Small World Music Society, the catalyst behind Polyphonic Ground, is thrilled to launch this new initiative that will support Toronto’s culturally diverse music presenters and inspire ‘culturally curious’ Torontonians to hear the music of Toronto, where the world lives.
The shared collaborative working model unites 12 small to medium-sized live music presenters committed to building and sustaining Toronto as a global music city. The initial 12 organizations include Ashkenaz Foundation, Batuki Music Society, Good Kind Productions, iNative, Link Music Lab, Lula Music & Arts Centre, MonstrARTity Creative Community, Music Africa, Revolutions Per Minute, Small World Music Society, Uma Nota Culture, and World Fiddle Day Toronto. Together, these presenters constitute a formidable cultural force, employing 40 key operating people and presenting almost 300 concerts per year to an estimated audience of over 300,000.
Polyphonic Ground’s mission is to provide points of connection for artists and audiences, strengthen industry practices and be a united voice to government, business and industry. Polyphonic Ground will encourage exchange and discovery through an innovative Polyphonic Ground monthly double-bill series and professional development initiatives for diverse artistic leaders.
Polyphonic Ground will launch with a series of double-bill concerts on the second Thursday of every month at Revival Bar, 783 College Street. Two distinct partner organizations will be paired together to collaboratively program a night of musical discovery. The inaugural concert on September 14 pairs Ashkenaz Foundation and Small World Music Society. A fresh juxtaposition will be on stage with Batuki Music and Uma Nota presenting October 12, Link Music Lab and Good Kind Productions offering November 9, and Lula Music & Arts and Music Africa co-presenting December 14. Artists to be announced soon.
Beyond the concert hall, Polyphonic Ground is determined to increase access to training and leadership, bolstering professional development opportunities within the music industry. An upcoming Diversity & Live Music Panel Series, supported by MusicOntario, Music Canada Live, City of Toronto and Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO), is set to cover topics that range from funding, media coverage, city services, conferences and venues to programming. A Developing Diverse Leaders program, with the goal of empowering young talent through mentorship, and expert-led Best Practice Workshops are also forthcoming.
