Valerie Boucher

“They come into my head and rattle around in my brain until they become something bigger,” says Katie Munshaw, vocalist of Dizzy, of the lyrics she writes for the band. “I’ve always been like that. I'm really lucky [that,] growing up, I went to an elementary school with a songwriting program, so I’ve been writing songs since grade 5 or 6,” she adds. “It’s always been a big part of my life and how I express my emotions.”

Lisha di Gioacchino on recovery, community and running to build awareness around addiction support “My life was clearly unmanageable.” For years, Lisha Di Gioacchino had thought about reaching out to Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services, a community-based treatment centre for people struggling with substance use, addictions and other mental health challenges. She finally contacted them looking for support following a serious health scare. “I’d heard about the Urgent Substance Use Treatment

“I think one of the reasons people are kind of creeped out by clowns is because they’re always presenting the emotion of their painted face, [so] you don’t really know what’s going on underneath,” says Nora Kelly, lead of Montreal’s Nora Kelly Band. “Maybe they’re feeling something completely different.”

During a cold and dark winter in Toronto, Trevor Sloan—a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and mixed media artist based in the city—found himself in a cozy room filled with loved ones. His friend started talking about his family’s plum trees and their process of making homemade brandy, and there came the inspiration for his latest album, Dusk Among the Plum Trees, released this spring.

Creating a business plan is the first step to getting any kind of funding. They can be simple and concise or detailed with hundreds of pages. There are countless samples out there, but the options can make getting started overwhelming. This will give you an understanding of how to approach the business planning process and set you up with free resources to get started.

In 2022, 95-year-old Rejeanne Fairhead participated in her first road race after being encouraged by her friend Marie. She completed the Ottawa 5K presented by ASICS Runkeeper at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend walking in Keds, and set a new national record for women’s 95+ 5K at 58:52 minutes. This year, at 96, Fairhead aims for the world record with a new pair of running shoes, a training plan, and a supportive community to back her up.

I edited the book Stop Looking for Zebras, a no-nonsense, engaging and practical guide to keeping your job and sanity in this ever-changing world of creative communications. It is a deep dive into the creative process providing observations, exercises and anecdotes to help readers deliver work that resonates better and faster. The author, Robert Smith, is a creative director, agency owner, author and branding professor with over 25 years in the industry. His clients have included Warner Brothers and DC Comics.

Starting a business is risky. That’s why many people prefer working for an employer. At the end of the day, if you want it to survive, let alone grow, your business needs to be profitable. While there’s never any guarantee of how something will go, there are steps you can take to figure out if your business will be able to make money and give you the confidence to keep moving forward through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

“I like shooting places as people,” says Ottawa photographer Mai-Lan Tomkins. “When I take a picture of a place, I don't want to simply document it–I’m trying to capture my connection to the moment and its place in time.” It was around 2013/2014 when Mai-Lan started pursuing photography projects. She’d just finished university, where she explored painting, wood shop, sculpture, film and photography - a blend of creative interests. “I wanted to see better photos on Facebook,” Mai-Lan says.

The Canadian Music Publishers Association is proud to announce the first cohort of its innovative and one-of-a-kind mentorship program Women in the Studio will be working with world-renowned producer/songwriter Linda Perry during Canadian Music Week.