As the music industry begins to recover
from COVID-19, the MVP Project provides emerging Canadian talent
with critical funding, exposure and mentorship
TORONTO, June 23, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, RBC and the
Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced 11 grant
recipients for the sixth round of the MVP Project, a program that
provides support to emerging Canadian musicians and filmmakers for
music video creation and production. A joint initiative between
RBCxMusic and the Prism Prize, to date the MVP Project has awarded
64 grants to emerging artists to support the creation of
31 music videos, with more to follow this year. Eligible
emerging recording artists and filmmakers are encouraged to apply
for Round 7, which will open on October 1,
2021 at MVPProject.ca.
While live music begins to return in parts of the world, the MVP
Project recognizes how important it is to support Canada's creative community through the
recovery and lingering impact of COVID-19. With the pandemic
accelerating a digital music environment, supporting the creation
of high-quality music videos is essential for recording artists and
filmmakers to gain exposure, connect with audiences, and share
their unique perspectives and experiences. MVP Project grants have
not only helped provide emerging talent with the necessary
resources to bring their creative vision to life, but have also
helped contribute to their success. Recently, three MVP Project
grant recipients were nominated for the 2021 JUNO Awards, including
Toronto-based recording artist,
TOBi, who received Rap Recording of the Year.
"As an emerging artist, securing dependable support is
everything. The MVP Project has provided our team with the
foundation to create the music video of my dreams using a level of
professionalism that is industry standard," said British Columbia-based recording artist, and
MVP Project Round 6 recipient, Phöenix Lazare. "Without this
financial assistance, we wouldn't be in this position."
Recent MVP Project releases include the cinematic clip for Bad
Child's "Rouge" by director Clara
Milo, the expressive video for Nunavut-based musician Joey Nowyuk's "Pray
(Tussiaq)" by director Aida Maigre-Touchet, and Ebhoni's "Xting" by
director Christine Boachie, which
has gone on to garner more than 350k
views. In addition, Toronto-based
rapper and Round 6 grant recipient Haviah Mighty recently released
her MVP Project-funded music video for "Protest." Haviah also
performed at the 2021 Juno Awards in a tribute to 30 years of
Canadian hip-hop. MVP recipient projects from Adria Kain, Nate
Husser, Joyia and more are expected to drop this summer.
"This incredible lineup of recipients showcases the abundance of
diverse creative talent we continue to celebrate across
Canada," said Matt McGlynn, Vice-President, Brand Marketing,
RBC. "RBC is strongly committed to empowering our country's young
creatives to fulfil their dreams and we're proud to continue
providing a powerful platform through the MVP Project that helps
amplify new talent and diverse perspectives."
The MVP Project is committed to supporting the holistic growth
of the Canadian music video production community, providing
opportunities for both MVP Project grant recipients and applicants
who don't receive funding. These applicants are offered access to
learning tools focused on music video production on topics such as
treatments, budgeting, and grant-writing tips, and are regularly
invited to participate in virtual mentorship sessions.
"As we embark on our sixth round of funding for emerging
Canadian musicians and filmmakers, one thing is abundantly clear:
there is no shortage of talent in this country," said Beth Janson, CEO, Academy of Canadian Cinema
& Television. "We continue to be inspired by the creative works
that have come out of this difficult time, and look forward to
seeing these 11 talented teams bring their ideas to life."
The recipients selected for Round 6 represent a diverse
collection of musical genres and filmmaking styles, and were
selected by a jury of industry professionals. Recipients
include:
- Recording artist and Director Uyemi (Calgary, AB) and Producer Samantha Selci (Calgary, AB)
- Recording artist Desirée Dawson (Vancouver, BC), Director Alexander Farah (Richmond, BC) and Producers Shyam Valera and Kashif Pasta (Surrey, BC)
- Recording artist Phöenix Lazare (Salt
Spring Island, BC), Director Deanna
Milligan (Victoria, BC) and
Producer Yael Wand (Salt Spring Island, BC)
- Recording artist T. Thomason (Halifax, NS), Director Meaghan Wright (Halifax, NS) and Producer Amy Trefry (Halifax,
NS)
- Recording artist Amaal (Toronto,
ON), Director Dan Lemoyne and
Producer Stephanie Sonny Hooker
(Toronto, ON)
- Recording artist Haviah Mighty (Brampton, ON), Directors Kit Weyman and Chrris Lowe (Toronto, ON) and Producers Carina Mak and Joaquin Cardoner (Toronto, ON)
- Recording artist Jon Vinyl (Pickering, ON), Director Alimzhan Sabir
(Toronto, ON) and Producer
Xavier Tu (Toronto, ON)
- Recording artist Saya Gray
(Toronto, ON), Director
Jennifer Cheng (Richmond, BC) and Producer Sarah Pufek (Alliston,
ON)
- Recording artist Magi Merlin (Montréal, QC), Director MAÏLIS
(Montréal, QC) and Producer Miquela
Houle (Montréal, QC)
- Recording artist Yu Su
(Vancouver, BC), Director and
Producer Jordan Minkoff (Montréal,
QC)
- Recording artist Katie Tupper
(Saskatoon, SK), Director and
Producer Mashie Alam (Toronto,
ON)
The MVP Project is part of RBC's ongoing commitment to
supporting emerging creatives through the RBC Emerging Artists
Project. Since 2015, over 25,000 alumni have been supported by the
RBC Emerging Artists Project, with support from the RBC Foundation
totaling over $9 million each year to
hundreds of arts organizations across Canada.
For more information, visit www.mvpproject.ca.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with
a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading
performance. Our success comes from the 86,000+ employees who
leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision,
values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and
communities prosper. As Canada's
biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market
capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus
on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17
million clients in Canada, the
U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.
About the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is the largest
non-profit professional arts organization in Canada. We are dedicated to recognizing,
advocating for, and celebrating Canadian talent in the film,
television, and digital media sectors. Our more than 4,000 members
encompass industry icons and professionals, emerging artists, and
students. Collectively, we deliver professional development
programs and networking opportunities that foster industry growth,
inclusion, and mentorship.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television proudly
acknowledges the support of its Premier Partner, Telefilm Canada;
Platinum Partners, CBC and CTV; Principal Partner, Netflix; and its
Lead Partners, the Canada Media Fund, Cineplex, and the Cogeco
Fund.
For information on membership and programming visit
academy.ca.
SOURCE RBC