Nothing for live music in Fall Economic Statement

November 21, 2023 - (Ottawa) The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) is disappointed to see no commitments for live music in today’s Fall Economic Statement (FES). The federal government has once again left the sector in the cold by failing to address investments in key programs including the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and the Canada Music Fund.

“Yet again, the federal government has left Canadian music and musicians out of their budget. Countries around the world are announcing new investments to attract concert-goers and leverage the remarkable growth and momentum in the live music sector,” said Erin Benjamin, President & CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association.

“We saw this most recently in the United Kingdom, which announced a £5M new fund for independent music stages earlier this month. Canadian artists need programs that leverage the power and potential our live music infrastructure provides in order to grow and compete on the global stage. Looking forward, we hope that Budget 2024 will reflect the opportunity our industry represents for positive growth and we will continue to work with the government to educate, amplify and underscore the value and power of live music and concert activity.”