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10 Years of Impacts Through Music

Ten years ago, Canada did not have a home for music. Today, Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, stands as Canada’s national home for musical heritage—a place where our country’s music lives, breathes, evolves, and unites us as a country.

Download the 2026-27 Program Guide

 

1. The Making of NMC

By the Numbers

182,000-square-foot
home for music in Canada

450 years
of music history preserved  

119 exhibitions
celebrating Canada’s legends  

1,000,000+ visitors
since opening in 2016

70–100 FTE jobs
created in the music sector 

From dream to reality—building a home for music in Canada.

What began as a small collection in Calgary grew into a bold national vision: a place where Canada’s music story could live, be shared, and be continually reimagined. Before NMC opened in 2016, there was no physical home for music in Canada, and much of our musical heritage risked being lost—today, Studio Bell stands as that national home, preserving and celebrating Canada’s music story for future generations. The creation of Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, represents decades of passion, persistence, and community support, and has helped revitalize Calgary’s East Village while creating new opportunities for artists, audiences, and communities.

Did You Know?

  • The idea for NMC began more than 25 years ago with a small keyboard collection.
  • Studio Bell opened on July 1, 2016, and is a 182,000-square-foot, $191 million project that includes the restoration of the historic King Eddy.
  • NMC raised over $130 million in private and public support to build Studio Bell, including $75 million from all three levels of government.
  • NMC is a non-governmental, non-profit charity that relies on sponsorship, philanthropy, and earned revenue, with limited annual government support compared to other national cultural organizations.

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2. A Bridge for National Unity

By the Numbers

70+ partnerships
regionally, nationally, and internationally

11 travelling exhibitions
developed with cultural partners in Canada

1 satellite hub
in Montreal

Creating connections through music—from coast to coast to coast, and beyond.

The National Music Centre is building bridges across Canada—connecting East and West, and strengthening ties between English and French-speaking music communities in collaboration with Quebec's music industry association, Adisq. By actively engaging with diverse voices across the country, NMC demonstrates how music can unite Canadians. In addition, international collaborations with organizations such as the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music and TeachRock are expanding opportunities to share resources, co-develop programs, and showcase the interconnected stories of Canadian music on a global stage.

Did You Know?

  • NMC is home to the Adisq Hall of Fame, which celebrates Quebec’s music industry and Canadian Francophone artists.
  • National Music Centre opened a satellite space in Montreal’s Latin Quarter on November 19, 2025. The space will be used for music industry events, professional development programs, workshops for industry professionals and artists, and other special pop-up events.
  • NMC’s first international partnerships began in 2024 with the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music and Steven Van Zandt's TeachRock.

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3. Living Collection Philosophy

By the Numbers

63 artist residencies 
fostering emerging Canadian talent

50,000 hours
 of living collection use

8,024 hours
 of recording studio use

8,000+ artifacts
 with 200 instruments available for living collection use

Using history to make history.

National Music Centre takes an innovative and daring approach to cultural engagement through our living collection philosophy. Unlike traditional museum collections kept behind glass, NMC gives artists rare opportunities to create new music with iconic pieces like TONTO, the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, and more. By maintaining over 200 instruments in working order, NMC provides artists with unprecedented access to historic instruments and technology, inspiring new creations and even award-winning projects. With this approach, NMC is committed to making music accessible to all Canadians, from visitors at Studio Bell to musicians recording in our state-of-the-art studios.

Did You Know?

  • There are more than 200 instruments available to use in NMC's living collection.
  • The collection includes over 450 years of music history and technology.
  • NMC’s studios let artists create with historic instruments, backed by expert support—an approach unmatched in Canada.
  • Many artists have earned industry awards and nominations using NMC’s collection, including 2025 JUNO Award-winner Caity Gyorgy, and JUNO nominees Rich Aucoin, Joel Wood, and others.

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4. The King Eddy

By the Numbers

1,816 live shows 
since 2018

239,495 guests
since 2018

Where legendary music lives on.

As a cornerstone of the National Music Centre development, the rich civic and musical history of the King Edward Hotel spans more than 100 years in Calgary and is the primary reason NMC chose to build Studio Bell on its current site. Since reopening in 2018, the Eddy has once again become a vibrant hub for live music, welcoming artists and audiences from across Canada and beyond. Throughout its history, the Eddy has welcomed people from all walks of life, and its legacy of great live music in an authentic setting has firmly established it as a cornerstone of Calgary’s music scene.

Did You Know?

  • The King Eddy was built in 1905 and was one of the first hotels built in Calgary along 9 Avenue, then known as "Whiskey Row."
  • It was the city's first desegregated bar in 1946, breaking racial barriers and paving the way for venues that came later.
  • From the early 1980s until it closed in 2003, the “Eddy” had a respected local, national, and international reputation for live music and was affectionately known as “Calgary’s Home of the Blues.”
  • The Eddy is one of the oldest music venues in Canada that is still in operation today.

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5. Music and Wellness

By the Numbers

15,880+ music therapy 
sessions delivered annually

400+ patients,
families, and care teams supported each week across hospital and community settings

12 program locations
in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba 

Transforming health, recovery, and wellbeing through music.

National Music Centre is committed to advancing music therapy through onsite programs at Studio Bell and through partnerships with hospitals and care facilities, bringing the healing power of music to people across Canada. Since 2018, NMC has partnered with JB Music Therapy and the Calgary Health Foundation to deliver music therapy programs in hospitals and care settings, supporting individuals facing a wide range of physical and mental health challenges. Rooted in a belief in music’s profound impact on health and wellbeing, NMC’s Music Therapy Initiative continues to expand into communities across Canada.

Did You Know?

NMC’s Music Therapy Initiative is offered in:

  • Alberta: Serving patients in five Calgary hospitals, including ICU, palliative care, stroke recovery, mental health, burns, and more.
  • Saskatchewan: With partner Ranch Ehrlo Society in Regina, the initiative supports mental health and family programs, and with Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, it provides music therapy for infants in the NICU and their parents.
  • More partnerships in Manitoba, BC, and Québec are in development.

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6. Canada's Music Mosaic

By the Numbers

70+ events
with local cultural communities or festivals

40+ partnerships
with cultural organizations

10+ cultural community
events and festivals planned for 2026

Celebrating Canada’s diverse musical traditions, voices, and stories.

National Music Centre is a vibrant hub for multiculturalism, celebrating the rich diversity that shapes Canada’s music mosaic. Through public programs, exhibitions, and curriculum-aligned education initiatives, NMC uses music to explore and honour our country’s vast cultural heritage. By showcasing artists, traditions, and stories from communities across Canada in partnership with local cultural organizations, and through ongoing collaborations with diverse cultural communities, NMC fosters deeper understanding and connection through the universal language of music, while amplifying the many voices that define Canada’s sound.

Did You Know?

  • Many of NMC’s programs are co-created with local cultural organizations to ensure authentic representation and community leadership.
  • NMC collaborates with Black community leaders to present annual Black History Month and Black Music Month programs.
  • NMC has partnered with South Asian, East Asian, Jewish, and other cultural communities to deliver meaningful programming.
  • New community-led collaborations continue to grow each year, expanding the diversity of voices at NMC.

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7. Honouring Indigenous Music

By the Numbers

103 artists
supported through artist development

23 live performances
celebrating Indigenous artists

46 stories
of Indigenous trailblazers told through exhibitions 

From the first song inside Studio Bell.

Since opening in 2016, National Music Centre has worked to elevate Indigenous voices through intentional collaboration with Indigenous advisors and communities, recognizing the power of music in reconciliation. NMC amplifies Indigenous voices through the OHSOTO’KINO Indigenous programming initiative, which supports Indigenous artists through music creation, artist development, and the annually updated Speak Up! gallery, dedicated to Indigenous trailblazers. Together, these elements create a powerful platform for Indigenous artists to develop their talents, share their culture, and spark dialogue, while building greater understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Did You Know?

  • OHSOTO’KINO is a Blackfoot phrase, which means ‘to recognize a voice of.’ This title acknowledges the Blackfoot people and the territory on which National Music Centre resides.
  • NMC’s National Indigenous Programming Advisory Committee, which includes First Nation, Métis, and Inuit representation, leads the direction of the initiative.
  • The award-winning Speak Up! exhibition has featured 32 trailblazing artists to date, representative of all regions across the country.

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8. The Halls of Fame

By the Numbers

4 national
 music halls of fame

302 hall of famers
 recognized at the National Music Centre

14 major
 hall of fame events hosted

A home for Canada’s music legends.

The National Music Centre proudly serves as the physical home to four national music halls of fame: the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Quebec’s Adisq Hall of Fame. Before Studio Bell opened, there was no permanent place to experience these legacies. Today, artists and music fans can see, learn from, and connect with Canada’s music icons in one national home. Each year, the latest inductees are celebrated through NMC exhibitions and programs, helping preserve Canada’s music history and ensure these stories remain in Canada to inspire future generations, while contributing to NMC’s role as a truly national destination that draws visitors and music industry attention to Calgary.

Did You Know?

  • National Music Centre is the only organization in the world dedicated to preserving and sharing Canada’s music story.
  • Barenaked Ladies, Bruce Cockburn, Burton Cummings, Deborah Cox, Ian and Sylvia Tyson, Jann Arden, k.d. lang, Maestro Fresh Wes, Nickelback, Paul Brandt, Sarah McLachlan, Sum 41, Terri Clark, and many others have visited Studio Bell to formally place their name plaques on the Hall of Fame walls.
  • New Hall of Fame stories are added annually, keeping the legacy growing.

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9. Youth and Learning

By the Numbers

80,000+ students 
served 

500+ schools 
served 

407,380 views
for educational content online 

Inspiring the next generation through music.

National Music Centre engages thousands of kids and youth annually through programs like summer camps, field trips, and the free after-school Jam Club program. Each year, more than 15,000 K–12 students explore curriculum topics through music during field trips, while teens connect, create, and collaborate in a safe, supportive space through Jam Club, and younger children discover sound, songwriting, and group performance for the first time at summer camps. By supporting musicians and music lovers early in life, NMC fosters confidence, creativity, and a sense of belonging—nurturing the next generation of artists and audiences, and ensuring a lifelong connection to music and the arts.

Did You Know?

  • Education is at the centre of everything we do at NMC.
  • Since 2016, NMC has reached over 100,000 students from over 230 Alberta schools, using music to explore language arts, science, and history.
  • Many students who participated in NMC’s Jam Club program as teens have gone on to perform on stages across Canada as adults.
  • NMC offers hands-on learning experiences that inspire creativity and confidence in young people.

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10. The Future of NMC

By the Numbers

$18M–$22M
in annual economic impact by 2036 

120–150 jobs
supported annually by 2036 

175,000–225,000
annual visitors by 2036 

10 provinces + 3 territories
with music therapy programs by 2036

Building a nation of music cities.

Since opening Studio Bell in 2016, the National Music Centre has been a catalyst for community and nation-building—driving the revitalization of Calgary’s downtown, attracting over one million visitors to the East Village, and helping position the city as a growing cultural hub. Through national partnerships, artist development, and investment in Canada’s music ecosystem, NMC has contributed to both Calgary and Canada’s cultural and creative economies. As the city and country continue to evolve, the next chapter will focus on strengthening connections, supporting artists, and advancing music city ambitions, at home in Calgary's emerging Culture + Entertainment District and beyond.

Did You Know?

  • NMC’s early presence in East Village helped lay the foundation for Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District.
  • NMC brought global attention to Alberta’s music ecosystem by hosting the first Alberta Music Cities Convention in 2022.
  • NMC’s national partnerships have attracted major events like the CCMAs and JUNO Awards, bringing millions in investment to Calgary.
  • NMC is a founding partner of West Anthem, a provincial initiative driving Alberta’s Music City strategies.

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