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HAY RIVER - Musicians and songwriters in the Western Arctic are supporting one another through a newly-formed territorial organization called Music NWT.

The group formed in December under the umbrella of the Recording Arts Association Northwest Territories (RAANT), a six-year-old initiative supporting recording artists in the region. For about two years, RAANT had lain dormant, as board members left the territory or moved on to other commitments.

Dana Cross performs during International Music Day in Hay River in 2007. Cross is president of the newly-formed Music NWT, an organization supporting and promoting musicians and songwriters across the territory under the umbrella of the Recording Artists Association NWT (RAANT). - NNSL file photo

"Music NWT is a place to promote recording artists and the music industry in general," said board president Dana Cross of Hay River. "Music NWT is the new face of (RAANT) – the front line, so to speak. Music NWT is a little bit more about music itself. It keeps the name more synonymous with what's going on instead of using a bulky acronym."

The name reflects the branding of other regional music associations, such as Yukon Music, Music Manitoba and SaskMusic.

The organization will provide NWT musicians with resources such as information about funding opportunities, networking as well as assisting with promotion.

"We want to become affiliated with national organizations so that we can start to be part of things such as the Western Canadian Music Alliance," Cross explained. "One of the benefits of that is that they hold the Western Canadian Music Awards. In order to have our artists eligible for that, and for them to have voting rights, we need to be part of that alliance. There's a little gap where we're not there yet. We're going to fill that gap."

Cross projects that Music NWT will ally with the alliance this year.

"Negotiations are happening as we speak," he said. "The research has not been fully completed, but I'd say there's a good chance that by the summer, we're going to be part of that alliance."

The Music NWT board is also discussing a homegrown music award for the region's musicians.

"We're hoping to have the NWT Music Awards as a stepping stone and as a catalyst to get people to start thinking of the possibilities of these (national) awards, and to get people to a level where they can be nominated so our music industry can grow," he said, adding nationally-recognized awards can assist NWT musicians with their funding applications and help generate a buzz that can lead to more gigs.

The board plans to hold the first NWT Music Awards in February of 2010.

Music NWT board member and longtime event coordinator Jane Haywood of Hay River said she hopes the new momentum will help smaller communities throughout the territory to organize their own music venues.

"I think we have a lack of venues for musicians in the NWT at this time," she said. "Music NWT will help get new artists off the ground, provide venues for musicians and possibly help people out there making music already. I'd like to see an organization that musicians can go to for support in the NWT, and also that lets people worldwide know that there are musicians in the NWT."

The mission statement used by RAANT in the past is being revised and refined, and the group's website is under construction. It will feature an online membership application form in a couple of weeks, Cross said.

"I'm optimistic, hopeful and enthusiastic," he said. "I can see that we're on track to actually make it happen. Things are starting to get done."