Bands and singer-songwriters from Canada’s French-speaking and Indigenous communities have until 8:00 a.m. on Nov. 10, 2023, to submit their applications on the Francouvertes website in the hope of being one of the 21 contestants in the upcoming cohort.

The competition runs from March 11 to May 15, 2024, at Lion d’Or, Club Soda, and online. The artists will perform their original compositions in front of a live audience. The spokespersons for this 28th edition are Lou-Adriane Cassidy (a previous finalist) and Thierry Larose (a previous semi-finalist).

 Whatever their musical style, Francouvertes participants benefit from a prime showcase, presenting their songs to new audiences, the media, and various industry representatives. For the first time this year, thanks to the contribution of SiriusXM, a one-time amount of $500 in production assistance will be awarded to each participating act. Also new, changes to the rules relating to entries have recently been made to make the competition more accessible to artists who haven’t widely marketed their songs. Finally, an important new feature concerning the event’s online broadcast will be announced during the inaugural evening, and it promises greater visibility for artists, and wider availability to the public.

By participating in the Francouvertes, artists will have the chance to partake of an experience that’s rich in artistic and professional meetings. In addition, there are opportunities for cash prizes – including the $15,000 SiriusXM cash prize – studio time, promotional and professional support, paid performances in major venues, and performances at major events.

Francouvertes is a competition that takes place in three stages: the preliminaries, the semi-finals, and the finals, totalling more than 11 nights, with three artists presented per night. To find out more, access www.francouvertes.com.