CLMA urges government to prioritise Canadian acts

The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) is appealing to the country’s government to create more opportunities for domestic artists to perform at home.

In an open letter, the trade body references the current global instability, saying the world is “witnessing seismic shifts in political climates, social tensions, growing concerns over safety, and dramatically escalating costs of living”.

Moreover, it warns that Canadian artists are “caught in the crosshairs” relating to touring complications.

“Every day brings another headline of an artist cancelling a US tour, tough decisions that trigger a cascade of lost opportunities for career development and revenue generation (for artists, their teams, musicians, and crew) that help to sustain livelihoods and families,” says the CLMA.

“Touring and live performance fees, along with sale of merchandise at shows, can equal – or exceed – upwards of 75% of an artist’s annual income. Any reduction in live performance will have an immediate and catastrophic impact on an artist’s ability to earn a living. If swift action isn’t taken, we will watch our artists work and earn less.

“To counteract this, some may choose to leave the business entirely. Others may decide to permanently relocate to Europe or other artist-friendly countries, exacerbating our cultural brain drain.”

The CLMA is calling on the government to make an “immediate investment” to increase the number of performance opportunities available for Canadian artists through programming support to Canadian venues, festivals and promoters.

“We can build a future where Canada is not only a home for all Canadian artists but also a growing destination for international talent”

It is also encouraging support for international marketplace activities on Canadian soil such as conferences, award shows and showcases.

“As dire as this moment is, we have the chance, right now, to reimagine Canadian opportunities – to become as competitive with, and as desirable to, the US – to leverage the growing global music tourism industry, and to protect our treasured artists,” it continues.

“An expedited coordinated effort will help to offset and minimise lost or cancelled performance revenues. In doing so, we should also recognise that we have a generational opportunity, right in front of us, to position Canada as a global music hub — a place where artists from around the world will come to succeed.

“With quick action, we can build a future where Canada is not only a home for all Canadian artists but also a growing destination for international talent. We can offer a safe, thriving environment for musicians from every corner of the globe, while helping to cultivate a vibrant cultural ecosystem that will attract worldwide audiences and elevate Canada’s standing in the global music scene.”

Back in February, the Ottawa-based CLMA released the findings of its economic impact study Here and Now: understanding the economic power and potential of Canada’s live music industry. The benchmark report found that the country’s live music industry supports more than 100,000 jobs and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

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