Mission and Goals
The Canadian New Music Network (CNMN) / Réseau canadien pour les musiques nouvelles (RCMN) connects and represents artists, ensembles, orchestras, production companies, presenters, record labels, music educators, music media, musicologists, music lovers and fans who believe in the importance and value of creative music making in Canadian society.
The CNMN was founded as a non-profit organization in November 2005, after almost 3 years of discussions nationally. CNMN’s broad and inclusive mandate focuses on community building and networking. It represents anyone practicing and supporting creative art music and sound art in Canada.
CNMN’s specific goals are:
- To build a stronger sense of connection, and foster productive collaborations, between all parts of the new music community (networking and communication).
- To offer a platform to new music practitioners all across the country and broaden awareness of new music activity (profile and visibility).
- To celebrate the achievements of Canadian new music artists and underline the vital contribution of new music in Canada (respect and understanding).
- To increase and diversify support for new music, in order to enhance opportunities for, creation, performance, distribution, and audience participation (resources).
CNMN primarily exists for Networking to improve communication, understanding and knowledge within the new music community; and Representation, to do the same beyond our community and with an ever larger audience.
CNMN is committed to a diverse and inclusive national new music community. Diversity in all its forms (race, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, language, physical ability, age, and aesthetic) is a guiding factor in achieving its goals.
Networking
CNMN offers the following services:
- a CNMN bilingual web site — with a searchable listing of members, resources and/or resource listings, and a listing of member activities
- a bilingual, biennial CNMN conference — the CNMN FORUM delves into a different topic and collaborates with new music events/festivals in changing host cities/regions
- regular events and conversations for its members for knowledge sharing and networking
Representation
CNMN represents its membership and new music on several levels:
- with federal funding bodies such as the Canada Council for the Arts and Heritage Canada
- with elected officials in order to highlight the success of new music in Canada
- with other arts organisations in promoting art, and in advocating for increased resources for the arts in Canada
- with the media to contextualize creative music in Canada