Black Music Month Vancouver (BMMV) – Performance Submission Call

Now entering its 9th anniversary, Black Music Month Vancouver (BMMV) is more than a festival — it’s a living, breathing cultural platform rooted in celebration, discovery, and connection.

Founded and produced by Fade to Black Entertainment Society, BMMV was created to uplift emerging and established Black music artists from the Canadian West Coast, across Canada, and around the world. What began as a community-driven celebration has grown into a respected, artist-centered showcase that bridges music, storytelling, heritage, and future-facing sound.

What Makes BMMV Special

BMMV is not a competition for clout — it’s a curated cultural experience. Artists selected through this submission process are invited into a space that values:

Artistry over algorithms

Community over gatekeeping

Legacy and innovation side by side

Music over fame and spotlight

Our stages ( with our newly introduced 2nd CommUNITY stage) have welcomed genre-defying performers, diasporic storytellers, and boundary-pushers working in gospel, country, soul, jazz, rnb, hip hop, reggae, blues, folk, experimental, and hybrid forms. We intentionally create room for risk, authenticity, and growth.

Artists aren’t treated as filler — they are featured contributors to a larger cultural moment.

Why You Don’t Want to Miss This

Perform in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, a global city that has welcomed the world — from the 2010 Winter Olympics to hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Share space with artists, curators, filmmakers, writers, and cultural leaders on two stages

Connect with new audiences, collaborators, and future opportunities

Be part of a festival that documents, archives, and champions Black creative voices

A Platform With Purpose

BMMV is part of a larger ecosystem that includes:

Vancouver Black Independent Film Festival (VBIFF)

Da’LUV James Black Books Fest

Year-round community programming and cultural preservation

Being selected means joining a legacy of artists who are shaping the sound, stories, and future of Black music culture on the West Coast and beyond.

Our Invitation

If your work is honest, bold, rooted, experimental, or still becoming — we want to hear it.

Submit your performance for consideration and be part of Black Music Month Vancouver 2026 — where history meets what’s next.

Awards & Prizes

BMMV Artist Awards, Prizes, & Benefits

Black Music Month Vancouver (BMMV) is proud to be an artist-first festival. Every selected artist is treated as a professional contributor to our cultural ecosystem and all performances are paid engagements and honorariums.

Paid Performance Fees

All artists are compensated through individual contracts and negotiated agreements, based on act size, experience, and performance scope on Main and CommUNITY stages.

Estimated Fees for a 30–90 Minute Festival Set (CAD):

Act Type Estimated Fee Range
Honorarium $50 (2nd stage ONLY) generate ur own pay as you go with our QR code
Solo/Duo Artist $150 – $400 (Main Stage submission VIP's)
TRIO/Quatro $450 – $650
Group 5 or more / Band (approx. 6+ members) $650 – $1,500
Headliner/VIP's - neg

Please note: BMMV’s festival budget is limited this year, and fees reflect our commitment to fair compensation while sustaining community-led programming.

What Your Fee Includes

Professional Sound & PA, drums, amps, etc fully provided by the festival

Technical support, sound check, and stage management

Performance slot within a curated, high-visibility festival program

Coverage of on-site time, including load-in, sound check, performance, and load-out

Amenities; Video Wall on Main stage ONLY (TBD)

What to Consider

Travel & Accommodation: Artists traveling from outside the immediate region are responsible for their own travel and lodging unless otherwise stated in contract.

Experience & Reputation: Established artists or acts with proven touring or recording histories may command higher negotiated fees.

Union Benchmarks: Compensation is informed by Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) minimums, industry norms, and local BC festival standards.

Headliners: Major or nationally recognized acts are contracted separately under distinct VIP agreements.

Additional Artist Benefits

Beyond performance fees, selected artists receive:

Professional exposure to engaged, culturally invested audiences

Promotion across BMMV and Fade to Black platforms

Networking opportunities with artists, curators, filmmakers, and cultural producers

Documentation opportunities (photo/video when available)

Eligibility for future FTBE programming, including music, poetry, and interdisciplinary projects

More Than a Gig

BMMV is not a contest for clicks — it’s a cultural platform. Artists who perform become part of a growing legacy that celebrates Black music, innovation, and community on the West Coast and beyond.

We honour your work, your time, and your contribution to the culture.

Rules & Terms

BMMV – General Rules & Terms of Entry

By submitting to Black Music Month Vancouver (BMMV), all applicants agree to the following rules, terms, and conditions.

1. Eligibility & Cultural Focus

BMMV is a culturally specific festival dedicated to celebrating, amplifying, and sustaining Black diasporic music and culture.

Priority consideration is given to Black musicians first, followed by Indigenous and People of Color (IPOC) artists.

All other like-minded artists may apply only if the act is led or represented by a Black diasporic artist, defined as:

ONLY 1 submission per artist or creator and must be of the Black complexion to apply

A lead performer, bandleader, primary composer, or majority decision-maker who identifies as part of the African diaspora.

Group submissions must clearly identify the diasporic lead or representative at the time of submission.

Submissions that do not align with BMMV’s mission of unifying and celebrating diasporic musical communities may be deemed ineligible.

The whole point of submission is to perform at the festival Must be able to perform at our festival or will be disqualified.

2. Artistic Scope

All music genres are welcome, including but not limited to hip hop, R&B, jazz, soul, gospel, country, reggae, afrobeat, electronic, experimental, folk, rock, punk, classical, and fusion styles.

Submissions must primarily feature original music. Exceptions (e.g., jazz standards, classical repertoire) may be considered if clearly contextualized.

MUST HAVE A LIVE PERFORMANCE REEL to qualify for submissions

We also open to Live music poets and or spoken word artist but as an ensemble or group preferably if on the mainstage they have a instrumental rhythm section Drum$BassKeys Guitar or they are regulated to our 2nd stage or VIP

Artistic excellence, cultural integrity, band affiliated (Main stage rules or VIP) and originality are central to the selection process.

3. Submission Requirements

Applicants must submit the following materials in full:

Artist biography or CV

High-quality audio samples (1–3 tracks recommended)

Active website and/or social media links (must be functional)

Lyrics or written context (where relevant to message or cultural content)

High-resolution artist photo or electronic press kit (EPK)

A short statement explaining how the work aligns with BMMV’s mission

Incomplete submissions may not be reviewed.

4. Deadlines & Fees

All submissions must be received by the posted deadline.

Late submissions will not be accepted unless officially authorized.

No Submission fees required

5. Rights, Permissions & Copyright

Applicants must own or control all rights to the music, images, lyrics, and materials submitted.

All copyright laws must be fully respected.

BMMV and Fade to Black Entertainment Society assume no responsibility for rights violations.

6. Code of Conduct & Ethical Standards

BMMV maintains a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination, harassment, hate speech, or abusive behaviours, including but not limited to racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or cultural appropriation.

This code applies to:

The submission process

Festival participation

Online and in-person interactions

Violations may result in immediate disqualification or removal from programming.

7. Selection Process & Transparency

Submissions are reviewed by a panel of industry professionals, peers, and cultural practitioners.

Decisions are based on artistic merit, cultural alignment, technical readiness, and programming rules & balance.

All decisions are final.

8. Ineligibility & Disqualification

Submissions may be disqualified if they:

Do not meet eligibility or cultural focus requirements

Contain false or misleading information

Violate ethical standards or engage in cultural extraction

Fail to secure necessary rights or permissions

Our artist rotation policy requires a three-year return cycle before previous performers are considered again for priority programming. Back-to-back performances are not permitted without direct written consent from the festival. This policy helps us create space for new and emerging artists while continuing to grow the reach and diversity of the festival.

9. Accessibility & Support

BMMV strives to make the submission process accessible.

Applicants may contact the festival for assistance or clarification.

Feedback channels may be offered post-process to support ongoing improvement.

10. Agreement

By submitting, artists acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to all BMMV submission rules and terms.