Canada's Walk of Fame Announces the Return of the 'Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program' Supported by RBC

ULTIMATE MUSIC MENTORSHIP PROGRAM VALUED AT OVER $100,000
- Submissions will be accepted until Thursday, April 30 –

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TORONTO, March 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Canada's Walk of Fame announces the return of the highly successful Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program, supported by RBC, as part of Canada's Walk of Fame Emerging Artists Programs and Scholarships. Valued at more than $100,000, the 2015 national competition will once again focus on the world of music, calling all aspiring Canadian musicians to visit www.canadaswalkoffame.com beginning today for details on eligibility and submission requirements. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 11:59 pm ET.

In 2014, over 200 submissions were received from highly gifted emerging artists across Canada. After winning last year's Grand Prize, Guelph, Ontario's own NEFE opened for Canadian icon Burton Cummings during his Canada's Walk of Fame Festival performance at Massey Hall and recently signed a recording contract with Universal Music Canada, the country's leading music company.

"Last year's Grand Prize winner was 'discovered' through this program, and we couldn't be more proud of this. NEFE is an amazing talent," says Melanie Hurley, CEO, Canada's Walk of Fame. "When we launched this competition, our goal was to offer gifted Canadian musicians opportunities to develop their careers that they otherwise might not have. This mentorship program allows us to do just that with opportunities for exposure, mentorship, and access to key influencers and monetary support. It is an all-encompassing opportunity to provide aspiring musicians with the tools to flourish."

"Through the RBC Emerging Artists Project, we are committed to providing opportunities and funding to artists in the early stages of their careers," said Shari Austin, Vice President, RBC Corporate Citizenship and Executive Director, RBC Foundation. "We're proud to partner with Canada's Walk of Fame on this initiative, and are honoured to be able to contribute to the professional success of Canada's next generation of musicians through this program."

PRIZING DETAILS
Chosen by a selection committee comprised of music and industry experts, and announced later this year, the Grand Prize winner will receive:

• A cash prize of $25,000
• Performance opportunities at Canada's Walk of Fame events
• Twenty (25) hours of private recording studio time with a producer, periodically mentored by established Canadian music talent
• Introductions to music industry executives
• Album cover artwork design

Six additional winners will also be chosen. Their prize will include:

• A cash prize of $7,000 for a Second Prize winner
• A cash prize of $1,200 each for five additional winners
• Performance opportunities at Canada's Walk of Fame events

All winners will also be invited to participate in a private Music Industry Career Development Information Session with Q&A. The approximate value of the prizing in total is over $100,000.00 CDN.

"Canada's Walk of Fame is a celebration of everything that makes our nation great, and the mentorship program ensures that the next generation of artists achieve this greatness," said Randy Lennox, President and CEO, Universal Music Canada. "Universal is honoured to be attached to such a wonderful mentorship program with RBC, and we look forward helping the next bumper crop of talented Canadians reach their goals both at home and abroad. As we have seen with last year's winner NEFE, who signed with Universal Music for the world, the campaign is helping Canadian artists grow into the stars of the future."

To be eligible for this year's Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program supported by RBC:

• Candidate must be between the ages of 10-35. Anyone under the age of 18 must have consent by a parent or legal guardian in order to participate, should they be selected.
• Must be enrolled in an accredited Canadian school or institution at the time of entry, or provide a resume which demonstrates a continuing commitment to developing a career in music.
• Must submit a maximum 60-second video or audio file, of a solo or group musical or vocal performance via the entry form on canadaswalkoffame.com in one of the following formats: WebM files, .MPEG4, 3GPP, MOV files, .AVI, .MPEGPS, .WMV, .FLV, MP3
• Only one submission per applicant will be accepted.

The Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program supported by RBC is part of a series of national programs and events that include the Canada's Walk of Fame Red Carpet, Inductee Charity Ball and the Canada's Walk of Fame televised show, which is broadcast nationally on Global.

Canada's Walk of Fame gratefully acknowledges the support of our 2015 National Sponsors: Cineplex Entertainment, NBCUniversal and Slaight Communications.

SOURCE Canada's Walk of Fame

For further information: Tran Nguyen, Holmes PR, 416-628-5607 / [e-mail]; Jason Graham, Manager, Brand and Corporate Citizenship Communications, RBC, 416-313-5783 / [e-mail]