MONTREAL – Music, TV, radio and tech company Stingray announced Friday it will allocate $6.7 million to Canadian content development initiatives in 2019 through payments to music industry organizations and bursaries for up-and-coming artists, among other ways.
Stingray’s aid to the Canadian music industry will take include financial contributions to Factor/Musicaction, Radio Starmaker Fund/Fonds Radiostar and the Community Radio Fund of Canada, says a company press release.
In addition, Stingray will allocate $1.6 million to over 70 music festivals and events across the country such as the Junos, the CCMA Awards, the Polaris Music Prize, the Francos de Montréal, and Breakout West.
As well, through its Stingray Rising Stars Program, the company will offer cash awards and provide showcase opportunities to great new Canadian talent of all musical genres. Launched in 1998, the program sets out to discover, encourage, promote, and champion new and up-and-coming Canadian artists.
Close to 1,200 Canadian artists have received Rising Stars awards including Arcade Fire (2004), Tokyo Police Club (2007), Serena Rider (2009), Tanya Tagaq (2013), and Grimes (2018). To date, over $1 million has been distributed to promising musicians.
With dozens of Canadian radio stations and over 200 music channels devoted to Canadian music, Stingray delivers the most in-depth selection of music from the regions, cultures, and eras that define our home and native land, adds the release. Plus, the company’s global distribution on web, TV, and mobile offers talent a great opportunity to connect with audiences around the world.
Stingray features over 100,000 songs and 5,000 music videos from close to 15,000 Canadian artists and bands, across many genres.
“We have taken it upon ourselves to create a space where new and established artists can grow their audience across our many services,” said Mathieu Péloquin, senior vice-president, marketing and communications. “A major highlight of our global expansion into over 156 countries is bringing Canadian talent to the world.”
