SOCAN Foundation Launches Program to Create Equity and Access for Female Music Producers

The SOCAN Foundation has unveiled a new Equity X Production Mentorship Program for new music producers, developed as a result of research by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative that identified a significant disparity between the number of men and women working in the field.

The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released a report in 2019 that uncovered the
unfortunate fact that only 2.1% of producers who worked on the top 100 Billboard
songs from 2012 to 2018 were female. The data showed that for every one woman
producer, there were a staggering 47 males filling the same role.

“The Equity X Production Mentorship Program strives to address the lack of diverse
representation among producers,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of the
SOCAN Foundation. “As many as 25 women and gender minorities will be selected to
participate in a three-day retreat where they will gain the capabilities and talent to start
their journey to becoming a confident and skilled music producer.”

This SOCAN Foundation program is made possible with generous support from the
RBC, Ableton, and Signal Community Forum. The learning-intensive retreat will take
place in Toronto, Ontario, on January 9, 10, and 11, 2020.

Music producers may perform many vital roles that may include, but are not limited to,
gathering ideas and composing the music for the project, proposing changes to the
musical work, arranging ideas, mixing, sound design, managing the production of the
work, and so on.

Participants accepted into the program will receive many benefits, including access to
small group and individual production skills training, mentorship from industry leaders,
and accommodation and travel support for participants accepted from outside Toronto.
Applications to the Equity X Production Mentorship Program are being accepted
until December 15, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Visit www.socanfoundation.ca for more information about the program, eligibility
guidelines and online application materials.