Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI) and the National Music Centre (NMC) present the 2025 AE West Artist Extravaganza Showcase, a free live concert at the King Eddy on December 3.
The evening will feature all 10 participating artists, each performing two songs. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis, so guests are encouraged to arrive early.
The 10 artists include Calgary pop-rocker A.N., Calgary’s own Brother Bicker Band, known for gritty, harmony-driven “maple whiskey rock n’ roll”; Calgary-based singer-songwriter Eden Taylor; Francophone pop-soul songstress Élodie Orsei from B.C., hip-hop act John from Dawson hailing from Tr'ondëk Hwëch’in traditional territory in Dawson City, Yukon; Alberta country sweetheart Julia Vos; Zimbabwean-born, Calgary-based rapper KTheChosen; Indigenous-Guyanese rap artist Osani Balkaran from Winnipeg; Edmonton pop-jazz singer Roya Camille; and Calgary electro-hyperpop producer Ruby Swan.
About AE West
AE West (Artist Entrepreneur West) is a month-long creative entrepreneurship program designed to empower emerging artists by providing them with the practical skills, knowledge, and resources needed to thrive in the music industry. The ninth edition of the AE West program takes place from November 3 to December 4, 2025 at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre in Calgary.
AE West is an extension of CMI’s highly regarded, Toronto-based Artist Entrepreneur (AE) program and represents a partnership between CMI, a national not-for profit organization, and NMC. The majority of costs for the program are offset thanks to the generous support of TD Ready Commitment, Stingray Radio, the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, and Manitoba Music.
Building on the success of CMI's long-running Artist Entrepreneur program (established in 2012), AE West is designed to help emerging artists and bands from all genres build their businesses and careers. Artists will work closely with Canada’s Music Incubator and the National Music Centre team of social media, marketing, management, promotion, publicity, funding, touring, songwriting and live performance experts. They will also be introduced to a wide range of active music industry professionals. Artists also have ongoing access to CMI mentors and industry resources post-program.
About Canada’s Music Incubator
Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI) is a Toronto-based national not-for-profit organization specializing in professional development, ongoing mentorship and live events for artists, managers, and music companies. Launched in 2012, CMI supports 1,800+ emerging music entrepreneurs, across all genres, in the development of long-term careers and sustainable businesses. To date, CMI has provided 13,000+ hours of mentorship. CMI also works with private and community partners to curate live events. So far, 2,000+ shows have been programmed, paying artists $3.3+ million. For more information, please visit canadasmusicincubator.com.
About National Music Centre
The National Music Centre (NMC) has a mission to amplify the love, sharing, and understanding of music. It is preserving and celebrating Canada’s music story inside its home at Studio Bell in the heart of the East Village in Mohkinstsis (Calgary) on Treaty 7 territory. NMC is the home to four Canadian music halls of fame, including 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. Featuring musical instruments, artifacts, recording equipment, and memorabilia, the NMC Collection spans over 450 years of music history and innovation. A registered charity with programs that include exhibitions, artist development, performance, and education, NMC is inspiring a new generation of music lovers. NMC is inspiring a new generation of music lovers. For more information about NMC’s onsite activities, please visit studiobell.ca. To check out the NMC experience online, including video-on-demand performances, made-in-Canada stories, and highly entertaining educational content, visit amplify.nmc.ca.