With the September 24 election fast approaching, New Brunswick voters will soon be making an important decision about our province's future and leadership. In order to ensure that our music community is well informed about issues which could affect us, Music • Musique NB sent a questionnaire to political parties to help shed some light on their plans to support our growing music industry. Here is the copy of the email which was sent. We will published the answers received on Friday, September 7th.
Music·Musique NB is the provincial music industry association, representing over 600 individual members, including musicians, managers, agents, music educators, festivals, venues, recording studios and radio stations.
Below, you will find key questions on which the New Brunswick Music Industry is looking for leadership from our political parties. We kindly ask you for your response by end of day Thursday, September 6th, as we hope to share responses received to our members and post them on our website and social media.
1. If elected, will your party:
a. Commit to continuing to invest in the New Brunswick Music Industry Development (MID) Investment Program?
b. Commit to supporting and growing the New Brunswick live music sector, which drives local and provincial economies through venues, festivals and tourism?
c. Commit to policy and funding that facilitate the retention of artists and music industry professionals in the province of New Brunswick?
d. Commit to working with the New Brunswick music industry to develop opportunities for priority groups, including artists/music entrepreneurs identifying as women, indigenous, LGBTQ+, racially visible people, people with disability, youth, linguistic minorities, etc.
2. Ontario and British Columbia are leaders in creating provincial music funds, aimed at strengthening and simulating growth in the provincial music business sector. Those funds complement other public funding programs and aim to address investment gaps for the music industry, such as providing support for record labels, music publishers, recording studios, music managers, booking agents and artist entrepreneurs. Would you support the creation of a similar New Brunswick Music Fund?