AT a joint announcement with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the 2018 Vancouver Juno Host Committee announced several of their own initiatives that will be rolling out in the months leading up to Juno Week – March 19 to 25, 2018. 

Vancouver hosting the Juno Awards is truly a perfect example of the energy, excitement and

opportunity that exists in the city and province within the creative community, and as a musical epicentre of Canada.

“We are so proud that Vancouver has been chosen to host the Juno Awards for the fourth time, and the local committee is committed to the delivery of Juno activities that will support the amplification of British Columbia’s vibrant and diverse music scene,” says 2018 Host Committee Co-Chair Catherine Runnals.

These local host committee initiatives include:

• The Let’s Hear It Celebration Site: Vancouver’s got heart
  This free festival site will offer a centrally located venue for all of Vancouver to enjoy, celebrating local music and culture. The Celebration Site will incorporate family-focused programming including music for all ages, along with VIP zones for delegates and stakeholders.
• U-19 Songwriters’ Circle: Inspiring the future
  Modelled after the Juno Songwriters’ Circle yet only accessible to those under 19, this evening event will represent diversity of idiom and genre and will feature artists and producers from several musical areas including EDM and Classical composition, hitting the stage to share their talents and inspiration.
• Learning Resource Development: The JUNO Awards as a live textbook
  Using the Juno Awards will now be a live textbook for learning within BC. The Host Committee has developed three instructional packages, one each for grades 4-7, 8-9 and 10-12, which employ BC’s re-designed curriculum to provide a learning experience related to the Juno Awards, the music industry in Canada and Canadian musicians. 
• Music Cities Summit: Igniting creativity
  In conjunction with the City of Vancouver and Music BC, this one day roundtable session will be held on Thursday, March 22, 2018 featuring international guest speakers to explore how music influences and impacts community, policy, planning and economy.
• Music Cities Hackathon: Where the left and the right brain meet
  Held on Saturday, March 24, 2018, this one day event, featuring guests from across the entire creative sector, is designed to engage the entire creative sector – tackle issues, collaborate and innovate.
• The BC Artist Showcase: Shining the spotlight on BC
  A taste of what’s in store for Juno Week, BC Artist Showcases will put B.C.’s diverse artists in unique venues, through a series of pop-up performances from January – March throughout the province. In doing so, the program will enrich spaces and create memorable moments with music where you would often least expect it.

As part of the BC Artist Showcase, the Committee also announced that for the first time, they will be launching a Micro-Grant Program for province-wide initiatives that fit within the scope of the BC Artist Showcase.

With $25,000 in available grant funding, recipients will receive up to a maximum of $1,000 per application to support musical programming and events in their community running from January to March 2018

Applications will be available on the 2018 Host Committee website, www.letshearitbc.com (going live November 24), as well as the www.MusicBC.org, starting Friday, November 24 through to December 31. 

“We hope that through these micro-grants, we can extend our reach and support more of the amazing talent that this province has to offer,” shared 2018 Host Committee Co-Chair Nick Blasko.

The 47th annual Juno Awards will take place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on March 25, 2018 with tickets going on sale November 24 on ticketmaster.com 

For more information about the Juno Awards, visit: www.junoawards.ca.

Stay informed on the 2018 JUNO Awards at letshearitbc.com (going live November 24). Follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @letshearitbc (#LetsHearItBC).