Music Cities Convention Alberta Announces Full Programme and Final Speaker Lineup
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 12 August 2026 — Music Cities Convention Alberta 2026 today announces its full programme and final wave of confirmed speakers ahead of the convention opening next month. Taking place 29 September – 1 October 2026 at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (NMC) in Calgary, the convention brings together 300+ policymakers, industry leaders and city builders for three days of programming at the intersection of music, urban development and economic growth.
Tickets are available now $349 CAD, at musiccitiesevents.com/alberta.
SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Andrea Khoo (National Arts Council, Singapore)
Brian Block (Sound City Planning / NITECAP, Austin)
DeMarcus Akeem Suggs (Office of Creative and Cultural Economy, Memphis)
Harrison Clark (City Councillor, Ward 9, Calgary)
Jaclyn Tam (Toronto Music Office)
Jinting Zhao (Founder, SHE-Q Audio)
Lacey Chataignier (Director, Music Programme, State of Louisiana)
Nathan Walker (City of Boise / Treefort Music Fest)
Nicola Trolez (Ship and Anchor, Calgary)
Ruby Marchand (Chief Awards & Global Industry Officer, Recording Academy)
Saadi D'hoore (Former Music Officer, Vancouver)
Sergio Parra Aguilera (Canadian Live Music Association)
The full speaker lineup joins previously announced delegates including Chip Adams (Texas Music Office), Cory Crossman (London Music Office & UNESCO City of Music), Andrea Dempster-Chung (Kingston Creative, Jamaica), Todd Dupler (Recording Academy), Juanita Hardy (Tiger Management Consulting Group), Shannon Sutherland (Canadian Council for Indigenous Business), Steve Sleswick (The Tivoli Group), and Brenton Thorvaldson (Indigenous Music Office), among others.
FULL PROGRAMME
The convention opens on Tuesday, 29 September with a private, invite-only roundtable for Canadian music cities at the National Music Centre. The open conference runs across Wednesday, 30 September and Thursday, 1 October.
Tuesday, 29 September: Canadian Music Cities Roundtable (invite-only)
The opening day brings together Canadian music cities, music industry associations, tourism boards, and key venues for a structured, solutions-oriented meeting. An opening framing session led by Shain Shapiro sets the agenda, followed by facilitated breakout workshops covering music-friendly policy advocacy, business incentives, and music commissions. The day concludes with a synthesis session, informal networking, and an opening reception on the Skybridge at the National Music Centre.
Wednesday, 30 September — Open Conference, Day 1
The open conference opens with a keynote from David McLeod, CEO, Native Communications Inc. & Co-chair, National Music Centre Indigenous Program Advisory Committee, honouring the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, examining Indigenous music economies and cultural sovereignty.
The Talent Pipeline — how music cities create policies that treat music professionals as a vital labour force, with Lacey Chataignier (Director, Music Programme, State of Louisiana), Claire Rice (Executive Director, Arts Alliance Illinois), Eliana Prada (Specialist in Creative Economy, Inter-American Development Bank), and Shannon Sutherland (VP Marketing, Communications and Events, Canadian Council for Indigenous Business), moderated by Women in Music
Small Venues — protecting grassroots cultural spaces, with Brian Block (Board Treasurer, Nighttime Economy Culture & Policy Alliance / NITECAP) and Raheem Manning (Senior Director, Nighttime Economy, City of Philadelphia), presented by NITECAP
Indigenous Economies — Brenton Thorvaldson (Program Manager, Indigenous Music Office) and Jeremy Dutcher in conversation on building economic pathways for Indigenous artists and communities, presented by the Indigenous Music Office
Quick-fire presentations on music and healthcare (Joy Allen, Chair, Music Therapy Department, Berklee College of Music), venue protection and cultural rights (Steve Sleswick, Managing Director, The Tivoli Group), and embedding music in local strategy (Chip Adams, Director, Texas Music Office), presented by the International Music Council
Policy Roundtables on community engagement and placemaking, funding and investment, new business initiatives, and digital trust and technology
The evening coincides with a celebration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, featuring a headline performance by Jeremy Dutcher at the National Music Centre.
Thursday, 1 October — Open Conference, Day 2
The final day opens with a fireside conversation with Todd Dupler (Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer, Recording Academy) and Ruby Marchand (Chief Awards & Global Industry Officer, Recording Academy) on global music institution strategy and local ecosystem support.
Music Offices Focus — case studies from Elizabeth Cawein (Founder & Executive Director, Music Export Memphis), Byron Sanders (Stagecare) and Kristina Hart (Dallas Music Office), followed by a panel on music office best practices moderated by Reid Wick (Director, Regional Advocacy & Member Engagement, Recording Academy), presented by AMO (Association of Music Offices)
Creative Placemaking — Juanita Hardy (Managing Principal, Tiger Management Consulting Group) and Cory Crossman (Director, London Music Office & Focal Point, UNESCO City of Music) on integrating music into urban design and city planning
Music Tourism Focus — building destination value through music, with Jaye O'Donnell (Economic Development Director, City of Mesa), Andrea Dempster-Chung (Co-founder & Managing Director, Kingston Creative), and Daryl Raven (CEO, Queensland Music Trails), presented by Hidden Gems of Music Tourism
Music Policy in 2030 — a forward-looking panel on sustainability, climate resilience, and community ownership with Sergio Emilio Parra (Research & Program Manager, Canadian Live Music Association) and Gorg Vella (Executive Partnerships, Advocacy, and Collaborations, Arts Council Malta)
Music-Friendly Policies for a Sustainable Workforce — rapid-fire presentations from Nathan Walker (Director of Development, Duck Club Entertainment / Music Idaho), DeMarcus Akeem Suggs (Director, Office of Creative and Cultural Economy, City of Memphis), Andrea Khoo (Deputy Director, Performing Arts, National Arts Council, Singapore), and Lisa Hresko (Chief Operating Officer, A2IM)
- “Returning to Alberta for the Music Cities Convention is a deeply meaningful milestone for us. Having collaborated with this province for nearly a decade, this event represents the evolution of a shared vision, one reflected in Alberta's music action plan. We have curated a program that honours Canada’s music ecosystems, particularly on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and we're very excited to share it.”
Shain Shapiro
CALGARY AT THE CENTRE: TEN YEARS OF NMC
The convention arrives at a milestone moment for its host venue. This year, the National Music Centre marks a decade as Canada's home for music, ten years of preserving musical heritage, developing artists, and building a stronger music ecosystem from Calgary's East Village.
"Ten years ago, National Music Centre opened Studio Bell with a bold vision to create a home for music in Canada and help build a stronger music ecosystem from our home base in Calgary," said Andrew Mosker, President and CEO of the National Music Centre and Chair of West Anthem. "Welcoming the Music Cities Convention and leading voices in music policy from around the world is a meaningful next step in that journey. It gives Calgary and Alberta an opportunity to share what we have built, learn from other cities and regions, and strengthen the ideas, relationships, and policies that will help music play an even greater role in our city and province's cultural and economic future. As NMC enters its next decade, we see Studio Bell not only as a home for Canada's music story, but also as an international gathering place where the future of music policy can be shaped."
In ten years, Studio Bell has welcomed over one million visitors through public programs and over 100 exhibitions. It has become the official home of four of Canada's music halls of fame, created 70–100 full-time jobs in the music sector, and houses a significant and growing collection of rare instruments, artifacts, and memorabilia spanning 450 years of music technology and decades of history related to Canadian musical life.
SECURE YOUR PLACE
Tickets are available now at $349 CAD. The Alberta Music Cities Convention brings together the world's leading voices on music, cities and sustainable development — register now to secure your place.
More information: musiccitiesevents.com/alberta
Buy tickets:https://www.tickettailor.com/events/musiccitiesevents/1961861
SPONSORS
This convention is made possible with the support of our sponsors.
Host partner: West Anthem
Supporting partners: National Music Centre and Alberta Music
Government Partners: Calgary Arts Development, City of Calgary, Government of Alberta
Sponsors:
Gold: Spruce Meadows, Craig Senyk Initiatives
Silver: Scotlyn Foundation
Bronze: Walt and Irene DeBoni
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#MusicCities #AlbertaMCC2026 #MusicPolicy
— ENDS —
Media Contact
Hattie WynterMarketing and Communications hattie@sounddiplomacy.com
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For press accreditation, please contact hattie@sounddiplomacy.com
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Alberta Music Cities Convention is located on the traditional lands of the peoples of the Treaty 7 region, including the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6.
Sound Diplomacy and the National Music Centre are committed to honouring the sovereignty and traditional territories of the First Peoples and acknowledging the treaties that have shaped this land. Guided by this commitment, NMC is dedicated to forging creative bridges of understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, recognizing and celebrating Indigenous voices from all regions of Canada, and inspiring positive change.
About Music Cities Convention
The Music Cities Convention is the global stage for city leaders, decision-makers and music industry innovators shaping how music drives sustainable development, urban planning, economic growth and positive local impact.
Since 2015, the Music Cities Convention has become the global space for sharing, defining and accelerating how music transforms urban life and creates better cities. Bringing together experts, policymakers and advocates, it is the premier forum to network and deliver solutions at the intersection of music and city planning, economic development, sustainability, community engagement, education, and real estate. This is the world’s most relevant event where leaders discover the power of music to improve the places we share.
About Sound Diplomacy
Sound Diplomacy is a global consultancy specialising in music, culture and the creative economy. Advising more than 150 clients across over 30 countries, Sound Diplomacy uses research, data and strategy to help cities and organisations unlock the economic and social value of culture.
About National Music Centre | Centre National de Musique
National Music Centre (NMC) is a registered charity dedicated to amplifying the love, sharing, and understanding of music in Canada. More than a museum, NMC focuses on five key areas: Exhibitions and Collections, Artist and Professional Development,Performance and Recording, Education and Learning, and Music and Wellness. From its headquarters at Studio Bell in the heart of Calgary’s East Village neighbourhood and satellite location in Montreal, NMC celebrates Canada’s rich musical legacy, honouring legendary artists, nurturing new voices, and bringing people together through music. NMC also houses a vast collection of rare instruments, artifacts and memorabilia, world-class recording studios, and four of Canada’s music halls of fame, including the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Quebec’s Adisq Hall of Fame. National Music Centre marks its 10th anniversary as Canada’s home for music in 2026, with a year-long lineup of exhibits, events, and programs planned.
Visit studiobell.ca/10 to explore the full list of anniversary activities happening now through summer 2027. To check out the NMC experience online, visit amplify.nmc.ca.