Dear Friends and Colleagues,
These are some of the smiling faces of the artists involved with programs at CMC Ontario. They are at the soul of what we do at Chalmers House and beyond, the heart of the stream that we support. At the CMC we strongly believe that all our artists have a dream they are fighting for, a melody aching to be heard, a life waiting to be transformed. The Canadian Music Centre, since its inception in 1959, has been the sanctuary where these dreams take root. It is a home where the music makers are paramount, where they feel at home.
Artists across the province are pouring their lives into their craft, often in the shadows, working tirelessly, at times unpaid hours to bring beauty and truth into the world. They require your direct, immediate investment to survive and to thrive in the current cold world of arts funding. CMC Ontario provides a conduit; every dollar you give is a hand extended, an opportunity forged, a smile born from your decision.
For 2026, your immediate action will bring life to two critical programs, creating more smiles, more music, more hope across Ontario:
Artist Residency Showcases: ($6,000)
This is where the music is tested, refined, and made real. Our Artist in Residence Program is overflowing with talent. We’ve proudly doubled our capacity from last year, now hosting at least two resident artists monthly, giving them the space and time they desperately require.
Now, we want to highlight the work these artists have done for the public with quarterly Artist Residency Showcases through 2026, providing the platform for their creations to shine. This amount encompasses CMC staff to assist, professional sound and video teams to document their genius for the future, and provides the honoraria that acknowledges their worth.
You are directly responsible for transforming their private struggles into public creation and recognition.
Regional Concert Sponsorships: ($3,000)
Music thrives in all locations, extending beyond the confines of Toronto. Our Ontario Concert Sponsorships reach into all the corners of the province, nurturing every single seed, beyond the ones in plain sight
Your donation directly increases these sponsorships from 6 to 9 in the upcoming season. This expansion means more paid opportunities, more stages, and more brilliant music heard in places like Kingston, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, North Bay, London and Windsor.
You are directly responsible for bringing vital support and the light of performance to more artists, in more communities, igniting more smiles across Ontario.
In total, we are launching an appeal for $9,000. This encompasses the tangible, emotional, and profound impact of your decision. It is about ensuring that the passion, the dedication, and the sheer joy of these artists are sustained.
The staff at CMC Ontario works tirelessly to support artists, either through these programs or vital services. Your donation ensures that the cultural fabric of Canada grows stronger, brighter, and more filled with the beautiful, seen smiles of artists who are finally thriving.
Choose to light a brighter future with smiles like these.
Thank you for considering our request to support CMC Ontario. You can donate securely online by going to cmccanada.org and using the DONATE button near the top of the page and selecting “Donate to CMC Ontario” in the dropdown. Or, you can send a cheque to CMC Ontario (20 St. Joseph Street, Toronto ON M4Y 1J9).
Amplify Your Impact: Ask your employer if they match donations or sponsor cultural events. Your support, magnified, can light up even more faces.
Make More Music. Make More Smiles.
All the best,
Joseph Glaser
Director of Ontario Region
* Header image: https://www.instagram.com/amotorchestra