To help support Toronto artists and lift the spirits of residents during this outbreak, the City of Toronto, in partnership with Unison Benevolent Fund, is moving its City Hall Live performance program online.
Since 2016, local artists have performed on Nathan Phillips Square as part of City Hall Live’s music series to provide paid performance opportunities for Toronto musicians across all genres. To date, City Hall Live has showcased more than 150 local artists, working with numerous Toronto music organizations, festivals and events.
Under the necessary restrictions in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19, artists will take their show online. The first City Hall Live Online livestreamed event is today, April 16 at noon and will feature The Weather Station. The series will run Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m., with two shows per day until the end of June. More than 100 local artists will be directly compensated for 30-minute performances from their homes, livestreamed via Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/City-Hall-Live-106149534367134/.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant economic impact on Toronto residents and businesses, including the music community, in particular small venues and individual musicians. During each performance, viewers can choose to make a donation, 100 per cent of which will support Unison’s work to help musicians and music industry workers.
Moving City Hall Live online is a part of the Mayor’s Economic Support and Recovery Task Force’s short-term economic support and recovery plan for Toronto’s cultural sector. Toronto-based musicians can apply to be considered for City Hall Live and other City of Toronto Music Office programs at http://www.toronto.ca/music.
The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice and information about City services, social supports and economic recovery measures. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.
Quotes:
“As we face the challenges of this pandemic together, this is one more way that the municipal government continues to support Toronto’s cultural sector. These performances will help raise donations to support Unison Benevolent Fund’s work to help musicians and music industry workers. This project is an early result of consultations by the Economic Support and Recovery Task Force – that work focused on protecting and restarting all sectors of Toronto’s economy continues.”
– Mayor John Tory
“In the wake of COVID-19’s impact on the music community, Unison Benevolent Fund is thrilled about our partnership with the City of Toronto and the wonderful opportunity City Hall Live Online presents for local musicians. All proceeds raised will directly benefit Canadian music-makers and industry professionals, and ensures individuals and their families continue to have access to life-changing counselling services and emergency financial assistance in times of hardship, illness and economic difficulty. Thank you to the City for their support in keeping the music flowing!”
– Amanda Power, Executive Director of Unison Benevolent Fund
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit http://www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.