The Aboriginal Music Summit Report

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The Manitoba Audio Recording Industry Association (MARIA) is pleased to release the Aboriginal Music Summit Report, which documents the collective wisdom of 24 Aboriginal artists, label owners, producers, managers, and representatives from support organizations, music award shows, funding agencies, and radio stations.

The report is intended to inform and support the development of existing and future resources and programs specific to Aboriginal people working in the music industry.

The report includes 22 main points identified by the 24 delegates at the Aboriginal Music Summit on September 14, 2007. These points fall under the following themes:

• Increased awareness and communication among artists, industry, funders, and support organizations.

• Market research on how to successfully market Aboriginal music to Aboriginal, mainstream domestic, and international audiences.

• Developing excellent and culturally sensitive music industry service providers.

• Professional development for Aboriginal artists and artist managers.

• Flexible support programs, with interaction among agencies and between these agencies and the private sector.

The Aboriginal Music Summit was a day long meeting hosted by MARIA’s Aboriginal Music Program at the Circle of Life Thunderbird House in Winnipeg.

The principal goal of the Summit was to create a beginning – to acknowledge the important work that has already been done and to begin a process of collaboration.

The delegates were:
Marty Ballentyne, artist
Ray St. Germain, artist
ShoShona Kish, artist (DiggingRoots)
Stevie Salas, artist
Wayne Lavallee, artist
Heather Ostertag, Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings
Gerri Trimble, Canada Council for the Arts
The Honorable Eric Robinson, Minister of Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport
Mike Benson, Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport
David Dandeneau, Manitoba Film and Sound
Lisa Meeches, Eagle Vision Productions
Vince Fontaine, Rising Sun Productions
Brandon Friesen, Arbor Records
Jesse Green, Strongfront Records
Curtis Jonnie, National Aboriginal Recording Industry Association
Sam Baardman, MARIA
Alan Greyeyes, MARIA
Harmony Rice, Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts
Cate Friesen, CBC Radio
David McLeod, Native Communications Inc.
Catherine Cornelius, Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards
Ron Robert, Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards
Errol Ranville, Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards
Derek McCorrister, Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards

The Summit was facilitated by Boivin Communications Inc. and the report was completed by MARIA.

The Aboriginal Music Summit was made possible by the financial support of Manitoba Culture, Heritage & Tourism and a contribution by MARIA through the Manitoba Music and Motion Pictures Development Project.

The Aboriginal Music Program would like to acknowledge the Canada Council for the Arts and the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings for their support of the Summit.

For a PDF copy of the Aboriginal Music Summit Report, please visit:
www.manitobamusic.com/files/File/Aboriginal-Music-Summit-Report.pdf.

For further information, please contact:

Alan Greyeyes
Aboriginal Music Program Coordinator
Manitoba Audio Recording Industry Association
1-376 Donald Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 2J2
P: 204.975.0284
F: 204.942.6083
E: alan@manitobamusic.com
www.aboriginalmusic.ca

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