On Wednesday June 25th Creative Barrie hosted the first Music Sector Meetup – an evening for music industry professionals to come together, share ideas, and reimagine Barrie’s music scene.
The recently-opened Brūd Bar and Bottle Shop welcomed 14 locals from the music and creative industries to meet and mingle in an informal roundtable discussion, identifying opportunities for growth and collaboration within Barrie’s professional and underground music networks. As a patron of the alternative music scene, all-ages hardcore music show organizer, and small venue-provider, Brūd Bar and Bottle Shop co-owner Tate Smirle provided the perfect space for this inaugural event.
A desire for consistent and accessible musical programming in the downtown core was unanimous. Representatives from the Canadian Musicians Co-operative, Tarantula Tapes, Live Barrie, Just Some Noise, Hubris Entertainment, Good Gourd Records, Forlorn Frog Management and more explored the need and requirements for family-friendly venues that support alternative and original musicians in Barrie. Another popular topic was how to best promote shows and opportunities for artists and the need for a one-stop resource to find musicians, gigs, events, bookers, and other services. The biggest takeaway from the discussion is the interest from all participants to continue these discussions and build a hub for the sector to come together regularly.
Plans are in the works for the next meetup, which will take place at another key music venue in Barrie! Interested in joining Creative Barrie and other members of the local music scene at the next Music Sector Meetup? Connect with us at Creative@Barrie.ca
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