What is the Community Development Program?
The Community Development Program (CDP) invites not-for-profit organizations to the annual Polaris Music Prize Gala by providing tickets to community organizations to attend and meet industry peers in a welcoming environment.
Who is involved in the Community Development Program?
The Polaris Community Development Program is made possible through the support of Music Canada.
Polaris and Music Canada select organizations that serve a variety of communities from musicians to entrepreneurs with a focus on musical arts development or education.
Why?
The CDP is an acknowledgement and response to the lack of equity in the Canadian arts community. It was created to improve inclusion and access to the Polaris Music Prize Gala by eliminating barriers for engaged music creators, entrepreneurs and change makers from marginalized communities.
How can my charitable organization get involved?
Eligible organizations who are interested in participating are welcome to contact info AT polarismusicprize.ca for more information. Organizations may be rotated from year-to-year to give additional groups the opportunity to participate.
What are the eligibility requirements for participating organizations?
Organizations are evaluated using the below criteria:
- A focus on arts development and/or education specifically as it relates to music or aspects within the music industry
- Not-for-profit
- Those that cater/service low-income, young-adult, at-risk, or any under-represented group within the musical arts community
- An engaged and active membership
- Active and community-based programming
- A mandate to inclusivity and diversity
- Ticket recipients must be 19+
- Overall, the Polaris Community Development Program must include partner organizations that together serve a wide-range of communities and provide a variety of programming or support for musicians, entrepreneurs and change makers
Goal/Result
The inaugural year of the Community Development Program included participation from The 519’s Singing Out choir, ArtsCan Circle, ArtStarts, Honey Jam, Manifesto, Sistema Toronto, Native Women in the Arts, The Remix Project, RISE Edutainment, and Urban Arts. Artists and organizers from these organizations enjoyed the festivities of the 2018 Polaris Music Prize Gala and made connections with Music Canada representatives, Polaris staff, Board members and jurors.
