This hub offers an open, creative way for all voices to engage with ECMA’s strategic direction at their own pace. Insights collected here will inform future sessions and regional follow-ups in the ECMA Forward series.
ECMA Forward is a series of strategic engagement activities launching at the ECMA 2025 Conference. It reflects ECMA’s commitment to equity, innovation, inclusion, artist-industry collaboration, and strategic renewal. The series includes three interconnected experiences:
- Advancing EDIA in the East Coast Music Industry and Ecosystem – A panel on representation and equity.
- ECMA Forward Strategic Session – A 60-minute facilitated session that captures key strategic questions.
- ECMA Forward: The Beat Live – A 3-day interactive drop-in space for ideation and reflection.
Together, these experiences create a conference-long strategic journey, enabling delegates to share insights, shape vision, and co-create ECMA’s future direction.
Join us for facilitated Strategy Jam Sessions at The Beat Live with strategic planning coach Tara Lehman. These open, drop-in style discussions are designed to offer a relaxed atmosphere with open-ended conversations for members and ECMA stakeholders who prefer to engage verbally. Sessions will focus on topics such as values, goals and vision for ECMA. These community engagement sessions will each inform the ECMA strategic planning process.
Festivals and outdoor events can be amazing experiences at a range of size and scale: from intimate, scenic outdoor spaces to large gatherings of hundreds of thousands of people. Although the organizing can be incredibly rewarding, each comes with unique challenges and logistical considerations. Festival organizers want to host the best experience for attendees and artists while ensuring the safety of all parties involved and hopefully turn a profit. Considering budget, talent, location, weather, security, staging, vendors, ticketing, and much more, this panel will take a deep dive into what it takes to organize and grow a festival or outdoor event from the ground up, and how to mitigate challenges that arise at any stage of the planning.
Panelists: Panelists: Lisa La Rocca (Sonic Unyon), Tim Des Islets (Noisemaker Presents), Spencer Shewen (Riverfest Elora and Mariposa Folk Festival), Maria Escamilla (F7 Entertainment), Taylor Jack (Whitecap Entertainment), Lauren Down (End of the Road Festival) .
In today’s ever-evolving digital music landscape, a successful release is about more than just the music. It’s about preparation, marketing and media strategy and setting up the backend for long-term growth. Annie Cantin from Believe will take you through this fast-paced, info-packed workshop breaking down what actually moves the needle—whether you're an artist gearing up for your next release or planning for the future, this session will give you insights, tips and trends to watch in the world of digital music distribution.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
Located in the Governor Gower, the Member's Lounge is your space to unwind, network, and recharge. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and a bite to eat while you sit down and chat with fellow artists and industry professionals.
What’s in the Member’s Lounge:
- Refreshments
- Comfortable Seating
- Games & Activities
- Private Breastfeeding Area
Join us for facilitated Strategy Jam Sessions at The Beat Live with strategic planning coach Tara Lehman. These open, drop-in style discussions are designed to offer a relaxed atmosphere with open-ended conversations for members and ECMA stakeholders who prefer to engage verbally. Sessions will focus on topics such as values, goals and vision for ECMA. These community engagement sessions will each inform the ECMA strategic planning process.
Join Samantha Pickard from Strut Entertainment as she dives into the world of PR, digital marketing, and radio promotion, offering expert insights on how each strategy can enhance an artist's toolkit. Samantha will guide you in understanding how to choose the right approach for your unique project, career stage, and budget, empowering you to make informed decisions for your success. Known for her honest and straightforward approach, Samantha ensures that you’ll walk away with clear, actionable advice tailored to your needs.
Join Holly Hudson from the SOCAN Foundation in the ECMA Member's Lounge. Learn more about the foundation and bring any questions you may have.
The live music industry is a constantly evolving and growing marketplace. This ever-changing landscape requires an understanding of the roles within it, how to approach promoters and buyers, and the best practices for success. This panel will focus on what artists can do to get booked at venues and festivals, the data and tools buyers use to book shows, opportunities to perform for and network with buyers, and timelines for the booking and promotion process. Panelists will also discuss the steps they take to keep programming fresh, sustain and engage with new audiences, and the conditions that affect live events.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
Panelists: Lisa La Rocca (Sonic Unyon Records), Neil Pearson (Sounds Just Fine/The Hive), Tim Des Islets (noisemaker), Ejiro (Brooks) Ovie (Do IT for the Culture) , and Micah Davidson (Midwood)
The live music and concert landscape in Atlantic Canada is evolving rapidly, and independent event creators, promoters, venues, festivals, and indie artists—particularly those managing their own tours—face unique challenges in ticketing, growing expenses, and audience engagement. This panel brings together diverse voices from the live music ecosystem to explore how adaptable strategies can empower independent events, drive revenue, and better serve fans. The discussion will specifically highlight the hurdles and opportunities for indie artists who are taking on the complexities of tour management, from ticketing logistics to maximizing fan interaction. By incorporating insights from a variety of live event perspectives, the panel will emphasize how flexible, innovative platforms can meet the needs of independent creators, streamline operations, and enhance the fan experience in this dynamic market.
Three Key Learnings:
- How flexible ticketing strategies can support the diverse needs of music events, from intimate venues to large festivals.
- Applying insights and innovations from other event types to strengthen live music ticketing practices.
- Hear directly from leaders in the live event space on how adaptable ticketing technology is advancing the industry, with a focus on independent success.
Panelists: Mitch Forster (Tixr), Joella Lomond (George Street Association), Shawn Basha (Iceberg Alley & JAG Soundhouse) and Andre Pettipas (Giantstock Festival).
Join us for this panel discussion on the issue of hearing loss in the music industry. With musicians being four times more likely to develop noise-induced hearing loss than the general public, and 70% of music venue staff exposed to noise levels above the daily recommended limit, this topic requires immediate attention. Our panel of hearing experts, musicians, and sound technicians will delve into key areas such as the long-term impact of noise exposure on hearing health, strategies for implementing effective hearing conservation programs in venues, overcoming the stigma associated with hearing protection, balancing artistic needs with hearing safety, and providing a foundational understanding of hearing health basics.
This session aims to foster a more informed and proactive approach to hearing health within the music community, ensuring that professionals can protect their most valuable asset— their hearing.
We’re thrilled to present this expert panel, featuring leaders from key areas of rights management and music agencies, including CMRRA, ACTRA RACS, SOCAN and Monstercat. Moderated by Vel Omazic from Canada's Music Incubator, this insightful discussion will help demystify your rights as a songwriter, performer, publisher, or rights manager. From understanding neighboring rights as a performer, to effectively managing your data as a rights holder, this session will break down the most complex aspects of song ownership and performance rights - providing clear, simplified guidance.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
Panelists: Vel Omazic (CMI), Andrea England (CMRRA), Bonnie Fedrau (ACTRA RACS), Simon Henley (Monstercat), Quest (SOCAN)
This hub offers an open, creative way for all voices to engage with ECMA’s strategic direction at their own pace. Insights collected here will inform future sessions and regional follow-ups in the ECMA Forward series.
ECMA Forward is a series of strategic engagement activities launching at the ECMA 2025 Conference. It reflects ECMA’s commitment to equity, innovation, inclusion, artist-industry collaboration, and strategic renewal. The series includes three interconnected experiences:
- Advancing EDIA in the East Coast Music Industry and Ecosystem – A panel on representation and equity.
- ECMA Forward Strategic Session – A 60-minute facilitated session that captures key strategic questions.
- ECMA Forward: The Beat Live – A 3-day interactive drop-in space for ideation and reflection.
Together, these experiences create a conference-long strategic journey, enabling delegates to share insights, shape vision, and co-create ECMA’s future direction.
Located in the Governor Gower, the Member's Lounge is your space to unwind, network, and recharge. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and a bite to eat while you sit down and chat with fellow artists and industry professionals.
What’s in the Member’s Lounge:
- Refreshments
- Comfortable Seating
- Games & Activities
- Private Breastfeeding Area
Get connected with music buyers from around the world! These pre-scheduled one-on-one business meetings feature Canadian and International talent buyers, booking agents, festivals, event and venue programmers, promoters, presenters, film and television music supervisors, publishers, rights and royalty associations and showcasing events. These pre-scheduled 10-minute one-on-one conversations are open to all export-ready artists, artist representatives and companies. Pre-registration required.
Join us for facilitated Strategy Jam Sessions at The Beat Live with strategic planning coach Tara Lehman. These open, drop-in style discussions are designed to offer a relaxed atmosphere with open-ended conversations for members and ECMA stakeholders who prefer to engage verbally. Sessions will focus on topics such as values, goals and vision for ECMA. These community engagement sessions will each inform the ECMA strategic planning process.
As part of our commitment to artist wellness, the East Coast Music Association is offering complimentary hearing loss screening tests for artists. Ian Verge, a certified audiologist from Maico Hearing Service, will be available onsite to provide these screenings. This is a valuable opportunity for musicians to assess their hearing health, which is crucial given the high risk of noise-induced hearing loss in the music industry.
Benefits of Participating:
-Early Detection: Identify potential hearing issues before they become severe.
-Preventative Measures: Learn about strategies to protect your hearing and maintain your career longevity.
-Improved Performance: Ensure that your hearing health does not impact your ability to perform at your best.
-Personalized Advice: Receive tailored advice from a professional audiologist on how to safeguard your hearing.
Registration: To secure a spot in advance, please email wellness@ecma.com. Alternatively, you can visit Ian Verge directly on the conference floor during the event.
Ever wondered about working with a string quartet? Dreamed of hearing your song orchestrated? Or maybe you have a question about how the world of classical music works – arrangements, rehearsals, pitfalls, and success stories. This panel will explore the world of classical music, providing practical advice about real life genre crossing collaborations. Hear from Jodee Richardson & Nicole Hand of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra who just finished a successful cross-genre run of shows featuring the music of Sting. Artist, Gina Burgess will share her experiences working across genres. Whether it’s a professional choir, horn section, or solo cello you’re dreaming of, this panel will help you figure out next steps to working with the world of classical music.
Artists See the Vision of the Future: Using Your Voice to Transform the World
Come have a lively discussion with Tina Olivero organizer of Guardians of Recovery. Artists have always been visionaries, using their voices to challenge injustice, inspire movements, and shape the world around them. From folk singers to contemporary creators, their work has sparked revolutions of thought and action, proving that art is a powerful force for change.
Cercle de résolution de problème. Assistance de groupe aux artistes de la francophonie Atlantique.
Animation/Mediator : Clothilde Heibing (ANIM)
Join Amanda from FACTOR in the ECMA Member's Lounge. Learn more about FACTOR programs and bring any questions you may have.
Join Adrian Burke, General Manager of GROUP SPEED, and Kevin King, North America Partnerships at Backroom.Fan and moderator Samantha Pickard for a dynamic conversation exploring the power of data, partnerships, and community-building to drive success in the music industry. Learn how you can use data-driven strategies to uncover and engage with superfans, turning loyal followers into advocates of your music. Also uncover how audience segmentation techniques can help maximize fan engagement across platforms and how integrating data and insights into your digital content and overall marketing strategy can drive sustainable growth. Discover how to build impactful partnership strategies to foster long-term relationships with key roles in the industry. This session is ideal for artists, managers, labels, and anyone looking to elevate their fan engagement strategies and build long-lasting, meaningful connections with fans.
Explore systemic barriers and opportunities within the East Coast music scene for equity-deserving communities. This session sets the tone for strategic thinking by highlighting lived experiences and elevating equity as a core pillar in ECMA’s evolution. This session will be moderated by Keziah Myers Executive Director of ADVANCE Music Canada.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
This session is part of the ECMA Forward series, a collection of strategic engagement activities launching at the ECMA 2025 Conference. It reflects ECMA’s commitment to equity, innovation, inclusion, artist-industry collaboration, and strategic renewal. The series includes three interconnected experiences:
Advancing EDIA in the East Coast Music Industry and Ecosystem – A panel on representation and equity.
ECMA Forward Strategic Session – A 60-minute facilitated session that captures key strategic questions.
ECMA Forward: Values & Visioning Hub – A 3-day interactive drop-in space for ideation and reflection.
Together, these experiences create a conference-long strategic journey, enabling delegates to share insights, shape vision, and co-create ECMA’s future direction.
This facilitated group dialogue, guided reflection, and idea clustering has been designed with the following objectives in mind:
- Establish a clear and inclusive understanding of ECMA’s current period of growth and change, the process for change, and how it engages with members, industry and communities.
- Identify the most pressing questions to explore in future strategy work
- Capture themes and opportunities from a broad group of stakeholders
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
This session is part of the ECMA Forward series, a collection of strategic engagement activities launching at the ECMA 2025 Conference. It reflects ECMA’s commitment to equity, innovation, inclusion, artist-industry collaboration, and strategic renewal. The series includes three interconnected experiences:
-Advancing EDIA in the East Coast Music Industry and Ecosystem – A panel on representation and equity.
- ECMA Forward Strategic Session – A 60-minute facilitated session that captures key strategic questions.
- ECMA Forward: The Beat Live – A 3-day interactive drop-in space for ideation and reflection.
Together, these experiences create a conference-long strategic journey, enabling delegates to share insights, shape vision, and co-create ECMA’s future direction.
SOCAN is excited to present an interactive songwriting “Masterclass” workshop during the 2025 ECMA Industry Conference. Carleton Stone (East Coast Ambassador, SOCAN), will lead the discussion with JUNO Award winning singer-songwriter Donovan Woods, discussing the process of songwriting (including finding inspiration, process, co-writing, etc.), giving participants valuable insight into the craft of writing a great song. This workshop is part of SOCAN’s Creative strategy in craft development, constructed in an effort to help members improve their songwriting and reach new heights in their careers.
Olivier Laroche, live music performance coach and founder of the Pimp Your Show Workshops, talks to Acadian artist Émilie Landry about the work they have done together to create the shows Arroser les fleurs (2021) and Enfiler mes bottes (2022). Their collaboration helped propel Émilie onto the national and international scene through the presentation of well-designed showcases. Since 2022, Émilie Landry has performed at numerous festivals and venues in Canada, the United States, France and Switzerland.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
Enter an immersive auditory experience with Rezound. Low lights, chant, drones, whispered words and percussion form an emotive, peaceful, and intense experience for introspection, emotional release, and reset.
More details to come!
We want to hear from you! Join us for an open discussion on entry to the US Market & artists needs to build a lucrative career in Canada.
Join Kevin Schallie, and Sarah Lycan-Lang for an in-depth discussion on the current landscape of the music industry and the evolving strategies for artist development, live music production, and tour marketing. With their diverse backgrounds and extensive experience across different facets of the music business, these industry leaders will share valuable insights on how to navigate the rapidly changing music business and what strategies artists need to adapt to stay resilient and innovative. Having produced thousands of live events, Kevin will share his tips for artists and promoters looking to find success in the live music scene. Sarah will break down the intricacies of creating a successful marketing plan for touring artists looking to hit the road both nationally and internationally. Whether you’re navigating the early stages of your career or looking to expand your reach in the live music scene, these experts will provide actionable advice to help you elevate your craft in today’s competitive music ecosystem. The session will be moderated by Vel Omazic from Canada's Music Incubator.
This hub offers an open, creative way for all voices to engage with ECMA’s strategic direction at their own pace. Insights collected here will inform future sessions and regional follow-ups in the ECMA Forward series.
ECMA Forward is a series of strategic engagement activities launching at the ECMA 2025 Conference. It reflects ECMA’s commitment to equity, innovation, inclusion, artist-industry collaboration, and strategic renewal. The series includes three interconnected experiences:
- Advancing EDIA in the East Coast Music Industry and Ecosystem – A panel on representation and equity.
- ECMA Forward Strategic Session – A 60-minute facilitated session that captures key strategic questions.
- ECMA Forward: The Beat Live – A 3-day interactive drop-in space for ideation and reflection.
Together, these experiences create a conference-long strategic journey, enabling delegates to share insights, shape vision, and co-create ECMA’s future direction.
Located in the Governor Gower, the Member's Lounge is your space to unwind, network, and recharge. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and a bite to eat while you sit down and chat with fellow artists and industry professionals.
What’s in the Member’s Lounge:
- Refreshments
- Comfortable Seating
- Games & Activities
- Private Breastfeeding Area
Get connected with music buyers from around the world! These pre-scheduled one-on-one business meetings feature Canadian and International talent buyers, booking agents, festivals, event and venue programmers, promoters, presenters, film and television music supervisors, publishers, rights and royalty associations and showcasing events. These pre-scheduled 10-minute one-on-one conversations are open to all export-ready artists, artist representatives and companies. Pre-registration required.
Enjoy lunch on the Union that represents and protects musicians, while you learn the important practises to maximize every potential income opportunity. Our panel of experts will explain the importance of insulating your career at every level and on all your musical work, from live performance, recording and even private teaching, to investment and protection of future revenues. You will be introduced to why specific paperwork is essential to protect your music, how to build a retirement income without paying for it, why you need insurance for yourself and your gear, and more!
Allistair Elliott, Canadian Federation of Musicians
Humbert Martins, Musicians Pension Fund of Canada
Rozalind MacPhail, Newfoundland and Labrador Musicians’ Association
Moderator: Liana White, Canadian Federation of Musicians
Join four leading music supervisors from across Canada and the USA as they share invaluable insights on a milestone many songwriters aspire to: their first sync placement. In this engaging panel, our experts will explore the journey to landing that elusive first placement, delving into real-life examples that can inspire writers, artists, and publishers navigate the process. The discussion will cover the wide variety of placements across different media, offering a deep dive into the strategies, challenges, and outcomes that follow. With plenty of success stories, our panelists will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration needed to take your music to the next level in the sync world.
Panelists: Vince DeGiorgio (Cymba), Kyle Merkley (Songchopper), Chantel Anais (Wracket), Cody Partridge (Peartree) , Mikaila Simmons (Roly Poly) and Rick Clark (Rick Clark Productions)
Advances in AI across all industries brings up mixed emotions - intrigue, fear, excitement - often rooted in the unknown of it all. Join artists and industry members, Bob Hallett, Kelly McMichael and Daniel Turcotte as they share their perspective. This discussion hopes to uncover and discuss some of those unknowns and look at the opportunities and challenges that come with AI in the music industry. Moderating the session is Arun Chaturvedi from the Songwriter’s Association of Canada who will be probing into this exciting topic from the perspective of producers and songwriters.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
Join us for a conversation with artists DeeDee Austin and Mark Manning led by moderator Skip Taylor (OSAC) as they share the value of Showcasing and Contact events and their potential impact on your career development. Beyond your performance, these gatherings present invaluable opportunities to build long lasting relationships with presenters and their communities, a key factor to growing your audience and markets.
Join two of our seasoned pro Music Supervisors for in an interactive Ask Me Anything style Q&A. This is your opportunity to ask questions about the process of music supervision, what makes a song standout, mistakes to avoid, and any other questions you might have burning.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
Panelists: Michael Perlmutter, Cody Partridge
Join Andrea England from CMRRA in the ECMA Member's Lounge. Learn more about CMRRA and bring any questions you may have.
In today’s global music landscape, international development isn’t just an option—it’s a strategic move. This session will explore how artists and their teams can effectively plan for international expansion by leveraging live performance, showcasing opportunities, and digital insights to grow and sustain a global audience.
A panel of seasoned industry professionals will unpack how to build a smart, scalable live strategy across borders: from identifying high-potential markets, routing tours, and securing key showcase and festival opportunities. Gain valuable insights into assembling the right team, crafting localized marketing campaigns, and using digital data to identify your audience base—and how to turn that momentum into real-world traction.
What are today’s top trends in European markets? What do festivals and events look for when booking talent? How do you stand out and get booked? Whether you’re an artist, manager, or part of a growing music team, this conversation will equip you with the tools and insights needed to help build your international strategy.
ECMA is proud to offer simultaneous French translation for this session.
Panelists: Phyllis Belezos, Baylen Leonard, James Duffy, Richy Muirhead, Rachel Lloyd, and Bernhard Hanneken
Join representatives from SOCAN to learn about what your SOCAN membership includes and how we have your back as a music creator. In this session you'll get an overview of what SOCAN does as Canada's largest music rights organization and the role it plays within the larger music industry and ecosystem as well as an overview of SOCAN Foundation and its programs, grants, and awards. Please bring your questions to the session as we will have time to take them at the end!
Panelists: Holly Hudson, Carleton Stone & Jeffrey "Lord Quest" Nuamah
Animation/Mediator : Carol Doucet (Grenier Musique)
Tamara Kater (Music NL), Emmanuelle LeBlanc (artistes Vishten), Jean Surette (Music NB)
Join Amanda from FACTOR in the ECMA Member's Lounge. Learn more about FACTOR programs and bring any questions you may have.
Enter an immersive auditory experience with Rezound. Low lights, chant, drones, whispered words and percussion form an emotive, peaceful, and intense experience for introspection, emotional release, and reset.
Join SOCAN for opportunity to gather and celebrate with representatives from SOCAN as well as the east coast music industry at ECMA 2025.