A new music awards show in Oshawa aimed to showcase the local music industry in Durham Region.
The inaugural DREAMS! (Durham Region Excellence in Arts Music and Sound) Music Summit and Awards took place at BOND|ST Events on Saturday, Sept. 20.
DREAMS! is the new avatar of the Oshawa Music Awards (OMA), and was held in conjunction with the Convergence 2025 festival in the city.
The first discussion, ‘Building a Regional Music Community’, focused on growing and strengthening the local industry.
The panel included Oshawa city councillor Derek Giberson, Diana Cerovich, owner and operations chief at the Biltmore Theatre, and Eileen Kennedy, Creative Industries and Film/Television Specialist at Invest Durham.
Building a robust music industry in Durham
Paul Koidis, another panelist and chair of the Entrepreneurship Academy at Canadore College, said creating a “mythology” of a region’s music scene is one of the best ways to make it stronger.
He referred to U.S. pop culture hotspots such as Los Angeles or Laurel County, Kentucky, to underscore his point.
“These places have mythology. People know about this all over the world because they have taken the time and built a mythology,” he said.
Kennedy talked about Invest Durham’s effort to get input from the industry through a series of consultations in late 2024. It’s report titled, ‘Music Industry Analysis’, was published in March.
This report was followed by a fresh round input titled ‘Beyond the Music’, which took place in June.
The panel was asked what the region can do for the discovery and exposure of musicians at local post-secondary campuses. They have been launchpads for several artists, including singer-songwriters such as Cale Crow.
Kennedy referred to discussions involving her, DREAMS! co-founder and retired Music Business Management faculty member, Tony Sutherland, and the Canadian Musicians Co-Operative.
She said they want to put together a program that would help students by connecting them with people and opportunities.
“The idea is, how can we reach the vast, different types of people that are interested in music, and how can we support them?” she said.
Coun. Derek Giberson, who is also musician, said it’s up to post-secondary institutions to make that happen.
“I know it sounds very trite, but again, it’s not going to happen by itself,” he said. “So with intention, they need to choose to do it and then figure out what the path is and what the resources are.”
‘Show Me The Money’ unpacks grants and funding
Another discussion, “Show Me the Money: Funding Your Music Projects,” focused on grants and finances.
The speakers introduced a variety grants available to musicians in the area and talked about how to apply and what to expect.
Lisa-John Mackenzie, Industry Relations Manager at Durham Region – Central Counties Tourism, and a professor at Durham College, said an event at the college that has the potential to attract a visitor audience is a strong contender for grants.
Enez Perkins from the City of Oshawa said the city’s grants are open to anyone. There are no restrictions on the region or background of the applicant.
“For our grants, as long as the initiative or the event is for residents of Oshawa, we welcome it from anybody,” she said.
The city hands out about $300,000 per year via the Oshawa Community Grant, but Perkins said funds are limited.
Highlighting achievements at the DREAMS! Awards
The first DREAMS! Music Awards wrapped up the weekend. They recognized solo artists, bands, songs and albums, along with producers, promoters, venues and lifetime achievers.
James Wilson, William James Gillespe, Aaron John and Lindsay Schoolcraft performed at the awards ceremony.
The lifetime achievement award went to Mars Bonfire, the artist name of Dennis Eugene McCrohan, who was born in Oshawa and went on to write the hit song “Born to be Wild” by the band Steppenwolf.
McCrohan appeared on screen to thank the audience, before a video about his life and work was shown.
Will McGuirk, a veteran music journalist, curator and mentor in Durham Region, was recognized with the Music Industry of the Year award.
McGuirk is a graduate of the journalism program at Durham College. He was recognized for his nearly three decades of involvement in the regional scene and for supporting its growth. He currently manages Kops Records in Oshawa.
The nominees and winners for each category can be accessed on the DREAMS! Instagram page.