The Polaris Music Prize is set to unveil the list of 40 albums that will make up the 2019 Long List at the Oodena Celebration Circle at The Forks in Winnipeg, MB, on June 20 at at 11 a.m. CT (noon ET, 9 a.m. PT)
Bringing the Long List announcement to Winnipeg carries on the Polaris’ tradition of revealing the list in a new Canadian city every year. Past announcements have been held in Ottawa, Calgary, Whitehorse, and others.
In addition to the announcement, the event will feature a surprise performance by an announced Long List nominee. Polaris has also announced that they will be presenting 2018 Polaris Music Prize nominees, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival when they perform at Old Market Square; and along with Manitoba Music, will host the panel, Making Noise in the Media, at the Manitoba Music headquarters.
Looking ahead, the Polaris Music Prize will announce the ten album Short List on July 16; while the winner will be announced at the Polaris Gala on Monday, September 16 at The Carlu in Toronto. Albums eligible for 2019 Polaris Music Prize must be released between June 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019, and an independent jury of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada determine both the Long List and Short List. From the jury pool, eleven people will be chosen to serve on the Grand Jury, which will be sequestered in a room at the Carlu on the night of the Gala to select the winner.
The Polaris Music Prize is judged solely on artistic merit and awards $50,000 to the artist who the judges determine created the Canadian Album of the Year. In addition to the $50,000 prize for the winner, the nine other nominated acts whose albums make the 2019 Short List will receive $3,000 each, courtesy of Slaight Music.
Ticket information for Snotty Nose Rez Kids at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival can be found at www.jazzwinnipeg.com, while registration for the Making Noise in the Media panel can be found at https://www.manitobamusic.com.