Winnipeg, MB – In a little less than a weeks time, the seventh annual Aboriginal Music Week will kick off and 35 Indigenous artists from Canada and beyond will take the stage for audiences in downtown Winnipeg along with several of the city’s less advantaged neighbourhoods. The festival, while much smaller in terms of coffers and staff than most of it’s local counterparts, draws between 6,000 and 8,000 music lovers to it’s various locations each year.
Aboriginal Music Week 2015
August 18 – 22
Various Locations
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
aboriginalmusicweek.ca | #IndigenousExcellence
It all begins on Aug. 18 with the first of four free lunch hour concerts at Air Canada Park in downtown Winnipeg. The series is presented by DigitalDrum.ca with support from the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ and performers from Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories are set to take the stage.
The free community celebration series, which takes live music to less advantaged neighbourhoods in Winnipeg so families can walk to the venues, begins on Aug. 19 with the Spence Neighbourhood Block Party presented by Manitoba Public Insurance at the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre (430 Langside Street). The festival moves to the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre (510 King Street) on Aug. 20 and then makes its first appearance at the Austin Street Festival where the Aboriginal Music Week Stage presented by Rhythm 104.7FM will highlight acts from Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and North Dakota. The fourth and final community celebration takes place in St. John’s Park on Aug. 22 and the legendary C-Weed Band is on board as headliner for the Aboriginal Music Week Stage presented by TD at Picnic in the Park.
Free music workshops are scheduled for Aug. 20, 21, and 22 to provide young people with a chance to ask questions about the music and to learn more about the successes and challenges faced by some of the performers.
As an added bonus for the artists participating in the festival, Aboriginal Music Week is hosting three Indigenous artist from overseas who will be available for one-on-one mentor meetings about the markets for performances by Indigenous artists in Australia and New Zealand.
The evening programming at Aboriginal Music Week has been re-focused this year and the festival will provide networking opportunities for performers along with smaller ticketed shows for local movers and shakers on Aug. 19, 20, 21, and 22. The National Music Centre is on board as host for the festival’s networking dinners on the first two nights, while the annual Open Mic presented by NCI FM is schedule for Aug. 21 at The Goodwill (625 Portage Avenue), and the Closing Night Party presented by RPM.FM begins at 9PM at the same venue on the final day.
The main goal of Aboriginal Music Week is to develop Aboriginal youth as an audience for live music, but the festival has other functions and definitely draws strength from its context.
Aboriginal Music Week has served as a springboard for the likes of A Tribe Called Red, Leonard Sumner, and Iskwé and we’re excited to be supporting a number of new artists this year.
While other festivals may be concerned about the aging of their audiences, Aboriginal Music Week is in a position to grow alongside it’s core.
Aboriginal Music Week is located in Canada’s only Aboriginal music cluster, which includes our country’s only Aboriginal television broadcaster, one of the largest and strongest Native radio networks in North America, a collaborative and expanding talent pool, and the continent’s biggest urban Aboriginal population.
The aboriginalmusicweek.ca website is online and completely new. Please visit the website for additional information about the festival, artist profile pages, and our dedicated blog, which shines a spotlight on excellence within the Aboriginal music community.
Aboriginal Music Manitoba (AMM) produces festival and the organization has announced the following details for Aboriginal Music Week 2015 to date.
June 3: Aboriginal Music Week welcomes the Austin Street Festival to it’s family, performers announced
June 18: Spence Neighbourhood Block Party moves to Wednesday, concert lineup announced
June 25: Legendary country singer to headline third annual Aboriginal Music Week Stage at Picnic in the Park
July 2: Turtle Island Block Party to mix blues with pow wow and square dancing
July 15: International artists to help locals expand overseas during Aboriginal Music Week 2015
July 30: Traditional, contemporary, and futuristic music on the menu for AMW at Lunch presented by DigitalDrum.ca
The Aboriginal Music Week 2015 lineup:
International Mentor Meetings
Maisey Rika, Tama Waipara, Benny Walker
Aug. 18-22 | One hour mentor meetings available
Free | Artists Only
Email alan@ammb.ca to book a meeting
Aboriginal Music Week at Lunch presented by Digital Drum.ca
Air Canada Park, Portage Avenue & Carlton Street
Aug. 18 | 12pm-1pm
Artists: Oogimah Ikwewok, Jacob Pratt
Free | All Ages
Aboriginal Music Week at Lunch presented by Digital Drum.ca
Air Canada Park, Portage Avenue & Carlton Street
Aug. 19 | 12pm-1pm
Artists: Logan Staats, Ila Barker
Free | All Ages
Spence Neighbourhood Block Party presented by Manitoba Public Insurance
Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre, 430 Langside Street
Aug. 19 | 4pm-8pm
Artists: Winston Wuttunee, Nikki Komaksiutiksak, Joe Maxim Band, Dustyn Cochrane, Kelly Fraser, Jacob Pratt
BBQ, Community Crafters
Free | All Ages
Networking Dinner presented by The National Music Centre
Venue to be announced
Aug. 19 | 8pm-11pm
Invite Only
Aboriginal Music Week at Lunch presented by Digital Drum.ca
Air Canada Park, Portage Avenue & Carlton Street
Aug. 20 | 12pm-1pm
Artists: Leanne Goose
Free | All Ages
The Turtle Island Block Party
Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre, 510 King Street
Aug. 20 | 12:30pm-5pm
Artists: Billy Joe Green, Spirit Sands Singers, Junior Jiggers, Katie McKenzie, Chloe & Friends, and Michael, Jacob, & Cieanna Harris
Community BBQ sponsored by Amiskusees: Semaganis-Worme Family Foundation
BBQ, music workshops, activity stations
Free | All Ages
Networking Dinner presented by The National Music Centre
Venue to be announced
Aug. 20 | 7pm-10pm
Invite Only
Aboriginal Music Week at Lunch presented by Digital Drum.ca
Air Canada Park, Portage Avenue & Carlton Street
Aug. 21 | 12pm-1pm
Artists: T-Rhyme, Exquisite Ghost
Free | All Ages
AMW Stage presented by Rhythm 104.7FM at Austin Street Festival
Austin Street, between Euclid Street & Selkirk Avenue
Aug. 21 | 1pm-6pm
Artists: Ali Fontaine, Mariame, Black Rain, Mic Jordan, Jessica Bro-Z, Studio 393 Hip Hop Posses, Studio 393 B-Boy Crew, Turtle Island Dance Troupe
BBQ, music workshops, activity stations
Free | All Ages
Open Mic presented by NCI FM
The Good Will, 625 Portage Avenue
Aug. 21 | 9pm-2am
Artists: William Prince, Chuck Copenace
$5 | 18+ I.D. Required
AMW Stage presented by TD at Picnic in the Park
St. John’s Park, Mountain Avenue & Main Street
Aug. 22 | 12pm-5pm
Artists: C-Weed Band, Leanne Goose, Clint Dutiaume w/ Norman Chief Memorial Dancers, Mic Jordan, Steven Leveque
BBQ, music workshops, activity stations
Free | All Ages
Closing Night Party presented by RPM.FM
The Good Will, 625 Portage Avenue
Aug. 22 | 9pm-2am
Artists: Tall Paul, Mariame, Hellnback, T-Rhyme, Boogey The Beat
Tickets $10 | 18+ I.D. Required
About Aboriginal Music Week
Aboriginal Music Week was launched in 2009 to develop Aboriginal youth as an audience for live music. The festival presents between 25 and 35 First Nation, Métis, Inuit, Native American, and Indigenous music acts each year. It is held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and is produced by AMM.
AMM would like to acknowledge the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Province of Manitoba, and the Winnipeg Arts Council for their financial support of Aboriginal Music Week 2015.
AMM would like to acknowledge TD, DigitalDrum.ca, Manitoba Public Insurance, RPM.fm, the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, Re:Sound Music Licensing Company, Ogichidaa Arts, NCI FM, Rhythm 104.7FM, Grassroots News, the Dreamcatcher Charitable Foundation, the National Music Centre, the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, Amiskusees: Semaganis Worme Family Foundation, North End Revitalization Incorporated, the City of Winnipeg, and Manitoba Music for their support of Aboriginal Music Week 2015.
Aboriginal Music Week’s community celebrations are made possible by partnerships with the Spence Neighbourhood Association, the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre, and the Picnic in the Park organizing committee.
We acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters.
Visit aboriginalmusicweek.ca for more information about the festival.
Visit ammb.ca for more information about AMM.
For more information about Aboriginal Music Week, please contact:
Alan Greyeyes, Chairperson
Aboriginal Music Manitoba
P: (204) 296-9790
E: alan@ammb.ca
aboriginalmusicweek.ca
ammb.ca
