Toronto Launches First Official Indie Trade Association: Live Music Toronto

Toronto has given rise to some of the world’s biggest stars, including Drake and The Weeknd, and now the city will have its own trade association looking after the independent music scene: Live Music Toronto (LMT). This new organization will provide resources and assist with strategy for grassroots venues, festivals, promoters, and presenters.

Background:

• LMT will function similarly to the UK’s Music Venue Trust and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), the latter of which recently partnered with ROSTR to introduce ROSTR Venues.

• LMT was formed by the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) and MusicOntario.

• Jonny Dovercourt, Co-Founder of Wavelength Music, the Toronto-based nonprofit arts platform, will oversee day-to-day operations at LMT.

Membership:

• LMT is a new specific tier of membership within the larger CIMA ecosystem.

• There are 45 members of LMT at this time, according to CIMA President and CEO Andrew Cash.

• Tixr is sponsoring LMT to mitigate membership costs.

• Membership requirements are as follows:

• “Members must be independent, grassroots venues, promoters, presenters and festivals; Canadian-owned; Canadian-controlled; operating in Toronto and outside of the major institutional ecosystem; and not owned or operated by the municipal, provincial or federal governments.”

What they said:

• Cash: “For independent Canadian-owned venues and promoters and presenters and DIY grassroots promoters and presenters and venues in the city of Toronto, specifically, there’s a lot of local work to do that we think we can help with. One of those is connecting those people to each other.”