Backstage Pass: ECMA News & Opportunities – October 28, 2025
Press Release
Refilling the Creative Well
As the autumn air settles in, this edition of Backstage Pass takes a quieter breath. It’s a moment to reset, refill the creative well, and maybe sneak a few treats before Halloween. Whether you’re plotting your next performance or simply resting your voice, we’re here… gathering the threads that make the East Coast hum.
Opportunities for Artists
Full Circle Festival – Avondale, NS
Applications are now open for 2026! Full Circle celebrates established and emerging performers, with a focus on original acts and Maritime-based artists.
Deadline: January 15, 2026
TD Halifax Jazz Festival – Halifax, NS
Atlantic artists take note: submissions are open exclusively to NS, NB, PEI, and NL performers this year.
Festival Dates: July 7–12, 2026
Deadline: January 9, 2026
AREA 506 – Saint John, NB
Seeking original acts with a New Brunswick heartbeat.
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Under the Spire – Kensington, PEI
A summer tradition, booking begins each October for the next concert season (mid-June to mid-September).
Stan Rogers Folk Festival (Stanfest) – Canso, NS
Submissions open for 2025–26. Curating a blend of established and emerging folk artists from across Canada and beyond.
Deep Roots Music Festival – Wolfville, NS
Celebrating folk, roots, blues, and world-music artists. Honouring Mi’kmaq, Acadian, African-Nova Scotian, and British Isles traditions.
Deadline: January 15, 2026
Harmony Bazaar Festival of Women & Song – Lockeport, NS
An inclusive, women-led celebration of creativity and community through song.
Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival – Lunenburg, NS
Performer applications are open for both the festival and its year-round concert series.
Harvest Music Festival – Fredericton, NB
Atlantic Canadian performers can submit from October 1–March 31 each year.
Arts and Letters Awards Program – Newfoundland & Labrador
Now in its 74th year, this long-running program welcomes creative works from artists of all ages. A special Herstory Empowers category marks 100 years of women’s right to vote and hold office.
Deadline: November 19, 2025
Careers in the Music Ecosystem
The industry thrives on collaboration. Here are a few current openings you can find on LinkedIn:
• Freelance Music Producer (Remote)
• Sound Specialist (Remote)
• Canadian Armed Forces Musician (NB)
News & Highlights
Women in Music Canada Honours: Nominations Open
Women in Music Canada is now accepting nominations for the annual Women in Music Canada Honours—celebrating women and gender-diverse innovators shaping today’s industry.
Eligibility: December 2024 – December 2025
Deadline: November 28, 2025 (11:59 p.m. PST)
Nominate yourself or a peer.
Around the East Coast
The Carleton (Halifax, NS)
Oct 29 – Sylvie Aulenback Album Release w/ Chloe Eden
Oct 30 – Carole Pope of Rough Trade w/ Kylie Fox
Mystery of Clock – St. John’s, NL
A one-night theatrical concert exploring time, memory, and aging.
Date: November 7, 2025 | Venue: Majestic Theatre
Kyla Tilley – “Fall”
A double release capturing seasonal change and renewal, with a touch of 70s prog-folk flair.
Beauts – Marigolds
Halifax rockers return with a lush, emotive sophomore album exploring nostalgia and mid-life clarity.
Survey for Francophone PEI Artists / Sondage pour artistes francophones à l’ÎPÉ
Help shape a new training centre for francophone artists. Participants are entered to win a $50 Long & McQuade gift card.
Deadline: October 31
Sarah Segal-Lazar – Autumnal Micro-Tour
Ontario mini-tour featuring the Folk Femme Fatale herself—blending folk, rock, country, and blues.
Justin Fancy – “Can’t Stop”
A high-energy new single capturing the tension between love, fear, and passion.
Jennifer King – “Nocturne” (Super Moon Release)
A glowing piano work by Peter-Anthony Togni, recorded in Halifax and timed for November’s super moon.
Rachel Cousins – What Hasn’t Killed Me
A bold shift from pop precision to adult-contemporary honesty—an album of resilience and grace.
Stay Connected
The ECMA Member Newsletter Backstage Pass goes out every second Tuesday.
Got news, releases, or opportunities to share? Submit by 5:00 p.m. (ADT) each Monday to be featured in the next issue.
Help the Tide Rise.
Together, we’re building the movement that makes Atlantic music move the world.
ILR4
