A new awards series is set to honour Black artists in Canada. It's being called the Black Canadian Music Awards and will "recognize and celebrate the artistic merit demonstrated by Black music creators (songwriters, composers, producers, etc.) in all genres."
The Black Canadian Music Awards is being launched by the SOCAN Foundation, in partnership with SiriusXM Canada. While a firm date for the inaugural awards has yet to be set, they will be presented virtually in 2020.
The winners will be selected by a jury and advisory council of prominent Black artists and industry leaders led by DJ Agile as the inaugural Chair of the jury. Five winners will be selected during the awards to each receive a $5,000 prize.
"The Black Canadian Music Awards are part of the SOCAN Foundation's efforts toward advancing equity in the Canadian music industry by collaboratively creating opportunities to celebrate Black music creators. Our ongoing aim is to build inclusive programming as diverse as the communities in which we live, and this new award pushes us even further ahead," said Charlie Wall-Andrews, executive director of the SOCAN Foundation, in a statement. "Furthermore, we cannot lose momentum to elevate communities impacted by ongoing and historical injustices. We acknowledge that there is still much more work to do, and we hope this award will celebrate and empower Black music creators in Canada."
DJ Agile added: "The Black Community in Canada has a rich, long, and deep history of creation and contribution to music in Canada, and well beyond our borders. From Salome Bey to Portia White to Oscar Peterson, Canadian Black music creators are a part of the musical tapestry of Canadian culture. History too often doesn't acknowledge and celebrate their contributions in their time, and this is why it's important for the SOCAN Foundation to honour our diverse Black music creators with the Black Canadian Music Awards, now."
To apply for the Black Music Awards, you can head here. The deadline to apply is October 15.
The Black Canadian Music Awards is being launched by the SOCAN Foundation, in partnership with SiriusXM Canada. While a firm date for the inaugural awards has yet to be set, they will be presented virtually in 2020.
The winners will be selected by a jury and advisory council of prominent Black artists and industry leaders led by DJ Agile as the inaugural Chair of the jury. Five winners will be selected during the awards to each receive a $5,000 prize.
"The Black Canadian Music Awards are part of the SOCAN Foundation's efforts toward advancing equity in the Canadian music industry by collaboratively creating opportunities to celebrate Black music creators. Our ongoing aim is to build inclusive programming as diverse as the communities in which we live, and this new award pushes us even further ahead," said Charlie Wall-Andrews, executive director of the SOCAN Foundation, in a statement. "Furthermore, we cannot lose momentum to elevate communities impacted by ongoing and historical injustices. We acknowledge that there is still much more work to do, and we hope this award will celebrate and empower Black music creators in Canada."
DJ Agile added: "The Black Community in Canada has a rich, long, and deep history of creation and contribution to music in Canada, and well beyond our borders. From Salome Bey to Portia White to Oscar Peterson, Canadian Black music creators are a part of the musical tapestry of Canadian culture. History too often doesn't acknowledge and celebrate their contributions in their time, and this is why it's important for the SOCAN Foundation to honour our diverse Black music creators with the Black Canadian Music Awards, now."
To apply for the Black Music Awards, you can head here. The deadline to apply is October 15.