Canadian Music Week (CMW) will look a little different next year with more programming for all arts lovers!
The beloved music event has been rebranded and expanded into the Departure Festival, an event that will explore Canada’s diverse music landscape, plus new programming, including comedy and tech.
The reimagined festival, under the vision of Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group (OVG), marks a new era for the popular festival, known for its wide range of programming spanning music, art, comedy and technology. CMW has been a beloved event in the city since it formed in 1982.
CMW is recognized for being an innovative and cultural space where talented artists and industry professionals from Canada and around the world meet to inspire one another and share groundbreaking work.
To mark the momentous occasion, Loft and OVG held a media event in Toronto to reveal the new vision for the festival earlier this week.
“Departure honours where we’ve come from and celebrates where we are going,” Loft Entertainment Executive Producer Kevin Barton said in a press release.
“We’re creating a launchpad that opens doors to deeper, more inclusive conversations and showcases the richness of Toronto’s cultural scene, celebrates Canadian creatives, and welcomes global artists. We invite industry professionals, music and arts lovers and festival-goers to experience the event in a whole new way,” he continued.
Departure aims to be an inclusive and vibrant environment that will bring international artists and the younger generation together, allowing with sparking deep conversations and representing the city’s diverse culture.
Not only will there be a wide array of diverse sounds, the festival will offer an impressive lineup of events from electrifying performances to thought-provoking panels.
“Departure will deepen community connections, invite audiences to explore the city’s diverse creative landscape and solidify its presence as a must-attend event for creatives from around the world,” organizers said.
The festival will also feature a new program with a songwriter showcase, comedy performances, and a culinary experience packed with food trucks and outdoor activities
To elevate one’s experience, the festival has created a new app where industry professionals can schedule app-based meeting requests and get access to live streamed content.
Artists who would like to be involved with the festival can submit their applications starting on Nov. 22. Priority (VIP) and conference passes will go on early bird sale on the Departure website on Nov. 22 until Jan. 24, 2025, with more information to be announced in the coming months.
The Departure Festival and Conference will take place at Hotel X from May 6 to 11, 2025.
