Call for Submissions: Canadian Blast BBQ at SXSW 2018

CIMA, through Music Export Canada,  is excited to announce that submissions are now being accepted for our 2018 Canadian Blast BBQ at Austin’s SXSW! This year’s mission will mark the 13th year that CIMA will be in attendance for this key showcase and business development opportunity at the most influential and largest music festival & conference in North America. 

Now in its 32nd year, SXSW allows for unmatched networking opportunities, conference programming, and over 100 stages of music for showcasing bands and conference attendees. Check out some of the outcomes associated with our mission to SXSW in 2017 here.

Our legendary Canadian Blast BBQ will be taking place on March 14, 2018 and will be moving to a new venue – Swan Dive (outdoor stage). This event, the kickoff for CIMA’s Canadian Blast mission at SXSW, is a high-profile event that draws hundreds of VIP international delegates, media and thousands of SXSW delegates! 

We’re now accepting submissions for artists interested in showcasing at our Canadian Blast BBQ.

Want to showcase? Here’s our criteria:

  • Artist must be export-ready.
  • Artist must have a business representative in attendance and they must register as a SXSW delegate as well as sign up to the Canadian Blast SXSW B2B initiative, free for selected band representatives (this includes speed-dating and networking events).  [Please note: CIMA is able to offer a discounted SXSW badge rate to Canadian Blast participants. Contact jenia@cimamusic.ca for more information]
  • Make sure you have applied directly with the festival itself to maximize your chances for both SXSW and Canadian Blast showcases. Only SXSW accepted acts will be eligible to be on the Canadian Blast showcase. The deadline for these submissions was October 20, 2017. BBQ selected acts will be reviewed by SXSW for final approval.
  • The Canadian Blast BBQ showcase submission form is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cblastbbq2018
  • Artist representative company should have the resources to able to follow-through on business opportunities resulting from the showcase (tours, gigs, etc.) in international territories.
  • Artist representative company must agree to complete a post-event survey.
  • Artist representative company must agree to continue to report back in future on successes resulting from B2B opportunities.

Submission Deadline:

Please complete the submission form prior to the end of day on Friday, December 1, 2017  As always, the final Canadian Blast line-up will be selected by CIMA’s Talent Selection Committee. 

Successful Canadian Blast applicants will be notified by mid-December

Ready to submit?

Our handy submission form is right here once you’re ready: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cblastbbq2018

If you have any questions about this export mission, please feel free to get in touch with our Music Export Manager, Trisha Carter, at trisha@cimamusic.ca.


CIMA gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our Canadian partners and sponsors: Canadian Music Week (CMW), the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), the Government of Canada (Canadian Heritage/Canadian Music Fund), Harvard Broadcasting, Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), Radio Starmaker Fund, Stringray Music and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).