Canadian Music Week, Now Just Regular Week
Canadian Music Week announced earlier this week they will not go ahead with their Sept 9 – Sept 11 festival dates due to the COVID-19 situation.
CMW has officially been canceled for 2020, in person at least. The festival expected delays due to COVID-19, but as of this week, the organization announced it will not be happening in September either – the previously mentioned backup date. The CMW team says they are currently exploring some virtual options for conferences, and hopefully performances too.
The music industry Is taking a brutal hit right now, with lots of people out of work, many still unsure exactly where to turn.
In a press release put out by the organization, CMW President Neil Dixon said, “After extensive consultation with industry partners, it has become apparent that … September represented too many unavoidable obstacles. Not least of these would be the participation of international artists and delegates, many of whom might not be free to travel at that point, and some of whom have already declined to attend.”
As we move forward this year, we’ll likely continue to hear announcements like this as there are currently too many variables and it’s apparent that even as far out as September we don’t know what this is going to look like, and what restrictions will still be in place.
Dixon also notes “Even in a best-case fall scenario, wherein the spread of COVID-19 has been mitigated and limited public gatherings allowed, high-attendance events such as concerts, sports and conferences will likely be the last public activities to resume…” and goes on “The fallout is huge, for events like ours and the entire music industry.”
Dixon and his team are working on ways to bring elements of CMW to us virtually this year though.
No specifics have been announced, so we’ll have to keep you posted on that one.
CMW is currently in the process of issuing refunds for all ticketed concerts and notes that 2020 wristbands will be honored at their next event, fingers crossed, in 2021.
