If you have a story to tell and you want to tell it through music, the Wallaceburg and District Council for the Arts may be able to help.
This Saturday afternoon, the council will kick off the first in its Singer-Songwriter Workshop and Performance series.
The series kicks off with a workshop for aspiring singer-songwriters with Jamie Warren from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Jeanne Gordon Theatre.
Warren is the most awarded independent male artist in Canadian country music, with three Top 10 hits to his credit and 16 Top 40 hits. The Hanover native is also the professor of Songwriting 101 at Conestoga College in Kitchener.
Warren is very highly regarded throughout the industry as a songwriter, mentor and teacher.
Joining Warren on stage at 8 p.m. will be Brooklyn Roebuck, one of Chatham-Kent’s fastest rising singers.
She was recently named a finalist for the Country Music Association of Ontario Rising Star Award and is performing at the CCMA’s Diamonds In The Rough showcase.
Arts council member Jay Smith said the session is aimed at helping artists reach a wider audience whether that is through radio airplay or life performances.
“Artists need to connect with their audience to stay fresh and we’ll show you how to going about doing that,” he said.
Tickets for the workshop are $40 each and include a ticket to the evening performance featuring Jamie and Brooklyn.
New music from the workshop may be showcased during the evening performance. The theatre will remain open in-between for those who wish to network and work on their craft.
Following the September 24 workshop, the Arts Council will present our ‘Surviving As An Independent Artist’ workshop and performance alongside Sarah Smith and Jay Allan on November 26 as well as a Guitar and Songwriting Workshop in January with Tom Lockwood and Michael Schatte.
You can also register in advance for the entire 3-part-series for a discounted price of $100 per person.
The Arts Council is also extending a special family and friends discount to workshop attendees. In addition to their free ticket to each performance, attendees can purchase further advanced tickets for $20 each. Regular ticket cost is $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Local artists and musicians interested in attending the workshop(s) can contact Jay Smith at jsmith@ckxsfm.com or call (519) 627-0007 ext. 227.
