Erin Benjamin will step down as President and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association this spring, closing a twelve-year chapter as the organization’s first and only leader. Since its founding, Benjamin has helped unify Canada’s live music ecosystem under one national platform, representing venues, promoters, festivals, agents, and touring professionals while elevating the sector’s standing at the federal level.
Among the most consequential milestones of her tenure was Hear and Now, the first national economic impact study of Canada’s live music industry. The report established a new evidence base for public investment and policy, reshaping how live music is understood within the country’s cultural and economic framework. During the COVID-19 shutdown, Benjamin also led coordinated national advocacy efforts that secured emergency supports and positioned live music within broader recovery plans.
“Leading the CLMA has been one of the great privileges of my career,” said Benjamin. “What began as a shared vision across a passionate community has grown into a strong national organization with a clarity of purpose and the capacity to forge lasting change.” She will remain in the role through April to support the transition. Board Chair Nate Sabine credited her with building the CLMA into the national voice for live music and strengthening the sector’s cohesion and recognition across Canada.