has continued to feature some of the most relevant acts on the planet, ever since. But the innovative approach didn’t stop at programming and re- location. “Wewerebuildinga loyal followingandwe were starting to feel a ‘buy in’ from the community and beyond; fans had a sense of pride in what we were doing, and this led to a lot of feedback as to how we could add to the experience,” says the festival’s executive director, Mark Monahan. “The new site and diverse programming were well- received, but we knew we could do more.” So RBC Bluesfest created an ongoing nation- wide talent search for emerging female artists, called ‘SHE’S THE ONE’, which zeroes in on the best young (13-21 years of age), emerging female singers in Canada, seeking that ‘one special artist’ with an incredible voice backed up by a moving live performance. Prior to ‘SHE’S THE ONE’, RBC Bluesfest launched the ‘Be in the Band’ initiative in January of 2009— an extension of their award-winning Blues in the Schools program, which began in 1999. ‘Be in the Band’ puts young musicians (ages 11 to 17) who want to be in a band together with other potential
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JULY 2019
73 JULY 2019 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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