Atlantic music community raises concerns over changes at East Coast Music Awards

By David Friend, The Canadian Press on October 21, 2024.

The head of the East Coast Music Association says she's working to address concerns some in the local music community are raising over a slate of recent changes.Natalie MacMaster performs during the East Coast Music Awards in Halifax on Thursday, May 4, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

The head of the East Coast Music Association says she’s working to address concerns some in the local music community are raising over a slate of recent changes.

ECMA chief executive Blanche Israël says she intends to rebuild trust with members after an online petition emerged last week calling for an explanation of changes that involve the annual East Coast Music Awards.

More than 550 names signed a petition on Change.org that said members felt “uneasy and confused” by a lack of clarity and consultation on several matters, including “significant modifications” to the awards application process.

New awards submission guidelines put less weight on streaming data and ask musicians for a written explanation of why their music should be considered for nomination.

Other changes saw two categories – video director and visual artist of the year – folded into a newly minted content creator of the year category, while the audio engineer of the year award was eliminated.

The petition also says “long-standing contractors with deep institutional knowledge” have been left out of future plans despite years of involvement.

Petition creator Sheri Jones, an artist manager and an ECMA founding director, says crucial decisions have been made without adequately consulting members or other leaders in the organization.

The petition calls for the ECMA’s board and CEO to share a comprehensive strategic plan that outlines goals and priorities.

Israël stepped into the CEO role earlier this year with experience as a cultural strategist and nearly two decades of work as a cellist in Montreal.

Her mandate included improving diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization.

The next ECMA Awards will be held in St. John’s, N.L. from May 7 to 11, 2025.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024