National Music Centre has opened applications for the 2026 OHSOTO’KINO Recording Bursary, offering two Indigenous artists or groups week-long recording sessions at Studio Bell in Calgary. The program welcomes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists across Canada working in all musical genres, with access to world-class studios and NMC’s renowned living collection of musical instruments. Applications are now open at studiobell.ca/ohsotokino and close on March 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm MT. Past bursary winners include JUNO Award-winning powwow and round dance artist Joel Wood, Inuit-style throat singing duo PIQSIQ, country singer Chelsie Young, singer-songwriter Raymond Sewell, and traditional groups Blackfoot Singers and Warscout.
The initiative, supported by TD Bank Group since 2022 and recently renewed for three additional years, operates on three pillars: music creation in NMC’s recording studios, artist development through a music incubator program, and the annually updated Speak Up! exhibition showcasing Indigenous trailblazers. David McLeod, NMC Board Member and Chair of NMC’s National Indigenous Programming Advisory Committee, emphasizes the program’s impact. “With access to world-class recording studios, a vast collection of instruments, and expert guidance, artists are given the creative tools to make their dreams possible,” McLeod says. Studio Bell sits in the heart of Calgary’s East Village in Mohkinstsis on Treaty 7 territory, housing four Canadian music halls of fame and a collection spanning over 450 years of music history and innovation.