Conference Showcasing

Every year musicians showcase their unique talents at the OCFF’s annual conference. In 2013 there will be 24 Official Showcases, 2 Family Showcases and a Youth Showcase featuring participants in the Youth Program. The conference schedule will be rounded out by numerous Sponsored Showcases and Private Showcases – all part of the official activities of the annual conference.

Tannis Slimmon and Lewis Melville showcasing at 2012 OCFF Conference

2012 OCFF Conference – Tannis Slimmon and Lewis Melville. Photo by Mike Bourgeault.

To get a sense of what happens late on Friday and Saturday nights of the conference on the Private Showcase floors, please watch Songwriters Unite!: An OCFF Story, created at the 2011 OCFF conference in Niagara Falls by Jason Romolo, Peter J. Slack and Russell Leon.

Official Showcases

Artists submit applications to showcase in the categories of Official, Family, or Youth. In addition, anyone can apply to present a Private Showcase.

Official/Family Showcase Applications

Applications are now closed. If you applied online by the deadline, of if your entry was sent by mail and postmarked by Friday, May 17, it will be accepted. Official and family showcasers and alternates will be selected by jury in June, and announcements will be made as soon as possible after that.  Thank you to all who applied.

Twenty-four slots are available for official showcases each year. Artists selected by the showcase jury perform for artistic directors and presenters from across Canada and around the world as well as conference delegates in a 20-25 minute set.

For the family showcase opportunity, two artists are selected by a jury of children to perform 20-25 minute sets at the beginning of the official showcases.

To better understand this process, please read the OCFF Official Showcase Goals and Jury Guidelines.

Youth Showcase

In the Performer stream, five youth performers (15 to 21 years of age) are chosen and matched with established artists from the community for one-on-one mentorship. The OCFF Youth Program also offers workshops, master classes, an enhanced orientation to the OCFF conference and community, a youth ‘hub’, opportunities for collaboration, and, of course, a special showcase set.

In the Presenter stream, participants are teamed with industry professionals in a series of hour long one-on-one mentoring sessions. Wherever possible we offer the young Presenter an opportunity for hands-on experience, either at the sound board or in assisting with the various official and sponsored showcases.

For more information, visit the Youth Program page.

2012 Official/Family Showcases

The schedule of Official Showcase performances at the 2012 conference was as follows:

McCallion Ballroom Graydon Hall
Friday, Oct 12 7:45pm FAM – Yoshi & Chie ON
8:00pm Canailles QC
8:15pm Jack Pine & The Fire ON
8:30pm Ian Sherwood NS
8:45pm Tannis Slimmon ON
9:00pm The Claytones ON
9:15pm Mike Ford ON
9:30pm Jonathan Byrd NC
9:45pm Peter Elkas ON
10:00pm Rosie & the Riveters SK
10:15pm Michael Jerome Browne QC
10:30pm The 24th Street Wailers ON
10:45pm Lenka Lichtenberg &
Roula Said: Bridges		 ON
McCallion Ballroom Graydon Hall
Saturday, Oct 13 7:45pm FAM – Sonia Aimy ON
8:00pm Charlotte Cornfield QC
8:15pm Preetam Sengupta ON
8:30pm Wyatt Easterling TN
8:45pm The Fretless SK
9:00pm Peter Karp & Sue Foley ON
9:15pm Jordie Lane AUS
9:30pm Eh?! ON
9:45pm Coco Love Alcorn ON
10:00pm Amanda Rheaume ON
10:15pm D’Harmo QC
10:30pm The PepTides ON
10:45pm De Temps Antan QC

2012 Alternate Showcase Artists

Alternates could have been asked to officially showcase in the event that an artist/group from the above list could not attend or perform. The alternate showcase artists, in alphabetical order by first name, were:

2012 Alternate Family Showcase Artist

  • Tim Chaisson, PE

To see a list of all official showcase artists, alternates and family showcase artists dating back to 2001, please download the Showcasing History PDF.

Sponsored Showcases

Sponsored showcases are presented by various music industry associations and other organizations, such as agencies, record labels, etc . These organizations pay for the opportunity to host a showcase, and by doing so, contribute to the OCFF’s budget, helping to keep registration costs low for all other conference delegates. Sponsored showcase hosts book their own lineups.

Everyone who presents and/or appears in a sponsored showcase is required to be a registered delegate of the conference. A special Private/Sponsored Showcase rate is offered to private showcase presenters who are members of the OCFF through October, 2013.

The Private/Sponsored Showcase rate is also offered to sponsored showcase artists who are members of the OCFF through October, 2012. At least one member of each band appearing in a sponsored showcase has to be registered for the full conference.

If you are interested in presenting a sponsored showcase, please contact the OCFF office at 613-560-5997 (toll-free 1-866-292-6233) or email info@ocff.ca.

Private Showcases

A Private Showcase is a performance or series of performances in a hotel room on the music floors of the host hotel. It is part of the official activities of the OCFF conference. In 2013, ALL private showcases will be ACOUSTIC. Private showcase presenters pay a fee that covers some administrative costs and advertising provided by the OCFF.

All Private Showcase presenters sign an agreement that includes presenter-specific conference rules. Download the rules here.

Everyone who presents and/or appears in a private showcase is required to be a registered delegate of the conference. A special Private/Sponsored Showcase rate is offered to private showcase presenters who are members of the OCFF through October, 2013.

The Private/Sponsored Showcase rate is also offered to private showcase artists who are members of the OCFF through October, 2013. At least one member of each band appearing in a private showcase has to be registered for the full conference.

Private showcase applications will be available in summer 2013.