Save the Date(s): CIMA's 2014 Exporting Opportunities
CIMA is devoted to finding and creating exporting opportunities for independent Canadian music, both domestically and internationally. Through its Canadian Blast brand and initiatives, CIMA organizes a multitude of showcases in key markets around the world, while providing music companies with crucial professional development opportunities.
Below is information about the festivals, conferences and events CIMA will be organizing export missions to in the coming year (2014-2015). Check back often (and join our mailing list) to be among the first to find out when registrations and showcase opportunities open for submissions. Join us in making Canadian independent music heard around the world!
CANADA
CMW International Marketplace (Toronto, ON) – May 6-10, 2014
CIMA is a founding partner and ongoing supporter of the successful International Marketplace at Canadian Music Week. The IMP provides a number of services and a physical space in which international delegates to CMW can hold meetings, meet and network with their global and Canadian peers and colleagues. The IMP enables delegates to host receptions, set up international exhibits and booths, host information panels on their respective territories, and participate in pre-arranged, one-on-one speed dating and matchmaking sessions.
Halifax Pop Explosion (Halifax, NS) – October 21-25, 2014
HPX is the Halifax Pop Explosion, an international music festival and conference that presents 180 bands in 20 venues over 5-days to over 22,000 fans and industry delegates from around the world. Halifax Pop Explosion continues to reach a diverse audience and provides considerable exposure for new and innovative talent in genres from hip hop to punk, from folk to indie rock.
UNITED STATES
CMJ Music Marathon and Conference (New York) – October 21-25, 2014
Artists, music fans, and industry insiders descend on New York City every fall for the annual CMJ Music Marathon. The festival is an important event for the discovery of new music, with more than 1,300 performers given a chance to shine in over 80 nightclubs and theaters spread across the city. CMJ fills these venues with over 120,000 fans, music industry professionals, college radio tastemakers, bloggers, press, and musicians. Attendees have access to over 80 panels, seminars, Q&As, nighttime parties, meet and greets, mixers, special events and exclusive areas like the Exhibitors’ Loft and Artist Lounge. Approximately 50-60 Canadian bands are selected to showcase from approximately 400 Canadian submissions.
Canada at Hotel Café/Official Residence/Other LA venues (May 2013 - October 2014)
An important and increasingly lucrative market for the Canadian independent music sector is Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles continues to be one of the most important cities in the world for the recorded music industry, and indeed the entertainment industry as a whole. When combined with the television and film industry, Los Angeles is one of the key markets for CIMA to target on behalf of its members, making it an essential destination to export our music to.
Grammy Week at the Los Angeles Consulate (Los Angeles) – January 2015
Starting in 2008, CIMA, with participating partners including the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles, has sponsored an evening networking/showcasing event acknowledging Canadian Grammy nominees and Canada’s long-standing involvement at the Grammys. To our knowledge, Canada is the first and only foreign country capitalizing on the Grammy Week opportunity to strategically draw attention and create access to Canadian talent and the music industry.
South by Southwest (Austin, Texas) – March 7-16, 2014
SXSW, held annually in Austin, Texas is the largest, most influential and most anticipated music festival in North America. SXSW has become a priority destination for the Canadian music industry because it attracts decision-makers and companies from both the USA and key world markets to attend SXSW and do business.
Americana Music Festival & Conference (Nashville, TN) - September 17-21, 2014
Each year, the Americana Music Festival & Conference brings together legendary artists, the next generation of rising stars and industry professionals for four days of music and education. The event typically attracts thousands of artists, fans and industry professionals from all over the world. The Americana Music Conference features numerous panels, seminars and much more, providing Nashville's most educational music industry forum. For four nights, the Americana Music Festival features approximately 130 live performances at seven music venues in the vicinity of downtown Nashville.
APAP (New York, New York) – January 9-13, 2015
APAP|NYC, the annual conference of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, is the world's largest networking forum and marketplace for performing arts professionals. More than 3,500 presenters, artists, managers, agents and emerging arts leaders from 28 countries convene in New York City for five days of professional development, business deals and exciting performances.
With more than 1,000 showcases produced by artists representing the breadth of performing arts disciplines, genres and formats during APAP|NYC, New York City plays host to a five-day festival of excerpted performances, works in progress and full length works, with these showcases consistently cited by conference attendees as a top reason to attend APAP|NYC.
UK-EUROPE
MIDEM (Cannes – France) – January 31-February 3, 2015
MIDEM is the premier trade show for independent music in the world and has been a top priority marketplace for CIMA for over 30 years. MIDEM (Marché internationale des disques et d’éditions musicales) is held annually in Cannes, France and provides the greatest measure of exposure for Canadian companies in the world market. MIDEM attracts the top level of executives, directors and decision makers from the top music companies from 78 countries, including established trading partners and new and emerging markets. It is the highest-attended music industry destination with a delegation representing the greatest number of languages and musical genres. MIDEM offers access to representatives from all facets of every music and entertainment industry sector, and from every level of position and rank.
jazzahead! (Bremen, Germany) – April 24-27, 2014
This conference has been occurring for nearly a decade and bills itself as one of the largest jazz industry gatherings in Europe. It delivers quality showcasing opportunities, plus a conference and trade show. It's popular for jazz club bookers and festival directors, and is one of the top gateways for jazz, especially contemporary jazz, into Germany and surrounding territories.
The Great Escape (Brighton, England) – May 8-10, 2014
The Great Escape (TGE) is the premier music festival that showcases emerging artists from all over the world. Over 350 emerging artists and bands perform in 30 venues each year. TGE is the largest music conference and showcasing opportunity in the UK. It features a dynamic conference schedule alongside showcasing that is attended by key decision-makers from the international music industry. There is a small trade show, but its main focus is conference panels and showcasing. Simply put, TGE is the UK’s answer to SXSW - drawing industry from throughout Europe and beyond for three days of conferences, B2B meetings and showcases.
Primavera Sound (Barcelona, Spain) – May 28-31, 2014
This is the main indie music festival in Spain, with a 'Pro' component involving business panels and conference topics. Primavera is one of the largest gatherings of the European Union indie music industry, comparable to The Great Escape. It has a well-received day conference and opportunities for parties, receptions and business-to-business gatherings, and it also books over 200 bands to perform.
Canada Invades Glasgow, (Glasgow, Scotland) – July 2014
CIMA is also planning a new and unique music mission to Scotland, involving businesses and artists from Ontario, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia (with music industry association partners in those provinces). This event is meant to leverage and coincide with Glasgow hosting the Commonwealth Games in July 2014. CIMA is currently working with its sister organization, the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), to finalize the details of the overall mission, which are expected to be complete by March 2014.
Reeperbahn Festival and Campus (Hamburg, Germany) – September 17-20, 2014
Since its launch nine years ago, the Reeperbahn Festival and Campus conference in Hamburg (www.reeperbahnfestival.com) has earned the reputation as the critical access point to the German music industry and market. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which represents the recording industry worldwide, Germany ranks third in the worldwide music market, and is the most important music market in Europe. Reeperbahn is fast becoming the B2B networking platform of choice in Germany for the international music community. The annual event features an industry conference and music festival.
Amsterdam Dance Event (Amsterdam, NL) – October 15-19, 2014
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is the largest electronic music showcase and conference festival in Europe. It is focused on DJs, clubs, promotion and licensing and has over 200 concerts around the city. It is produced by the same organizers of Eurosonic and should be on the calendar for our members in the electronic music community.
Iceland Airwaves (Reykjavik, Iceland) – November 5-9, 2014
Iceland Airwaves is an exciting showcasing opportunity for Canadian bands. This is a purely consumer festival with both paid performance and showcase opportunities, and is attended by many of Europe’s music taste-makers. It has over 500 unofficial music industry delegates, most of whom attend with the acts they are representing. Each artist/band receives at least two performance opportunities at the festival, which increases their ability to export at the event.
WOMEX (Santiago de Compostela, Galacia, Spain) October 22-26, 2014
Now in its 20th year, WOMEX is the largest traditional and 'world' music conference in the world. It moves locations every three years, but was historically in Seville. It features 60-plus official showcases with the opportunity to host an off-venue event. WOMEX has a large trade fair component, which in 2013 boasted: 2,250 delegates and 1,260 companies from 90 countries, with 800 concert and festival bookers, tour promoters and venues; 560 labels, publishers and distributors; 680 booking agents; 560 managers; 270 producers; and 300 national and international journalists, including 130 radio broadcasters. It hosted a bustling trade fair with 590 exhibiting companies from 50 countries at 250 stands. More than 60 Showcase acts with more than 300 artists from over 40 countries performed on seven stages throughout the event.
BIME (Bilbao, Spain) - October 19-November 1, 2014
Biscay International Music Experience (BIME) is the first European conference dedicated to opportunities for music businesses in gaming, apps, digital and new technologies. The inaugural BIME took place in Spain in November 2013, with Canada as the focus country. BIME brings together over 100 top executives from music, gaming and new technologies to explore the relationship between the sectors and provides opportunities for delegates to exchange ideas, collaborate and create new business. Another key component is BIME Live, a city-wide festival held in Bilbao, as well as a trade show featuring the likes of Google, Wayra, Amazon and Spotify.
SOUTH ASIA/AUSTRALIA
Digital & Music Matters (Singapore) – May 20-25, 2014
Digital & Music Matters is the flagship conference of the Asia-Pacific music industry. Established in 2006 and dubbed as "TED meets SXSW" by Jason Mraz, Music Matters has hosted some of the biggest names in the entertainment business. The event is the pioneer music industry event in the Asia-Pacific region and it is the yearly gathering of the most influential figures in the global music business.
BIGSOUND (Brisbane, Australia) - September 10-12, 2014
Australia is ranked as the 6th largest market for physical music sales, and 7th largest in terms of digital. In total, it generated almost US$400 million in recorded music sales in 2010, but just as importantly, Australia shares many commonalities with Canadians and Canadian culture, making it an ideal market for our members to exploit and in which to engage. BIGSOUND draws top national and international industry talent to Brisbane each year, and the three-day conference program has a substantial reputation around the world for its cutting edge topics and down to earth approach in tackling issues in what is one of the world’s most rapidly changing industries.