Taking Nova Scotia Music to Ireland

The sounds of Nova Scotia music will soon be filling Irish ears. It's all part of the International Years of Music campaign to expand and develop the province's music industry in international markets.

Senator Al Graham, Leader of the Government in the Senate, on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and Manning MacDonald, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, announced today that $45,000 has been committed to this Irish promotion initiative.

The funding is part of the $3.5 million, announced in April 1997, for the two-year International Years of Music campaign.

Two musical performances are scheduled for the end of May --one in Dublin, the other in Belfast. Nova Scotia-based entertainers Lennie Gallant, Mary Jane Lamond, Evans and Doherty and Laura Smith will be working collectively to showcase local music and develop the Irish marketplace for both performances and record distribution.

"Local entertainers are enjoying increased international acclaim through their mix of traditional musical values and innovative approaches," said Senator Graham. "This assistance will help expose local musicians to a country renowned for its strong music links."

"What better way to promote Nova Scotia-based music than to have four of our top performers showcase their talent," said Mr. MacDonald. "We've never gone to Ireland with this kind of focused marketing/promotional initiative before. It's loaded with potential."

This past year, Nova Scotia's music industry received high praise from tourists visiting the province. Through the International Years of Music campaign, events such as the Celtic Colours International Festival and the Stan Rogers Festival helped to highlight talented Nova Scotia musicians and performers. Another goal of the campaign is to expand Nova Scotia music abroad.

"This is a great opportunity to collect a database of key industry people who might be willing to invest in our talent," said Brian Doherty, who travelled to Ireland in early January to start organizing the two-week tour.

This is the first organized promotion of the Nova Scotia music industry in Ireland. While showcasing the four performers, there will also be one-on-one meetings with key Irish music industry representatives, including venue managers, festival programmers, and recording and distribution companies. The funding has been provided under the Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification, which is managed by ACOA and Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. on behalf of the Government of Canada, and by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism on behalf of the Province of Nova Scotia.