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Other Blues Society Pages Canadian Blues Artists Canadian Blues Venues and Festivals Record Companies

 

WHAT IS AVAILABLE FOR MUSICIANS PLUS RESOURCES

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External Emergency Funding Initiatives Announced To Date:
  • SOCAN expands Encore! program, the online concert payments fund. More info here.
  • Canadian Recovery Benefit (CRB) provides income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by COVID-19 and are not entitled to Employment Insurance (EI). The program is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Eligible applicants can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) for a 2-week period. If your situation continues past 2 weeks, you will need to apply again. Applicants may apply up to a total of 13 eligibility periods (26 weeks) between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.
  • MusicTogether is open to Ontario musicians only. Apply here for a paid performance opportunity.
  • The AFC – Emergency financial aid for entertainment pros
Resources & News:
  • Artists can submit their upcoming gigs to Ontario Live, a new portal by Destination Ontario.
  • The City of Toronto’s ShopHERE helps Toronto businesses and artists build and promote their own Shopify online stores.
  • Spotify launched a feature that will enable artists to fundraise directly.
  • TuneCore is offering all of their subscribers a 50% discount that you can use for your next single or album release. A one-time discount offer available at checkout.
  • ACTRA has extended the date for paying dues.
  • City of Toronto’s Music Office’s thorough document to help musicians and venues/organizations survive.
  • Canada Council for the Arts: Information about CCA’s cancellation policy can be found here.
  • Toronto Musicians Association’s resources for financial assistance and bill payment relief here.
  • Music Managers Forum Canada’s constantly updated resource page is here.
  • Nightly 60-second clip of tips by music publicist Eric Alper during pandemic will be available here.

 

Education:
  • Indigenous Voices in the Music Industry will be presented by Folk Music Ontario and will take place tomorrow Thursday, April 8th at 1pm ET via Zoom. Moderated by Alan Greyeyes, artists Leanne Goose, Stacey Howse, and Marek Tyler will be in discussion. Registration is free and can be done by e-mailing here.
  • Glenn Marais’ online music education platform “Music In Mind” is up and running and waiting for its customers. They have just launched Black History/Anti-Racism, a two-part differentiated video series for Kindergarten, Grades 1-3 and 4-8. You can take a look at and book here.
  • Contact Rick Washbrook at 289 926 1938 for Blues & Jazz Guitar Lessons on Zoom. Over 40 years of dedication study, teaching, live performance and studio work.
  • Interested in learning slide guitar? Bottleneck or Lap Style? Open Tunings? Finger picking? Sean Pinchin is now booking online lessons on his website.
  • Dubbed as Blues prodigy from Niagara, Spencer MacKenzie is offering lessons on his website with his band mates Miles Evans-Branagh, and Matt Burns. Click here to get started with your customized learning experience.
  • Rebecca Hennessy is currently taking new online students for all levels of trumpet, music theory and songwriting. Courses available over FaceTime, Facebook messenger video or Zoom. Email to: rebecca@rebeccahennessy.com
  • Jesse Whiteley is currently offering video lessons from home via Skype/FaceTime/Zoom and you can reach him on his Lessons page.
New Initiatives, Online Archives:
  • Delta Blues Museum’s new virtual tours, “The Land Where Blues Began”, feature Clarksdale musicians Lee Williams, Terry “Big T” Williams, and James “Super Chikan” Johnson as your personal tour guides through the gallery, telling stories of the Blues artists that influenced these local musicians personally and shaped their professional careers. Tours are free and available here.
  • Take a virtual Muddy Waters tour at the Delta Blues Museum. You can also participate on an interactive journey about John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite or more on the website.
  • Ontario Live is a portal by Destination Ontario, a virtual marketplace that brings Ontario together to help support local artists, operators, attractions and businesses throughout the province. Coming soon, you’ll be able to buy, donate to, or experience the best Ontario has to offer all in one place.
  • “An Air B&B for shows”, Vancouver-based Side Door is now featuring ticketed shows on Zoom during the pandemic. Click here for the upcoming shows and more info.
  • “Almost Live” live blues music series by Canal Bank Shuffle is on Youtube and donations to the music series are accepted through here.
  • You can stream select past performances including the latest Maple Blues Awards on Koerner Hall’s online archive.
  • Montreux Jazz Festival released over 50 full sets for free including Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, and more.


OTHER BLUES SOCIETY PAGES

CANADA:

Victoria Blues Society – Victoria, BC
Hornby Island Blues Society – Hornby Island, BC
Coastal Jazz and Blues Society – Vancouver, BC
Pender Harbour Blues Society – Pender Harbour, BC
White Rock Blues Society – Surrey, BC
Blues Underground Network – Kamloops, BC
Kootenay Blues Society – Nelson, BC
Edmonton Blues Society – Edmonton, AB
Saskatoon Blues Society – Saskatoon, SK
Brandon Blues Society – Brandon, MB
Manitoba Blues Society – Manitoba
Sault Blues Society – Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Thunder Bay Blues Society – Thunder Bay, ON
Bruce County Blues Society – Bruce County, ON
Canada South Blues Society – Chatham Kent, ON Chapter
Grand River Blues Society – Southern ON
Great Lakes Blues Society – London, ON
Hamilton Blues Society – Hamilton, ON
Loyal Blues Fellowship – Belleville, ON
Kingston Blues Society – Kingston, ON
Ottawa Blues Society – Ottawa, ON
Montreal Blues Society – Montreal, QC
East Coast Blues Society – Canadian Maritimes
Tantramarsh Blues Society – Sackville, NB

UNITED STATES:

Alabama Blues Society
Atlanta Blues Society
Baltimore Blues Society
Blues Foundation – International, based in Memphis, Tennessee
Cascade Blues Association – Portland, Oregon
Central Pennsylvania Blues Society
Charlotte Blues Society – Charlotte, North Carolina
Colorado Blues Society
Connecticut Blues Society
DC Blues Society
Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola
Detroit Blues Society
Diamond State Blues Society – Saint Georges, Delaware
Cincy Blues Society – Cinncinati, Ohio
Inland Empire Blues Society – Spokane, Washington
Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation – New Jersey
Kansas City Blues Society
Magic City Blues Society – Birmingham, Alabama
Maine Blues Society
Mississippi Valley Blues Society
New York Blues Society
Oklahoma Blues Society
Central Pennsylvania Blues Society
Western Pennsylvania Blues Society
Pheonix Blues Society
Rockland County Jazz and Blues Society – Rockland County, New York
San Antonio Blues Society
Southern California Blues Society
Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation
Suncoast Blues Society – Florida
Walla Walla Blues Society – Walla Walla, WA
Washington Blues Society – Seattle, Washington
West Virginia Blues Society – Charleston, WV

INTERNATIONAL:
European Blues Union – Network of Blues Societies and Festivals in Europe
France Blues
Dutch Blues Foundation
Blues Association of Southeast Queensland – Australia
Hell Blues Club
New Zealand Blues Society
South Australian Blues Society
Stockholm Blues Society
UK Blues Federation – UK

A SAMPLING OF CANADIAN BLUES ARTISTS


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CANADIAN BLUES VENUES AND FESTIVALS

1000 Islands Jazz Festival
Barrie Jazz and Blues Festival
Bearly’s – Halifax, Nova Scotia
Blues at the Bow Live – Alberta
Blues Jam Online – Pig’s Ear Tavern, Peterborough, Ontario
Blues on Whyte – Edmonton, Alberta
Canal Bank Shuffle – October, Thorold, Ontario
Cross Border Blues – both sides of the Niagara River
Edmonton Labatt Blues Festival – August
Frankford Island Blues Festival
Great Woods Music Festival – August in Beausejour, Manitoba
Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival – September in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Hornby Island Blues Workshop – May in British Columbia
Hugh’s Room Live
Kitchener Blues Festival
Limestone City Blues Festival – Kingston, Ontario
Live at City Hall – Stratford, Ontario
London/Windsor International Blues Festival
Nanaimo Blues Festival
Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival
Orillia Spring Blues Festival
Ottawa Blues Fest
PenderHarbour Blues Festival – B.C.
Rusty Reeds House of Blues – Alberta
Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival – August in British Columbia’s interior
The Silver Dollar Room – Toronto’s blues hotspot
Southside Shuffle – Port Credit, Ontario
The Blue Chair Cafe – Edmonton, Alberta
Tango Coffee Bistro – Stratford, Ontario
Thunder Bay Blues Festival – July
Wasaga Beach Blues Festival – Wasaga, Ontario – Third weekend in September
West Coast Bluesfest
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RECORD COMPANIES

Alligator Records
Blind Pig Records
Blue Wave Records
Borealis Recording Co.
Brouhaha Records Group
Bros Productions
Burnside Records
Chess Records
Cordova Bay/Ragged Pup Records
Delmark Records
Document Records
Electro-Fi Records

Gypsy Soul Records
Hottrax Records
Legacy (Sony)
Make It Real Records
Mark Naftalin’s Winner Records
Mocombo Records
No Cover Productions
NorthernBlues Music
Rooster Blues Records
Rounder Records
Silk City Recording Company
Speakeasy CDs – Independent Blues Label from London, ON
Stony Plain Records
Verve Records

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MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE LIST – UPDATED OCT 2020

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA & PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL LINKS

Taking care of your mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic
A general tips and resource page provided by the Government of Canada, with additional resource links provided by province.

MUSICIAN/ARTIST SPECIFIC RESOURCES
Musicians’ Clinic of Canada
Founded in 1985, the Musicians’ Clinics of Canada has served thousands of performing artists with state of the art assessment, treatment, and products.

UNISON Benevolent Fund
Unison Benevolent Fund is a non-profit, registered charity that provides counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community.

Over The Bridge
Over The Bridge is a lifeline for the music industry’s long-term success. Using the music industry as a conduit, Over The Bridge assists industry members who are at their most vulnerable, cultivate and achieving long-term mental health and addiction recovery goals.

Al & Malka Green Artists’ Health Centre
The Al & Malka Green Artists’ Health Centre is a facility in the Family and Community Medicine Program at Toronto Western Hospital. Equipped with an Acoustic Studio and Movement Assessment Studio with a sprung floor to aid in diagnosis and treatment. The Centre is the only clinic of its kind in Canada that specializes in serving the entire artistic community.

ONTARIO-BASED (COVERED BY OHIP)

GTA/ONTARIO BASED RESOURCES
Affordable Therapy Network of Ontario
A directory of qualified therapists offering low-cost and sliding scale fees.

Psychology Today – Therapist Directory
A searchable online directory of therapists, counsellors, support groups, and treatment centres by city or postal code.

CAMH: Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic Resources
A vast resource page curated by CAMH to help Canadians better manage their mental health during the pandemic.

AKIN Collective
Akin is a Toronto-based arts organization that provides creative studio space as well as arts-based programming. Their studios provide a working environment that maintains a friendly and inspiring atmosphere where people can work on creative endeavors and entrepreneurial undertakings of all kinds.

This list was compiled by the Akin Projects board and the Akin Team as a resource guide for artists, freelancers, and creatives who are in need of support during this challenging time.

Mind Beacon
Guided digital therapy with BEACON is highly personalized to what you’re feeling and who you are, as a whole person. Through secure digital messaging, and tailored readings and activities, you’ll work 1-to-1 with a registered therapist.

BEACON digital therapy (iCBT) is now available free of charge to support Ontarians through stress and mental well-being concerns during COVID-19, funded by the Government of Ontario.
Beacon also offers services to all Canadians through their Stronger Minds Program.

YOUTUBE MENTAL HEALTH CHANNELS & ONLINE-BASED RESOURCES

Kati Morton, LFMT
Kati Morton is a licensed therapist that releases new Mental Health videos every Monday, which cover topics that include anxiety, depression, BPD, and other disorders.

Dr. Todd Grande
Dr. Todd L. Grande covers topics related to Counselor Education and Supervision including but not limited to mental health, human behavior, psychopathology, personality theory, true crime, research, statistics, SPSS, Excel, appraisal, and group counseling.

Med Circle
MedCircle brings you engaging mental health interviews with world-class psychiatrists & psychologists every single week. The MedCircle doctors provide in-depth mental health advice packed with actionable takeaways and clear explanations of the most complicated mental health topics.

MeetUp
MeetUp connects people with like-minded interests, which include many mental health support groups that are completely free. Almost all of these groups are now conducted over Zoom due to the pandemic.

BIPOC THERAPIST SITES

What’s Up Walk In
Immediate mental health counselling for children, youth, young adults and their families, and families with infants is available at the What’s Up Walk-In® Clinic.

WellNest Psychotherapy Services
A therapist network which reflects diverse identities and supports unique needs.

Black Youth Hotline
Black Youth Helpline serves all youth and specifically responds to the need for a Black youth specific service, positioned and resourced to promote access to professional, culturally appropriate support for youth, families and schools.

Black Mental Health Canada Inc.
Black Mental Health Canada Inc. facilitates access to affordable, culturally safe and affirming mental health services to the black community through education, advocacy, and provision of resources.

Across Boundaries
Across Boundaries provides a dynamic range of mental health support and services and works within Anti-Racism/Anti-Black racism and Anti-Oppression frameworks.

UNITED STATES & INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES

The Blues Foundation – Hart Fund
The Blues Foundation established the HART Fund (Handy Artists Relief Trust) for Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns. The Fund provides for acute, chronic and preventive medical and dental care as well as funeral and burial expenses.

Performing Arts Medicine Association – Affiliated Websites
These links were collected largely through the collaboration of the PAMA Liaison Committee and do not represent any endorsement of PAMA.

FURTHER READING
Music Is Facing a Mental Health Crisis (Canadian Musician)
73% of musicians report suffering from mental illness (Survey, Consequences of Sound)
A Psychologists Take on Mental Health for Musicians (Spotify)

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©2021 Toronto Blues Society. Design by Janine Stoll Media.
TBS logo and WBR artwork by Barbara Klunder


The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the annual support of the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council and the Department of Canadian Heritage, and project support from FACTOR< and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Broadcasters, The Canada Council for the Arts, the SOCAN Foundation, SOCAN, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

Toronto Blues Society