WINNIPEG — A first-of-its-kind study published by APTN reveals the Indigenous music industry contributed a total of almost $78 million to Canada’s economy in 2018.
In addition to its economic impact, Indigenous music also supports more than 3,000 full-time positions across the country, according to the National Indigenous Music Impact Study (NIMIS), conducted by APTN and its study partners, including NVision Insight Group Inc.
To gather its research, APTN and its partners engaged with the Indigenous music community, including anyone (Indigenous or non-Indigenous) who creates, promotes and supports Indigenous music in Canada. In total, 620 industry insiders completed the online survey and 70 interviews were conducted to gain unique insight into the industry, APTN said in a news release.
Among its findings, the study found Indigenous musicians (including both full-time and part-time artists) earn annually an average of $47,200 from all sources. However, almost half (47%) of income earned by Indigenous music artists is derived from non-music work, according to the study.
Companies in the Indigenous music community reported that almost half (47%) of their activities last year were related to developing Indigenous music. These activities incurred $17.5 million in expenditures directly related to music by Indigenous artists, the study said.
While the Indigenous music community is thriving, the report said, the Indigenous music industry, comprised of Indigenous-owned, Indigenous-directed music companies and supporting organizations, is still in its infancy and is poised for development.
“APTN has always been a leading supporter of the Indigenous music industry in Canada. We set out to gain a better understanding of this group of professionals and what we found is that this industry has a significant impact on the economic and social fabric of Canada. However, the industry also faces challenges, which creates many opportunities for growth. We see this study as a starting point for in-depth and informed discussions that will help the industry reach its full potential,” said Jean La Rose, CEO of APTN, in the news release. [Ed. note: La Rose is set to retire from APTN at the end of the year and will be replaced by Monika Ille in mid-December, as Cartt.ca reported last week.]
To learn more about the report’s findings regarding the Indigenous music industry’s impact on Canada, visits APTN’s NIMIS website for the full results of the study.
