The MusiCounts Industry Exchange program, presented by the Hamilton JUNOS Host Committee, brought together 20 educators and emerging artists from the Hamilton area for a unique community-building and networking experience.

During JUNO Week in Hamilton, the cohort participated in workshops where they gained insight into the Canadian music industry and its diverse opportunities. Both groups learned how to translate that insight into valuable knowledge for their classrooms, careers, and communities.

Hear from the participants about the value of the JUNO Week experience:

“I really want to share what I learned with my students so they see other pathways in music education”

“How unafraid you need to be about you and your music. Be crazy and creative and vulnerable.”

“A feeling of validity. We’re not alone. We all want to know more about the community and connect with each other.”

“It was really interesting to see more career options that kids can get into… Everyone in the room is facing some sort of challenge and working together and networking can help resolve some of these”

After the whirlwind of JUNO Week, participants had some time to integrate their experiences and reconnect for more learning, sharing, and opportunity. During a two-day summit at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton, industry professionals from media, marketing, management, sync, publishing, and live entertainment held intimate workshops with local music educators and emerging artists to expand each groups’ understanding of their roles in the music industry.

Creating pathways for music students to build successful careers was a hot button discussion point: how can educators support student interest in music industry internships when much of the sector’s activity falls either outside of school hours, in 19+ spaces, or both? What role can educators play in supporting a young person in building their network? Through open, imaginative, and solution-forward conversation, these seemingly different groups tackled challenges with a collaborative spirit.

So what’s next?

The last piece of the MusiCounts Industry Exchange is the continuum. Ongoing mentorship, follow-up meetups, and shared resource development will extend the legacy and impact of the program for Hamilton’s music community.

We would like to give a huge thank you to the participating educators, artists, industry partners, and mentors, as well as the Hamilton Host Committee for ensuring the momentum of JUNO Week lives on.