AMPLIFY – Polaris Festival Northern Sound Exchange Presented by Polaris & Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION)

September 4, 2026 | Knox Hall, Sudbury, ON | Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION) to Announce Ticket Information

In celebration of the 2026 Polaris Festival, presented by SiriusXM Canada, Polaris presents Polaris Festival Northern Sound Exchange in partnerships with the Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION), a regional gathering designed to support artist discovery, industry dialogue, and cultural connection in Northern Ontario aligning with the mandate of the Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION).

The 2026 Polaris Festival is a month-long celebration of Canadian music as art, bringing together concerts, salons, listening sessions, conversations, artist development initiatives, and the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony at Massey Hall. Through the Festival, Polaris creates space for audiences to listen differently, gather around important Canadian albums, and explore how music shapes culture, identity, memory, and belonging.

Tickets to Be Announced By Our Partners Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION)

Polaris Festival Northern Sound Exchange brings the Festival beyond Toronto through a day of conversation, connection, and live music in Sudbury. This is an opportunity to create space for artists, presenters, cultural workers, and audiences to come together around the future of Canadian music beyond traditional industry centres.

The gathering will explore how music scenes grow outside major urban centres, how artists build sustainable careers across regions, and how presenters, festivals, cultural workers, and community partners can better support artist discovery in Northern Ontario.

Through roundtable conversation, industry dialogue, and live performance, Northern Sound Exchange reflects Polaris’ and the Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION) commitment to carrying Canadian music forward by creating opportunities for artists and communities to connect beyond the usual industry routes.

Performers + Contributors

Artists and Speakers to be announced.

About Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION)

The mandate of Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION) is to stimulate and promote Northern Ontario’s film, television and music industries, as well as provide educational programs to foster the advancement of our region’s emerging talent.

With a population of nearly 800,000, millions of hectares of forest and six major cities ready to host film productions, Northern Ontario is a thriving cultural destination that balances urban life with relaxing respite. We’re here to connect and support local and international creators who want to discover what the North has to offer.

About Polaris Music Prize

Polaris Music Prize is a Canadian charitable arts organization honouring music as art. Through its Album, Song, and Heritage Prizes, Polaris amplifies Canadian artists based on artistic merit — not genre, sales, or algorithmic popularity.

The 2026 Polaris Festival is presented by SiriusXM Canada and made possible through the support of Experience Ontario, Ontario Creates, the City of Toronto’s Cultural Festivals Funding Program, FACTOR, the Government of Canada, Canada’s private radio broadcasters, and the Festival’s many community and venue partners.