Showcase selections for NSMW are juried by a group of music industry professionals with specific knowledge of the Nova Scotia music industry and the musical genres evaluated. Music Nova Scotia staff do not sit on the jury and do not choose the artists who receive showcases.

Music Nova Scotia makes every effort to program as many artists from a diverse range of genres. 

The jury will make its selections based on a variety of factors. Applications will be weighted as follows:

• Project and Objectives: Has the applicant provided clear, measurable, goals and desired outcomes for participation at NSMW 2024? Are the applicant's goals and desired outcomes in line with the goals of Nova Scotia Music Week? Do the applicant's goals reflect a genuine commitment to artistic growth and development? (25)

• Artistic Merit: Do the submitted examples of recorded work demonstrate originality, proficiency in execution, emotional impact, narrative depth, sonic quality, and contextual relevance? Does it leave a lasting impression on the listener, potentially leading to a loyal fan base? (30)

• Marketability: Is the artist compelling, captivating, engaging and do they possess the ability to connect with a targeted audience? (15)

• Readiness: Has the applicant demonstrated a level of readiness in their career? Is there evidence of previous work, achievements, growth, and/or successes that indicate the applicant's preparedness for NSMW? Does NSMW seem like the next logical step to advance the applicant's career? (15)

• Presentation: Are the answers provided well thought out and answered to the best of the applicant’s ability? To what extent did the applicant invest time and effort in completing the application thoughtfully and thoroughly? (10)

• Gut Feeling: After reviewing the application, do you have a strong positive feeling or belief in the potential of this submission? Does the application stand out in a way that makes you intuitively believe it should be awarded? (5)

The jury will be judging your readiness to showcase based exclusively on your application, please take the time to complete an accurate and strong application. Using proper spelling, working links, and providing the most up-to-date information will strengthen your submission.

Showcase Offers & Announcements 

Music Nova Scotia staggers it’s announces in three rounds. All showcasing artists who have been offered a showcase will be contacted by the end of August. If you do not hear from us by September 1st please contact dana@musicnovascotia.ca to check in. We ask all jury members to provide feedback on applications but cannot guarantee detailed feedback on your application.

Music Nova Scotia aims to send emails to artists who we are not able to offer a showcase to by September 1st. We do this incase an artist with a showcase offer drop outs, or has a change of plans etc. 

Attending NSMW

All showcasing artists are offered free delegate passes for all members of their band, passes are not provided for management, labels, photographers, videographers, tech crew, etc.

Music NS offers a $50 delegate pass to any artist who applied to perform and was not offered a showcase. We understand that it can be upsetting to not receive a showcase but encourage you to reach out to Music NS staff for feedback on your application. We strongly believe attending NSMW without a showcase is well worth it!

One-on-one meetings are open to anyone with a delegate pass (pre-registration required), the conference sessions are directed at our membership and created to help you learn about the music industry at large. NSMW is a great opportunity to meet your peers and make connections with industry from around the world and here at home. Please contact the MNS staff to help you navigate NSMW in the best way possible!