Apply now for new SOCAN Foundation career development grant program

Story by SOCAN Foundation / Fondation SOCAN | Monday July 5th, 2021

Eligible SOCAN members can apply now for a SOCAN Foundation Career Development Grant, a one-time special professional-development initiative to help our music creators and publishers develop news skills.

“Strengthening skills, building capacity, and encouraging knowledge sharing among SOCAN’s membership is increasingly important in today’s environment of rapid change, competing challenges, and emerging opportunities, including new technologies and ways of collaborating,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of the SOCAN Foundation. “The SOCAN Foundation offers this new program to provide accelerated access to financial support for music creators and publishers, to allow them to develop creative or professional skills”

The new Fund is open to all SOCAN members who have received at least two SOCAN royalty payments (of any amount) within the last 12 months of applying to the program.  The SOCAN Foundation has allocated a total of $250,000, which will be available for distribution from the SOCAN Foundation Career Development Grant, of up to 850 grants of $300 each. The Fund is a one-time special program to help SOCAN members develop skills by accessing conferences, workshops, masterclasses, or other self-directed learning opportunities such as mentorship, research, and personal reflection.

Applicants are encouraged to submit applications early. Once the funds are exhausted, the program will be closed in the portal. SOCAN members can learn more about the program by visiting www.socanfoundation.ca.

Photo by Brad Ardley (via Zoom)

Video: SOCAN honours Madeline Merlo with No. 1 Song Award

Story by SOCAN | Tuesday July 6th, 2021

SOCAN presented country singer-songwriter Madeline Merlo with a No. 1 Song Award, for co-writing “Champagne Night,” which topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart in a version performed by Lady A,  for three weeks, starting on Jan. 9, 2021.

Co-written with SOCAN members Patricia Conroy and Dave “Dwave” Thompson, “Champagne Night” found its big break via the nationally televised U.S. songwriting competition Songland. When Merlo sang it to the members of Lady A, and several professional songwriters, they loved it; worked on it with her; and Lady A then recorded and released it as a single. The song ended up completely changing Merlo’s life .

Since current health regulations prevented SOCAN from presenting the No. 1 Song Award plaques in person, SOCAN A&R Representative Melissa Cameron-Passley bestowed them via Zoom instead.

In addition to Cameron-Passley, Merlo, Conroy, and Thompson, those celebrating at the presentation were:

  • Gary Furniss, David Quilico, Janet Baker, and Mishelle Pack of Sony Music Publishing Canada;
  • publishers Stephanie Cox of Kobalt Music Publishing; Mark Friedman of Deluge Music; John Ozier of Reservoir Media Management; and James Campbell of Slaight Music Publishing;
  • Jennifer Brown (interim CEO) and Peter Fera of SOCAN; and
  • Beth Brinker and Kelly Haygood of ASCAP Nashville.

SOCAN congratulates the entire team on this great achievement!

Black Canadian music creators can apply now for #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday June 30th, 2021

In 2020, YouTube Music launched the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund to equip Black musicians with the resources and support to enable them to thrive, and invest in work that amplifies the voices, perspectives, and stories of Black artists.

On June 21, 2021, YouTube opened grant applications for the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund Class of 2022, with expanded eligibility to include songwriters and producers. The company has also opened up applications for those based in Canada, as well as the U.K., the U.S., Brazil, Australia, Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria.

Black Canadian music creators can apply now for #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, until July 9, 2021.

YouTube has also announced a partnership with the music education institution 1500 Sound Academy, founded by Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producers James Fauntleroy and Larrance “Rance” Dopson. Through its inaugural #YouTubeBlack Music Future Insiders Scholarship, YouTube and 1500 will fund 10 full scholarships to the Academy’s Live Online Music & Industry Fundamentals program – a six-month term, during which participants will take courses in music production, engineering, songwriting, mixing, music business, and more.

YouTube has also been working with community-based organizations to develop its Future Insiders program, which has reached more than 180 (and counting) at-risk and under-served youth aspiring to enter the music and creative industries. As part of the program, the students attend quarterly workshops that focus on succeeding on YouTube, raising awareness of career pathways, facilitating access to talent and thought leaders, and encouraging well-being.

YouTube has created #YouTubeMusic Moments as well, a collection of content series, live streams, and events that hold the primary goal of celebrating Black culture, identity, and experiences, from the perspective of artists and thought leaders in music.

For more information, click here.

To apply for the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, click here.