The Post-Make Music Happen Post, part 2

Some thoughts and thank-yous from the Make Music Happen Conference, part 2: The Sponsors.

The conference is unlike most of my other shows, in that it has a budget and, compared to my other shows, the budget is roughly 100x more than I usually spend. No exaggeration.

The artists that I choose to have participate in my conferences are artists that I respect and admire, both as skilled musicians and as most excellent human beings, so I want to pay them properly. Especially if they're travelling across the island (or, in the case of Danielle Smith, across the St. Lawrence, then across the island), they need to be fairly compensated. How can I this but keep the registration price affordable for any student who wants to attend? Sponsorship.

This time around, I had twenty business and organizations sign up to contribute cash, services, and/or products that either kept my break-even point lower, or added value to the conference for those involved (ie: cost-free lunch for every body, courtesty of Louis Gee's (students & crew), or Coleman's (artist)). I won't get into who gave what, but it's enough to say that the following organizations helped make the Make Music Happen Conference the success that it was. My deep gratitude to: Brewed Awakening, Citadel House, Coleman's, the City of Corner Brook, Corner Brook Regional High, Cornerbrooker.com, Conway's Towing Service, David's Tea, Dominion, Fred's Records, Gary Bennett Music, GCSU Backlot, Greenwood Inn, H M Audio, MusicNL, Nortrax,Rob Thomas of Western Mazda, Rotary Arts Centre, Sobey's, Trophy Shop,Village Music Inc, and Walmart Canada