2022-23 Artist Manager Mentorship Program (AMMP)

October 3, 2022 - March 13, 2023

Based on the principle of reciprocal cultural exchange, AMMP is a 6 month specialized training and mentorship program for professional artist managers to enhance their skills and undertake projects of international scope leading to expanded business opportunities and artistic collaborations between Canadian and international musicians/music professionals.

From October 3, 2022 - March 13, 2023, 10 artist managers will receive 1-on-1 mentorship and gain invaluable expertise and insight into the structure, inner workings, and management of music & arts organizations, industry networks, conferences, and government agencies. The goal of AMMP is to support the career growth of professional artist managers working internationally with culturally diverse artists based in Canada.

Each participant has been assigned to a Mentor, with whom they meet monthly to learn about the following topics:


This Program is supported by Canadian Heritage and is funded by the Government of Canada.

Mentors

Helen Britton

As a business owner, artist manager and industry stakeholder for over twenty years, Helen Britton's approach to the music business has focused on developing the infrastructure to support long-term, multi-dimensional artist careers. CEO and President of Six Shooter Inc., the management division of Six Shooter Records, Britton oversees a roster that includes Tanya Tagaq, July Talk, Whitehorse, Zaki Ibrahim, The Dead South and William Prince. With perseverance and integrity, Britton has built Six Shooter Inc. as a destination for internationally renowned artists whose creative pursuits often extend beyond the standard role of musician or performer. In addition to her artist management work, Britton also represents Tanya Tagaq for live booking (Canada and Europe), speaking engagements, book publishing and as Executive Producer for an upcoming documentary and a stage production. As Chair of the board for Music Manager's Forum Canada and on the CARAS/MusiCounts board, Britton is also engaged in developing and supporting initiatives towards a more equitable, accessible music business for all.

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Marilyn Gilbert

Marilyn Gilbert (she/her) has been representing classical, jazz and global artists for over forty years. Originally a violinist who performed at Carnegie Hall, Marilyn is now the director of MGAM with an artist roster that challenges boundaries. MGAM partners with artists who foster community beyond the stage, developing programs that transcend the concert hall. MGAM's mandate represents Marilyn's lifelong passion for sharing music and her commitment to progressive causes.

Tara Bailey

Tara Bailey (Bailiwick Booking Agency - Founder 2018) is an agent, whose work is solely dedicated to family programming. Tara was Program and Booking Manager for six years at ArtStarts In Schools, responsible for booking and contracting over 2,000 events a year, in addition to producing an annual showcase for province wide tours. As the Associate Director at Kids Entertainment, Tara scouted emerging work and booked performance tours across North America for six years.

Tara studied Performing Arts Management at Capilano University and currently sits on the board of NAPAMA in addition to being a founding member of AASPAA.

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Heidi Fleming

Since 1986 Fleming Artist Management (FamGroup/Direction d'Artistes Fleming) has specialized in jazz, folk, and blues, expanding into global music internationally. Her artists have performed world-wide; their success and the agency's growth are a testament to Fleming's commitment to long-term development of a diverse roster.

Heidi Fleming programmed Montreal International Jazz Festival's acoustic blues series 1997-2000. A Juno and Felix nominated producer, she has produced/executive produced over 35 albums, many of them award-winning. Current roster artists include Malika Tirolien, Wesli, Christine Jensen, François Bourassa, Doxas Brothers, Durham County Poets and Jason Lang's Penny Lang project.

Juan Souki

Arts manager and founder at Odelia.live, an agency supporting Canadian artists and producers of Latinx and Caribbean heritage to develop tours and collaboration opportunities in new markets.

Juan stands for projects that are artistically powerful, socially conscious and meaningful to the communities where they belong. He has developed tours locally and internationally in over ten countries.

Juan holds an MFA from Columbia University in New York and a latent desire for artistic collaboration. He has served as juror for Folk Alliance, Global Toronto, and the International Documentary Association.

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José Bertrand

Fueled by his keen interest in music and making a difference, José started his career in entertainment as a musician. Founder of Groupe JKB, José has over twenty years of experience working as an artist Manager, booking agent as well as music publisher.  The mission of Groupe JKB is to promote Franco-Ontarian culture and develop the industry outside the province. Of course, this is an ideal, which is certainly a model to be developed over time. She also wants to promote French-speaking culture to an English-speaking clientele.

José is also President of ANIM (Alliance National de l’Industrie Musicale).

Nicole Rochfort

Nicole Rochefort is the owner/founder of AIM: Artists In Motion, an independent agency that celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020. AIM represents a variety of award-winning musicians with a focus on the performing arts & festival marketplace. AIM is an Internationally recognized agency that attends showcase and exhibit conferences in Canada, US and UK annually on behalf of the roster.

In addition to AIM, Nicole provides career consulting, panel moderation, meeting facilitation and guest-lecture services. She is the co-chair of the Ontario Creates Music Industry Advisory Committee and an Ontario Presents board director.  Nicole’s excited to be working on a new project, a digital platform to increase community engagements called ARC: Artists Reaching Communities.

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Alejandro Garcia

Sound and color enthusiast, Alejandro has been involved in the arts for quite some time working in the Music, Theatre and Film industry. Producer at heart, Alejandro has developed projects in North America, South America and Europe working as an Event Producer, Artist Manager, Booking Agent & Tour Coordinator, and Music Producer & Sound Engineer.

Alejandro is an Artst manager and lead producer at UNFIT Music, an agency supporting Canadian artists and producers to develop tours and collaboration opportunities in new international markets.

Mentees

Adrian Burger

Adrian is the founder of lafter.io, an artist management boutique. He is also a freelance music writer whose bylines include Music Business Worldwide, Music Ally, Trapital, and RapTV. Previously, Adrian was the Recorded Music Strategy Lead at Wavo, the Montreal-based music-only marketing and analytics agency, where he helped music industry professionals optimize their digital (advertising and other) strategies, from developing artist to Billboard charting campaigns.

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Azalea Bucheli

Being involved in Toronto's Latin music community where listening to musicians' dreams, music, lyrics, and anecdotes inspired me and got me involved in working with them. My experience as a performer, and assistant producer , allowed me to understand their needs on and back stage.

I had been privileged to work with professional and talented and well known singers of this community as their manager such as Carlos Cruz who is considered Toronto's Bachata King and Natalie Castro whose voice landed her a scholarship in Beckles's music program in Boston. I had full responsibility for representing them by signing contracts, promoting music and video campaigns, etc. I also supported the administrative side in a recording studio and part of show productions coordinating logistics, venues etc. Currently I am working as PR for Jose Antonio Hernandez who is a Dominican Republic composer that has won various awards including Grammys.

Jeff Pastor

[bio coming soon]

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Kim The

Pebble Star Artists is an arts management and booking agency specializing in shows for young audiences. Founder, artist manager and agent, Kim Thé is often described as a dynamo! She brings unbridled passion and 10-plus years of management experience through her work with her partner, Will Stroet of Will's Jams. After having success booking Will for 1,500+ shows across Canada, Kim decided to launch Pebble Star Artists on International Women's Day in March 2017.

Her latest venture is Arts IQ, Canada's premiere online performing arts platform where curated artists offer inspiring and educational virtual programs for schools. Kim has volunteered with the BCTC as a grant adjudicator and was a member of their ED search committee. She also offers grant coaching for Creative BC's Amplify BC music program.

Learn more about Kim at www.pebblestarartists.com and www.artsiq.ca. Connect with Kim online @pebblestararts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Lisa Buck

Lisa Buck is an accidental jazz fan, Artistic Director and Artist Manager.

Lisa's M.A. in Literary theory led to work as a freelance writer. While raising three children, she became an arts reporter and producer with a regular slot on CBC's Rough Cutz, a nationally-syndicated arts program.

In 995, Lisa founded the BuckingJam Palace concert series, now grown into the not-for-profit BJP Music Foundation where Lisa is Executive and Artistic Director. Through BJP, Lisa came to manage renowned bassist Jodi Proznick and The Ostara Project, a super-group of female jazz musicians.

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Patrick Twaddle

Patrick Twaddle AKA Patch is an artist manager, writer and educator. He runs a full-service artist and event management company, Ptchworks, also providing coaching and consulting for artists and cultural organizations. He has special expertise in rights management, emerging tech, branding, and cultural policy, while recently developing export activities to the UK and European markets. He previously worked on projects with Imogen Heap's non-profit Mycelia for Music and blockchain-based rights management start-up JAAK. Having received an MA in Musicology and an MBA, he returned to the Schulich School of Business (York U) as an instructor for courses on entertainment and emergent media.

Ruba Zouzou

I am the co-founder of One52 Solutions, a company that provides project development, consultancy and grant writing services.

I hold a bachelor degree of mechanical engineering,I am a certified PMP, and have more than 18 years of experience in project management and development and operations management for different kinds of projects and programs in Canada and the Middle East including culture, art, and education.

I'm a professional Arabic singer who has performed classical Arabic music around Canada for more than 7 years counting more than 50 concerts, a singer at the Canadian Arabic Orchestra (I managed the operations, marketing and outreach for the orchestra for 7 years), a singer and co-founder of Sounds from Damascus a syrian music ensemble based in Toronto, Canada , and a manager of the Multicultural Folk Celebration in Mississauga for 4 years.

I always love to express to people how much I am passionate about art, music, culture, developing new ideas, connecting people and communities together, and enthusiastic about learning new things in life.

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Tony Fairman

I have been playing reggae music for many years. I started with doing backup vocals and rhythm guitar for The Movements. I continued to play in various local bands and sessions in and around Toronto before relocating to The United States; where I released “Dr. Martin”; on ”The Dream Continued” compilation album. I have since moved back to my hometown Toronto, Ontario; currently working on a new album. Latest release is “If I Follow My Heart”. While also being the sound man for the bands I have been in, I developed an ability to lead. I began managing the bands that I was in and working with bands that required help or ideas for moving forward. Currently I am the manager of my band “Riddim Alliance” and a blues band “Sam Sharpe.

Ulysses de Paula

Ulysses de Paula was born in the crib of classic Samba in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Music is his greatest passion. Accomplished professional with over 20 years of experience in the Music and Culture Industry with a reputation for excellence in artists' career management and event production.

In 2012, Ulysses founded the Showzaço music agency, managing over 100 talented artists in Brazil, Canada, China, Western Europe, South America and South Africa.

Also, he has a diploma in Journalism, an MBA in Cultural Marketing (Brazil), and Music Business Diploma (Canada).

He is a Music Booking Agent licensed by the Canadian Music Federation, a Juno awards 2022 judge, a FACTOR juror team member, and an effortless promoter of Afro-Brazilian and Latin music in Toronto.

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Victorine Sentilhes

Based in Montreal, Victorine is attracted by the encounters between cultures, arts, technology and science that are found in documentary cinema, music industry as well as in education. Manager and film director, she signs 19 videoclips and has produced 8 documentaries for CBC, European Union, The Nature Conservancy, and the Canadian Center for Architecture. Her mastery of management and production tools is actually and essentially at the service of the afro futuristic project AFROTRONIX.

Kirsten Marques

As a passionate communications professional, Kirsten enjoys working to deliver the best methods of bridging a narrative to different audiences in music. Starting in the editorial world of music journalism and publicity, she honed her skills in the K-Pop industry.

Her main goal is to support the flourishing of diverse voices in music. When she's not working, she's listening to the latest release in K-music, scoping out cafés, or planning her dream trip across Asia.

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Ewelina Ferenc

Ewelina Ferenc (she/her), is a Toronto-based folk singer, agent, and manager, born and raised in Katowice, Poland. After receiving her M.A. degree in communications, she pursued ethnomusicology, focusing primarily on Polish traditional and global music. Since immigrating to Canada, she has become a prominent folk and global music member, artist and manager.

Ewelina has performed regularly with Polky, presenting and promoting the new global approach to Polish and Eastern European music to Canadian and North American audiences. Most recently, Ewelina graduated from Humber’s Arts Administration and Cultural Management and started working as a booking agent and music manager.

She recently launched Sweet Beets Music Agency in Toronto, focusing on Eastern European and global music artists and promoting women, immigrants and artists from Toronto.Connect with Ewwlina online on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

Alicia Chelouti

Professional and reliable virtual assistant and project manager with a +13-year experience working for international companies in French and English. Developed the ability to adapt to new working environments and to learn new skills over the years, Alicia comes to JKB to learn about the Entertainment industry and get to know the different functions to strive to surpass clients' expectations in fast-paced situations and ensure customer satisfaction.

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We're thrilled to have such a talented, innovative and spirited roster of mentors and mentees!