program schedule

artist ambassador: Eliza Mary Doyle

Hey there, and welcome to Saskatoon!

I was born in Saskatoon, and moved back to go to the University of ​Saskatchewan in 2000, where I began playing the banjo on Broadway ​and getting into the vibrant music scene here on the prairies. Since then, ​I’ve lived all over Canada and Tennessee, and have recently moved back ​to call Saskatoon home once again!

The Cree name for the Saskatchewan River was “Kisiskatchewanisipi,” ​meaning “swift-flowing river.” Through common use, this eight-syllable ​name was shortened to Saskatchewan. In 1882, it became the name of ​one of the districts of the Northwest Territories, and sits on Treaty 6 and ​the homeland of the Metis. For more in depth reading on the histories of ​Indigenous and Metis in the Saskatoon area, check it out here. History of ​First Nations and Saskatoon History of the Métis in Saskatoon

Saskatoon is named after the saskatoon berry, which is native to the ​region and is itself derived from the Cree misâskwatômina. The city has ​a significant Indigenous population and several urban Reserves. The city ​has nine river crossings and is nicknamed "Paris of the Prairies", "Bridge ​City" and “The CIty of Bridges”.

Saskatoon Berry Jam and Pie are both local and amazing! If you have ​never tried them, you can pick some up here while you are in town! ​SaskMade

places to check out in your spare time!

music venues

Somewhere Else Pub and Grill: Where Saskatoon’s local play, this pub is a huge supporter of live music and open stages, and is the ​favourite spot to put on shows. They actually give guarantees and respect musicians!

Black Cat Tavern: A novel and nifty little music venue off Broadway with a pool table and foosball machines! Cheap drinks!

Buds on Broadway: A classic blues dive bar, one of Saskatoon’s staples, this venue has live music 6 days a week, the last one of its ​kind in Saskatoon!

Amigos: Amigos opened in 1988 in Saskatoon's Broadway District and has since become known as one of Canada's most storied ​music venues.

The Capitol: When our beloved Lydia’s got torn down (the best live music venue in Saskatoon for local and touring acts), The Capitol ​was born in an attempt to fill the void.

local pubs

The Yard and Flagon: A cozy little pub that’s stood the test of time over the years. Good selection of local and classic brews

Prairie Sun Brewery: A new brewery with a games room upstairs if we want to get our game on!

Winston's Pub: Perfect little English pub and brewery with tons of beer on tap!

Blackrose Whisky Club: A new restaurant and music venue with fancy cocktails and a nifty smoked whisky. Good for a drink after ​supper, and also has a great menu!

Leopold’s Tavern: This is great neighborhood tavern

local thrift stores

Opportunity Shop; Cute little thrift store that’s a hidden gem downtown.

Village Green Thrift: This is a huge thrift store with great deals, and a variety of items.

best vintage store

Better Off Duds: Best vintage store in Saskatoon! They believe in sequins & second chances. We are an imaginative, independent, ​vintage clothing shop that opened our doors in 2012. At Better Off Duds we specialize in size & gender inclusive vintage and ​collectable clothing, and we offer our duds in a brick & mortar shop that is hella fun, welcoming, & non-discriminatory.

coffee shops

Living Sky Cafe: This locally owned & female driven establishment offers an exceptional dining experience. With a relaxing European ​style space featuring a unique menu. Full menu and coffees available.

Underground Cafe: Owner Dallyn Guenther stopped by a newly opened Village Guitar & Amp for a standard tune-up on his favourite ​Telecaster. He was intrigued by the space next door, and after meeting the landlord and new entrepreneurs of Riversdale, knew this ​would be the site of something special.

City Perks Coffeehouse: A staple of the “City Park” area of the city, a cute little shop with good coffee and treats.

breakfast / lunch spots

The Park Cafe: A favorite spot for locals, this quaint cafe is a breakfast & lunch spot serving diner fare made with locally sourced ​ingredients, along with pie. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

The Broadway Cafe: Classic cafe on Broadway for breakfast and lunch, for over 30 years, The Broadway Café, a 50’s style diner, has ​been serving delicious burgers, fries, breakfast (all day), milkshakes, homemade soups and more in Saskatoon. Our staff is friendly ​with positive energy. We were voted Best Milkshake and Best Standby Restaurant by Planet S Magazine.

Nutana Cafe: An awesome Noodle Bowl, this has been a go-to spot since my university days! Great prices and great portions!

record stores

The Vinyl Diner: Old School Vinyl shop located in Saskatoon. We carry Vinyl, CDs, and Tapes. One of my favourite shops in Saskatoon!

The Vinyl Exchange: In business for 11+ years, we carry vinyl records (lps and 45s), cassettes, cds, t-shirts, bunny-hugs, and a variety ​of other products.

Sunrise Records: A new record store in Saskatoon downtown in the Midtown Plaza Mall.. I’ve never been but it looks like a great new ​spot!

gift shops

Wanuskewin Gift Shop on Broadway: Great local Indigenous gift shop you have to check out!

meet your fellow participants!

Sahil Chugh

Edmonton, AB

sahilchughmusic.com/

@cahilshugh

Nich Davies

Benalto, AB

hurryhardmusic.com

@hurryhardrecords

Eliza Mary Doyle

Saskatoon, SK

elizamarydoyle.com

@elizamarydoyle

Umair Ghouri

Saskatoon, SK

youtube.com/@UmairGhouri

@umair.gh0uri

Jasim Haider

Saskatoon, SK

facebook.com/jasim.haider1/

@jasimhaider

Rebecca Lappa

Edmonton, AB

rebeccalappa.com

@rebeccalappamusic

mim.osa

(Julia Gonzalez)

Saskatoon, AB

linktr.ee/mim.osa

@mim.osa.music

Victoria Parker

Whitehorse, YT

linktr.ee/victoria_parker

@victoriaparker___

wasnaught

(Peter Zawalski)

Edmonton, AB

@wasnaught

the creators connect team

Nich Davies

Program Director

Nich Davies is a Canadian record producer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and creative ​entrepreneur.

Since 2011 Nich has worked with bands including VISSIA, The Consonance, Revenge of the ​Trees, Jo-Jo O’ & the Woods and Two Bears North, taking him on tours of Canada, United States ​and Europe. He has become an in-demand live and session drummer having performed with ​artists such as Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neil, Mariel Buckley, Joe Nolan, Paul Cournoyer, and ​John Stowell.

Nich was put on the map as an internationally recognized record producer with the release of ​VISSIA’s ‘With Pleasure’ in April 2021. With Pleasure received broad international praise including ​several 8/10 reviews by the likes of Exclaim! (Canada), Maverick Magazine (UK) and NEXT ​Magazine (Canada). Speaking about With Pleasure UK’s Culture Fly said “we’re hooked”, ​Canada’s Eat North called it “truly unique”, UK’s Noctis "insightful and refreshing”, USA’s Great ​Dark Wonder described it as “phenomenal”, and Indie-Music said it’s “near perfect”.

Nich is co-founder, President and A&R of Canadian boutique music company Hurry Hard Music; ​responsible for the career of international recording artist VISSIA, and is developing several artist ​development centric ventures including songplode, International Artist Habitat and Neon Moon ​Records.

Nich has active relationships with several Canadian funding bodies including FACTOR, AFA, ​Canada Council for the Arts and Alberta Media Fund. Hurry Hard is affiliated with CIMA, CMI, ​MMF, SOCAN, SOCAN RR, Connect Music Licensing, FUGA, AMPED and Alberta Music.

Peter Zawalski

Artist Relations

@wasnaught

Peter Zawalski is a Canadian music producer who works under the moniker “wasnaught”. Peter’s ​primary work is the global music collaboration initiative, International Artist Habitat (IAH), which ​he began developing in 2022. IAH focuses on in-person music I.P. (intellectual property) creation ​(making full-production audio recordings), bringing together artists from around the world.

On February 13th 2023, Peter led a group of 9 artists from Finland, Estonia, Mexico, and Canada ​to Guadalajara for the IAH summit program, writing and recording 15 songs of varying genres ​over the course of two weeks. The summit also introduced participants to the region’s culture ​through cultural music activities including workshops in pre-hispanic music, son Jarocho music, ​and lessons in choir music from the Jalisco region.

International Artist Habitat had its second Creation Summit program in Bali, Indonesia in ​November 2023 with international artists from across Canada, Australia, New Zealand and ​Indonesia, including collaborations with members of Gamelan Semara Ratih (Balinese Gamelan ​Orchestra).

Alongside his work with IAH, Peter is a thriving music producer operating out of Sound Proof ​Studios working with artists from across Canada, India, and central Europe.

Recording his first album at age 14 (Sirens - Here Lies Elizabeth), touring western Canada at age ​18 with his Progressive Metal band Of Articulate Design, and producing 4 albums for local bands ​Protosequence, Morewine, & Chef, Peter matured into a creative musician and producer with a ​vision to leave his mark on the Alberta, Canadian and International music scenes. At age 22 he ​started his attendance at MacEwan University where he met the collaborators for his Math-Jazz ​band, Red Litmus. Red Litmus’ debut album Instinct charted #1 in the jazz and electronic music ​categories on CJSR for 3 consecutive months in 2017. During his time at MacEwan, Peter had the ​privilege to study privately and complete a directed project on 20th century spectral composer ​Oliver Messiaen with Dr. William Richards, Dean of Music. Peter spent his 4th year under the ​mentorship of MacEwan’s composition head, Kent Sangster, where Peter directed the MacEwan ​Jazz combo, arranging 90 minutes of original 9 piece ensemble music for the group. Peter has ​studied privately with renowned musicians Gilad Hekslaman (NY), Rubin De-Toledo, Ryan ​Davidson, John Stowell (NY), and Mo Lefebvre.

Jessica Marsh

Partnerships & Industry Relations

@neonmoonrecords

A driving force behind Neon Moon Records, Jessica Marsh has dedicated her career to ​developing artists and building sustainable music careers. With over a decade of comprehensive ​industry experience, Jessica initially showcased her expertise as an artist manager (JAM Mgmt), ​guiding talents from humble songwriting stages to international touring acts. Her current focus ​lies in extending her support to a burgeoning roster of artists under Neon Moon Records.

Her impactful efforts with JAM Mgmt led to a nomination for "Impact in Artist Development" at ​the 2019 Western Canadian Music Industry Awards. She's completed professional development ​initiatives, including Canada's Music Incubator Artist Management Program (2018), the ​PASSPORT: Music Export Summit (2019), and the PHOENIX Music Executive Development ​Program (2021).

As a distinguished alumnus of MacEwan University, where she completed both the Music ​Program and Arts & Cultural Management Program, Jessica seamlessly transitioned into her ​current role as a sessional instructor. Here, she imparts invaluable insights through the Managing ​in the Music Industry course. Beyond the classroom, she is a highly sought-after mentor, offering ​crucial guidance to numerous artists navigating their unique paths—a commitment she ​steadfastly upholds through her endeavours at Neon Moon Records.

AFFILIATIONS: Music Managers Forum, Alberta Music Industry Association, Cultural Human ​Resource Council, Canadian Independent Music Association.

VISSIA (Viss)

Content & Media Creation

@vissia_3

Edmonton’s multi-faceted vocal powerhouse – VISSIA – has been carving out a niche in the pop ​world with her fearless sophomore album, With Pleasure. Hailed as a triumph of pop songwriting, ​it landed at No. 7 on CKUA’s 2021 Top 100 and has earned her high-profile appearances at c/o ​Pop in Cologne and the UK’s Great Escape Festival, further solidifying VISSIA’s reputation as an ​unmissable artist to watch. From R&B, soul, pop, and with a subtle tinge of her folk roots hidden ​in the details, With Pleasure sees VISSIA set her sights on exploration as she captures the ​essence of everyday life and turns it into gold. With infectious tracks like “On My Mind” and the ​haunting “About Moving On,” VISSIA has proven herself to be a versatile and gifted artist with an ​undeniable presence. As VISSIA’s star continues to rise, she remains dedicated to expansion, ​passion, and her craft on her forthcoming album, Surfacing.

Fresh out of MacEwan’s music program, VISSIA dove headfirst into graphic design and content ​creation in 2011, armed with a bootleg version of Photoshop and a desire to craft a professional ​website on a tight student budget.

Fast forward a decade, and Viss has grown into a truly multi-disciplinary artist, extending her ​artistic vision into visual creative from photography to album artwork to video production, ​including her self- produced, written and edited Telus STORYHIVE series, Dirt City Songbook ​(2023), where she interviews and spotlights seven emerging Edmonton artists; and her live ​album and tour film, Live, With Pleasure (2024).

With a story-oriented approach and natural eye for design, Viss has illustrated and designed for ​both digital and analogue applications for a wide range of clients, from indie recording artists to ​inspiring non-profits.

VISSIA is co-founder and board member of boutique music company, Hurry Hard Music, head of ​design across all of Hurry Hard’s brands including International Artist Habitat and Neon Moon ​Records.

Keshia Bundred

Events & Experiences

@massivenights

Keshia Bundred is a multiple hat wearing communications professional. She graduated from ​MacEwan University with a diploma in Arts and Cultural Management, and returned to earn a ​degree in Communications with a major in journalism. She currently inhabits a hobbit home deep ​in the woods of New Brunswick, although she will always consider the prairies her home.

Keshia has been involved in the music industry for over a decade, mostly working with individual ​bands or artists. She has also worked/volunteered for Alberta Music, The Jubilee Auditoria ​Society, EFMF, CKUA, etc.

​

Working alongside Neon Moon Records, Keshia is the oil that keeps the gears moving. She ​manages the operations, bridges communication, and aids in the success of artists.

IAH Creator's Connect is a program designed to ​foster creative collaboration.

Collaboration of any kind requires being open minded to new ideas, allowing others into your personal creative space, passing the ​leadership torch, and using your own unique approach to music production to pull the absolute best qualities out of your peers.

Along with bringing your individualism and unique sets of artist/producer skills, preparation is the key to keeping yourself inspired and ​inspiring others at the summit. Although spontaneous creation with a peer(s) is the ideal, having pre-written materials can bolster the ​creative process and assist in finding a starting place for a new track. 

Examples:

• Prepared chord progressions: Whether simple or complex, midi or audio, programmed or performed, bring these with as much or ​little detail as you desir, and in whatever quantity.
  

• Prepared drum loops: Any style. Record yourself or a friend. Program em' or bring a folder of your favourite loops you've bought ​online.
  

• Top-line melodies: Sing it all the way home! If you've got a melody drilled into your head, or a lyric idea that you just can't drop, ​compile them and bring them along. Don't worry, other creators connect peers will help you get them out if you are not a lead ​singer!

• Full song ideas & forms: Amazing! You've already got a full song idea ready to go! Let's take a dive into it and remember not to ​hold onto it too tightly. Let others adjust the structure, or try a new lead melody, or maybe flip the instrumentation on its head. ​You never know what is possible until you try.

• What have you been listening to? Yes, we are at Creator's Connect to write new and fresh music, but there is nothing wrong with ​taking inspiration from existing pieces. Share the music happening in your community; friends’ bands, up-and-coming artists, or ​whatever tracks are driving you lately.

what else to bring:

• Your instrument(s) – voice, guitar, and/or midi controller;
  
• Laptop, notebooks, pens – whatever tools you need to feel ready and comfortable;
• Water bottle, indoor shoes / slippers (although not necessary);
• An open and curious mindset!
  

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