Working in conjunction with the annual Vancouver Island Music Business Conference, the Vancouver Island Music Awards are a celebration of local talent, while bringing awareness to local, independent music, said James Kasper, founder and producer of the awards.
“A big part of the mandate of our event is to bring awareness of independent, local artists to the public who may, to some extent, only be bombarded with commercial, major-label artists, and may not know what’s in their own backyard,” he said.
Following a three-year hiatus, the awards are scheduled for June 23 at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay for the first time, following stints in Victoria and Nanaimo.
Kasper said changing the location to the Valley complements the music business conference taking place this week (June 22-26).
“[The awards] are a smaller version of the Junos ... it’s modelled loosely after those shows. We alternate between a performance of one song by a nominee and a presentation of an award ... and some silliness from the hosts,” he said.
The awards committee received more than 70 submissions from artists around the Island, and a jury of seven members, which included broadcasters, music directors and singer/songwriters, narrowed down the final nominees.
Kasper notes the music industry on Vancouver Island is growing, and hopes the awards, in addition to other events which bring musicians and the public together, will help make the public more aware of homegrown talent.
“(The industry) is growing little by little. All of us are trying to contribute to that, whether it’s media, the Island music business conference or our events, hopefully it’s all contributing and growing. It’s the type of scene where it’s artist-driven and there’s a lot of great talent on the Island,” he said.
For more information, please visit www.islandmusicawards.wordpress.com.
2011 Vancouver Island Music Awards
Nanaimo-area nominess
Instrumental Album of the Year
Trish Clair-Peck Providence
Departure Departure
Wind Weaver Wild Threads
Sarah M. Wood Ocean Tapestry
Best Live Act
BananaFish Dance Orchestra
Mother Tongue Band
Female Songwriter of the Year
Dinah D and Tina Jones The Kerplunks
Male Songwriter of the Year
David Essig
George Millar The Irish Rovers
Rick Scott
Myc Sharratt
Song of the Year
The Irish Rovers Gracehill Fair
Album of the Year
The Irish Rovers Gracehill Fair
Artist of the Year
The Irish Rovers
The Kerplunks
– For a full list of nominees, please visit www.islandmusicawards.wordpress.com
arts@nanaimobulletin.com