The CCMA is extremely proud of the Discovery Program, now in its third year. This national initiative, developed to support Canadian country music artists endeavoring to reach their full potential in the music industry, provides unparalleled educational, mentorship, networking and exposure opportunities unlike any other program offered in our genre.
The 2015 CCMA Discovery Program will include the following components for its six (6) jury-selected Canadian acts (finalists):
- Music Industry Discovery Week
- Mentorship
- Country Music Week Discovery Showcase
- CCMA Discovery Award
Music Industry Discovery Week: The six (6) selected acts (finalists) will be flown to Toronto for a week (April 26 – May 1, 2015) to learn, in-depth, about the music business and artist development; including: industry-led information sessions, branding and media training, media interviews and the opportunity to perform at a private industry showcase.
Mentorship: The CCMA will pair each of the selected acts (finalists) with an established Canadian act for mentorship purposes. This connection will be made following Music Industry Discovery Week and prior to Country Music Week 2015 in Halifax.
Country Music Week Discovery Showcase: This three-hour showcase (formerly known as the CCMA New Artist Showcase) spotlights the six selected acts (finalists) during Canada’s largest recognized celebration of country music (Country Music Week) and is an official CCMA-sanctioned event. With full concert production, and backed by a house band, each act will have the opportunity to perform in front of the music industry and fans alike.
CCMA Discovery Award Winner: During Country Music Week, one exceptional CCMA Discovery Program act (finalist) will be selected by an industry jury to receive the “CCMA Discovery Award” at the CCMA Gala Dinner & Awards. The CCMA Discovery Award winner will also receive Music Video funding, courtesy of CMT Canada (subject to the standard terms in the VAP agreement); a performance spot on the 2016 CMA Music Festival Global Artist Party showcase in Nashville, and other industry-related prizing.
“We are forever indebted to the CCMA for the Discovery Program. One of the most invaluable experiences was learning from Canada’s top music industry leaders in the program’s roundtables – it saved us about 3 years’ worth of mistakes! It also provided us with new skills, a broader network and a national platform that enabled us to propel our music career forward. We would recommend the CCMA Discovery Program to every new artist!”
- The Lovelocks, Ali Raney & Zoe Neuman (Hometown: Toronto, ON)
2014 CCMA Discovery Award Winners
Submissions for the 2015 CCMA Discovery Program open Today, Friday, January 16, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. ET. Deadline for submissions is Friday, February 6, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Applications will be available now on ccma.org.
