Growing Alberta’s Music Scene in Small but Innovative Ways: Alberta Music Cities Grant Program
May 20, 2025 | Calgary, Edmonton, Alberta, Music, Industry
Exciting news for Alberta’s Music Scene!
West Anthem, an advocacy organization formed to help dedicated to the growth and sustainability of Alberta’s music industry has recently released the recipients of the Alberta Music Cities Grant Program! While not a direct funder, West Anthem plays a vital role in influencing provincial and municipal policy to create the conditions necessary for musicians and industry partners to thrive. The organization also works to attract and facilitate investment in Alberta’s music ecosystem. Key partnerships have allowed funding for this incredible grant opportunity.
From a youth-based documentary to a live music series, from women-in-music industry meetups to a masterclass pilot project, the the Alberta Music Cities Grant Program’s diverse music experiments will work to address key-priority areas from West Anthem’s latest municipal music strategies for Edmonton, Calgary, and the rural/small city toolkit. Bird Creatives was proud to help facilitate the selection of these incredible projects. Building a sustainable music ecosystem is key to our goal of growing Alberta’s creative economy, ensuring that it is equitable for all.
Music City Strategy Launch – Calgary
Music City Strategy Launch – Edmonton
What are the Music City Strategies?
In 2022, West Anthem, in partnership with the Government of Alberta, Alberta Music, and the National Music Centre, launched a four-phase initiative to develop Music City strategies for Alberta. This work involved extensive research and stakeholder engagement, resulting in the 2024 release of tailored strategies for Calgary and Edmonton, along with a comprehensive toolkit for smaller jurisdictions. The strategies focus on fostering music-friendly policies, building collaborative spaces, supporting diverse artists, and enhancing professional development, while also emphasizing the significant economic impact of Alberta’s music industry through tourism, the nighttime economy, and related sectors.
Check out our blog on the Edmonton and Calgary launches to learn more about West Anthem and the Music City Strategies.
What is the Alberta Music Cities Grant Program?
Building on the momentum of the newly released Music City Strategies, West Anthem launched the Alberta Music Cities Grant Program, made possible from funding partners, Calgary Arts Development, Alberta Music, and National Music Centre. Open to all Alberta-based individuals and organizations, the program will fund small-scale, experimental projects with the goals of tackling challenges in Alberta’s music scene through radical and innovative approaches. The experiments should align with the tactics, priority directions/areas from the mentioned strategies and rural/small city toolkit. Each project will receive funding of up to $10,000 and must take place between March 7 – November 15.
What Projects Have Been Funded?
After a thorough jury review of an overwhelming number of applications, we selected recipients based on their objectives and anticipated impacts. Here is a list of the selected projects.
Masterclass Pilot Project
The Masterclass Pilot Project, by BAM! Camp Calgary will see the camp ex-pats Rebel Grrrlz undertake an intensive six-month mentorship program. Together, they will work toward their goals as a group, building creative and industry understanding, developing their EPK, and taking advantage of exciting community performance opportunities from partners such as the Calgary Stampede, Mint Records/Sled Island, and Purple City Music Festival. BAM! Camp Calgary will develop the Masterclass program during this pilot project, with plans to open it up to applications in future years.
Spotify Playlist Integration Experiment
Focused on lifting up emerging Alberta artists, Celestial Music Group has built a scalable strategy using Spotify playlists, paid ads, and curated placements to boost visibility and streams. Over the years, they’ve developed a self-sustaining ecosystem where new music gets the spotlight it deserves, helping local talent grow their audience and gain recognition.
WE OUT HERE: Short Documentary
The Creating Hope Society of Alberta’s project, WE OUT HERE YEG, is a powerful blend of music mentorship and documentary storytelling, focused on Indigenous and marginalized youth. Youth aged 14–17 at the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre will take part in a 12-week music mentorship program (12 weeks per session over four sessions per), building skills, confidence, and creative expression.
East Town Get Down (ETGD)
International Avenue Arts & Culture’s signature event, East Town Get Down (ETGD) — is an annual one-night music festival that turns Calgary’s Forest Lawn into a buzzing live music scene. With dozens of artists performing across multiple venues along International Avenue (17 Ave SE), ETGD draws crowds from across the city to celebrate this vibrant and often-overlooked community.
This grassroots music festival is a fantastic example of how music can build cultural bridges and energize neighbourhoods.
Chinatown Live Music Series
Get ready for a new live music series coming to the heart of Edmonton’s Chinatown! Held in unconventional venues, this project shines a spotlight on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in Alberta’s music scene.
Presented by Jyn-Ting Ying, the live music series features pro headliners and open mic newcomers. Everyone’s welcome, with space for all abilities and all voices. This series is a vibrant celebration of Chinatown as a growing arts and culture hub in Edmonton.
Outer Limits Showcase; multi-quadrant show collaboration
Urban sprawl can make it tough to build strong music communities but Music Calgary is stepping up with a fresh approach. They're launching a weekend of showcases in two Calgary neighbourhoods: Rockyview NW and Seton SW.
Here’s the twist: artists will perform in one quadrant on day one, then swap and perform in the other the next day, creating a mini city-wide tour.
SYNC: Sounds and Image Conference
The Oscill8 Electronic Performing Arts Society presents, SYNC: Sound and Image Conference, a transformative initiative designed to strengthen Alberta’s creative economy by fostering innovation, collaboration, and professional development in electronic music and visual arts.
Alberta’s artists often face limited global exposure and lack centralized platforms to connect with industry leaders, peers, and audiences. SYNC bridges this gap by creating a dynamic, inclusive platform that attracts diverse participants, stimulates economic growth, and positions Alberta as a cultural and creative hub.
Purple City Music Festival Presents: Talk City
Purple City Music Festival, Rain Shadow Productions’s Talk City Conference is a free, three-day music conference in Edmonton focused on mentorship, career development, and networking for emerging and mid-level artists.
With four keynote speakers from across North America, the event centres equity-deserving groups, creating space for underrepresented voices in the music industry.
Women in Music Canada Industry Meet-Ups
Women in Music Canada (Alberta Chapter) plans to collaborate with existing music conferences and festivals across the province to organize inclusive meetups for women, non-binary individuals, and allies. These gatherings provide a structured yet informal opportunity for attendees to network, share ideas, and build relationships in a safe and welcoming environment.
Each meetup will feature guided discussions, icebreakers, and mentorship opportunities, with a strong focus on accessibility and safety. By showing up consistently at major industry events, Women in Music Alberta is helping build lasting relationships and a stronger, more inclusive music community across Alberta.
Learn more and support these incredible music projects! Visit the Alberta Music Cities Grant Program at West Anthem and follow the organizers, attend a show, share an event, or stream a local artist! Alberta’s music industry will grow when supporters stay engaged!