Program to pay local musicians for performing online concerts
Alberta musicians will be eligible for a grant toward an online concert as part of a program announced by the Alberta government on Tuesday.
The Alberta Spotlight program — a partnership between the province, Alberta Music, National Music Centre, CKUA and Stagehand — will be a weekly online concert showcasing local talent. It will draw from a $125,000 government fund designed to support Alberta artists affected by COVID -19. The concerts will be hosted at ckua. com/albertaspotlight and shared across each organization’s social media platforms.
The series kicks off Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with Nuela Charles, Reuben and the Dark, Ariane Mahryke Lemire and Tim Williams. Each artist will perform a set of three to five songs and will receive a $1,000 honorarium.
Professional musicians have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as they deal with cancelled tours and ongoing restrictions on live music in Alberta venues. The province announced Tuesday those rules are set to be eased, as Phase 2 of Alberta’s economic relaunch begins Friday.
Instrumental concerts will now be allowed, while outdoor events and indoor seated-audience events will be able to host a maximum of 100 people.
There will also be no cap on the number of people allowed in restaurants, cafes, lounges and bars, as long as public health measures and physical distancing is in place.
Vocal concerts are still not allowed, nor are major festivals or concerts.
Artists who want to apply for the Alberta Spotlight grant should visit albertamusic.org.