Small World Music Launches Polyphonic Ground

Lula Music and Arts Centre, the not-for-profit organization behind Lula’s weekly salsa and jazz presentations, educational programs and our annual Lulaworld festival, is proud to be part of the new Polyphonic Ground collective. Polyphonic Ground is an initiative of our friends at Small World Music Society that aims to Toronto’s culturally-diverse music industry and to inspire ‘culturally curious’ Torontonians to hear the music of Toronto, where the world lives.

The shared collaborative working model unites 12 small to medium-sized live music presenters committed to building and sustaining Toronto as a global music city. The initial 12 organizations include Ashkenaz Foundation, Batuki Music Society, Good Kind Productions, iNative, Link Music Lab, Lula Music & Arts Centre, MonstrARTity Creative Community, Music Africa, Revolutions Per Minute, Small World Music Society, Uma Nota Culture, and World Fiddle Day Toronto. Together, these presenters constitute a formidable cultural force, employing 40 key operating people and presenting almost 300 concerts per year to an estimated audience of over 300,000.

Polyphonic Ground’s mission is to provide points of connection for artists and audiences, strengthen industry practices and be a united voice to government, business and industry. Polyphonic Ground will encourage exchange and discovery through an innovative Polyphonic Ground monthly double-bill series and professional development initiatives for diverse artistic leaders.

Polyphonic Ground will launch with a series of double-bill concerts on the second Thursday of every month at Revival Bar, 783 College Street. Two distinct partner organizations will be paired together to collaboratively program a night of musical discovery. The inaugural concert on September 14 pairs Ashkenaz Foundation and Small World Music Society. A fresh juxtaposition will be on stage with Batuki Music and Uma Nota presenting October 12, Link Music Lab and Good Kind Productions offering November 9, and Lula Music & Arts and Music Africa co-presenting December 14. Artists to be announced soon.

Beyond the concert hall, Polyphonic Ground is determined to increase access to training and leadership, bolstering professional development opportunities within the music industry. An upcoming Diversity & Live Music Panel Series, supported by MusicOntario, Music Canada Live, City of Toronto and Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO), is set to cover topics that range from funding, media coverage, city services, conferences and venues to programming. A Developing Diverse Leaders program, with the goal of empowering young talent through mentorship, and expert-led Best Practice Workshops are also forthcoming.

Hear Toronto. Where the World Lives. For more information and to sign up for the newsletter please visit polyphonicground.com

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About Polyphonic Ground Organizations:

The Ashkenaz Foundation is a community-based non-profit organization fostering an increased awareness of Yiddish and Jewish culture. Through its biennial festival and an expanding slate of year-round programming, Ashkenaz showcases contemporary artists from Canada and around the world. www.ashkenaz.ca Upcoming: Bret Higgins’ Atlas Revolt at Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts – August 8

Batuki Music Society is a community-based organization that promotes African music and art through performances at music venues throughout the year and culminating into a weekend festival at the end of the programming season. www.batukimusic.com Upcoming: Habari Africa Festival 2017 at Harbourfront Centre – August 11-13

Good Kind Productions is a not-for-profit arts presenter/producer that believes that there are only two kinds of art. They’re interested in the Good Kind. In addition to producing tours and concerts, GKP produces Sofar Sounds Toronto – secret shows in alternative spaces. good-kind.com Upcoming: Music That Makes You Move: The Arsenals – Aga Khan Park – July 22

iNative presents performances that reflect the current indigenous music scene consisting of hip hop, rock, DJ, folk and blues with established and emerging artists. www.inativefest.com

Link Music Lab is a Toronto-based artist collective whose mandate is to create top-quality multicultural concert productions and innovative cross-cultural recording collaborations between member artists at all levels of professional/career development. www.linkmusiclab.com

Lula Music and Arts Centre (LMAC) nourishes a thriving Canadian world music scene. With a focus on local artists performing music of the Americas, LMAC fosters Canadian world music through concerts, festivals, cultural exchanges, education, outreach, audience and professional development. www.lulaworld.ca Upcoming: Women in Percussion Festival – Lula Lounge – October 11-15

MonstrARTity Creative Community is a Mississauga not-for-profit organization providing entertainment for the young and old alike. Ever expanding, MonstrARTity produces Bollywood Monster Mashup, the largest South Asian festival in Canada, and the award-winning Monster Rock Orchestra. www.monstrartity.com Upcoming: Bollywood Monster Mashup – Mississauga Celebration Square – July 21 & 22

Music Africa is a not-for-profit community-based organization that promotes African music in Toronto through its annual flagship music festival, AFROFEST, and annual Black History Month Concert Series. Music Africa is committed to enhancing appreciation and awareness of African music among Canadians. www.afrofest.ca

Revolutions Per Minute Live is an Indigenous music performance series dedicated to building community and celebrating the diversity of Indigenous music culture. The series features performances by emerging Indigenous artists from across Canada and Turtle Island. Each curated event crosses styles and genres, including live bands, DJs, acoustic sets, visuals, and more in Toronto, New York + beyond. rpm.fm Upcoming: Native North America Gathering – Trinity St. Paul’s United Church – Aug 8

Small World Music Society is a charitable organization whose presentations have featured artists from every corner of the globe – from Mali to Mongolia, from Brazil to Bulgaria. Great pride is taken in showcasing a breadth of artists ranging from emerging young musicians to internationally celebrated stars. Small World uses music to foster understanding and build cultural bridges. smallworldmusic.com Upcoming: Small World Music Festival – various venues – Sept 14-17

Uma Nota Culture is a cultural production house focusing on Brazilian, Latin, Caribbean, Funk and Soul music provided by both live acts and DJs. Unpretentious, open-minded, lively and fun, Uma Nota presents an experience where artists and the public come together and move to the tropical vibe. umanota.ca Upcoming: Maracatu Workshops with Pitoco de Aira – Geary Lane – July 20, 25, 27

World Fiddle Day Toronto is a collective of professional and amateur musicians committed to celebrating the playing of bowed string instruments through a one-day, annual festival held on World Fiddle Day, the 3rd Saturday of May. worldfiddledaytoronto.ca

Small World Music & Polyphonic Ground wishes to acknowledge the support of: Ontario Media Development Corporation, MusicOntario, Music Canada Live, City of Toronto, Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO).