and Albertans, upgrading data collection on performance measures, reviewing provincial funding, helping artists access live venues and rehearsal spaces, and creating a directory of venues for music professionals.
Diversity and Cross-Sector Collaboration
Measures to strengthen diversity and representation include increasing access to the Women in Technical and Applied Arts Scholarship Program and partnering with the federal Indigenous Music Office to support Indigenous musicians. The plan also recommends partnerships between the music sector and film, television, and tourism industries. Many of these recommendations were previously suggested by West Anthem in 2024, following a decade of research and advocacy.
The music commissioner will work similarly to the film commissioner, driving new investment and boosting music tourism while directly assisting artists and organizations.
