28-06-2025
The program bringing together music and mental wellness
Mi'kmaw artists had the chance to showcase new music Friday night in Dartmouth.
Mi'kmaw artists had the chance to showcase new music Friday night in Dartmouth.
It was part of the Mi'kmaq Artist Emergence Program (MAEP). The week-long program gives emerging artists the chance to record a song with professionals in the industry.
'They come in and they collaborate together, they do business development, understanding the music industry,' said MAEP founder Carol Ann Potter.
Potter is also a councillor with Bear River First Nation, who has a passion for helping youth pursue their dreams.
'I am still amazed by how quick this process can happen when you have this type of structure around it and professional people helping them. After today, they're walking away with a professionally done song and it's amazing,' she said.
Creating music is just one element of MAEP, said Potter.
'The other side of it is also mental wellness in the music industry and the other pressures that that could bring, and coming up with some good coping mechanisms,' she said.
This was the second time MAEP was hosted, and Potter said it won't be the last.
'It was so successful last year, we did generation two (this year) and we are going to do generation three and we're going to keep on doing generation after generation because we really need to support our artists and support our people.'
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