The second annual Sauga City Music Conference will take place virtually on Zoom over two weeks from March 17 – 26, 2021. The conference is free with registration on Eventbrite.
Featuring two keynote speakers, a webinar and three music panels, the conference will provide tools and advice for emerging and veteran musicians adapting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first keynote speaker is much sought after writer and business consultant Karen Allen. She’s the author of Twitch for Musicians Second Edition: A Step-by-Step Guide to Producing a Livestream, Growing Audience, and Making Money as a Musician on Twitch. Her timely presentation, Livestreaming on Social Media Platforms for Profit, will reveal the revenue generating opportunities on Twitch, Instagram and other livestreaming platforms for musicians. Allen, who also works as a business consultant, has been ahead of the digital curve and her insights are much in demand, especially during the pandemic.
The second keynote speaker is Alex Kresovich, who will give an equally important presentation titled Rap Music and Mental Health. Kresovich, who is the Roy H. Park Doctoral Fellow at the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Journalism and Media, argues that Rap music is changing, just as the mental health conversation is changing around the world. He is also a Billboard #1 and RIAA-Platinum music producer. Kresovich will outline his research into the changing mental health conversation in popular rap music and explore the implications – good and bad – especially for young people who struggle with their mental health.
This year’s Sauga City Music Conference will include several relevant panel discussions with expertise from music industry and related industry professionals. The panels include: Digital Strategies to Reach a Diverse Audience; Overcoming Challenges Faced by BIPOC Artists in the Music Industry; and Funding Support for Culturally Diverse Artists. Representatives from various funding agencies will share their insights on funding programs.
The conference will also include a special webinar titled Recording at Home…Like A Pro. This timely webinar will be presented in association with the Mississauga Arts Council.
“It is imperative that we support artists who have suffered immensely during the pandemic, especially those who rely on live performances at music festivals and gigs to make a living, says Phil Vassell, the Artistic Director of Sauga City Music Festival and the TD IRIE Music Festival.”
The organizers of the Sauga City Music Conference bring a wealth of experience, having produced the IRIE Music Festival, the Toronto Urban Music Festival and Urban Music Week over two decades. We’d like to acknowledge FACTOR and the Department of Canadian Heritage for their support of this initiative.
