Women in Music Global Summit Update
It’s less than one month to the , taking place for the first time in Toronto, March 2-4, at the Allied Music Centre and TD Music Hall. A collaboration between Women In Music Canada and Women in Music® (WIM®), the three day event unites 60+ female and gender diverse speakers and mentors from 13 countries for an exciting, and essential, future-focused gathering of the global music community. The Summit will feature bold conversations, hands-on workshops, mentorship, and networking, including a not-to-be-missed artist to artist chat, and a leadership keynote that convenes Canada’s top female music industry executives for an honest conversation about power, progress, and what leadership looks like now. Of special note on March 3 will be The Power Of Song - a Songwriters In The Round event at TD Music Hall. Supported by SOCAN and TD Bank, it will feature Molly Johnson, Billianne, CJ Wiley and Ila Baker, hosted by Kayla Diamond.
“We’re incredibly excited to unite our global community for the WIM Summit 2026 in partnership with Women in Music Canada,” said Nicole Barsalona, President of Women in Music®. “Across three days, we’ll welcome industry leaders and change-makers from around the world to connect, share knowledge, and offer industry insight. Beyond its educational and career development impact, and perhaps most importantly today, the WIM Summit is about building meaningful bridges with people who share a mission to uplift one another. So whether you're joining us in person in Toronto or virtually from anywhere in the world, we invite you to dig in with us and savor the moment - make a new connection, celebrate our collective power, and help us shape a more inclusive future for music.”
Other program highlights include conversations ranging from a candid panel on caregiving in the music industry to a data-driven radio conversation using real-time studies that shine a glaring light on where women actually stand in their careers today. The Summit also assembles leading music festivals who are advancing gender equity on their stages, alongside sessions spanning live music, touring, global markets, mental health, and sustainable careers which all center around progress, and the leaders shaping what comes next. For the full list of sessions, speakers and run of events, along with registration information please visit Women in Music Canada’s website.
"The WIM Canada team is incredibly excited to welcome the global WIM network to Canada next month. The WIM Canada member community has grown so much over the past few years, with members who are an absolute force of change,” comments Robyn Stewart, Executive Director Women in Music Canada. “This meeting of Women and gender diverse music leaders and creators will expand conversations across borders and around the world to create more opportunities for connection. WIM Global Summit is open to all and promised to be inspirational and aspirational, as we Think Global, and Act Local."
Capping off the week on March 5 at Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre will be the 4thAnnual Women In Music Canada Honours. An evening of community, celebration and inspiration, the event’s festivities include the announcement of 2026 Honours recipients and recognizing Career Achievement Award recipients – Simone Denny, Sharon Hinds, Ava Kobrinsky, Sarah Lutz and Patti-Anne Tarlton. Hosted by CBC’s Saroja Coelho, the night will include performances by Billianne, Annabel Oreste, DJ Me Time, DJ MelBoogie and Simar. An afterparty at Annabel’s (upstairs from the Queen Elizabeth Theatre) will take place at the conclusion of the event.
The Global Summit would like to thank the generous support of our funders the Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), the Government of Canada, Ontario Creates, and sponsors – Amazon Music, Believe, Canadian Federation of Musicians, CIMA, City of Toronto, CMRRA, DISCO, EMPIRE, National Arts Centre, Senyk Investment Management Ltd, SOCAN, TD Bank, Toronto Musicians Union, and TuneCore. Your commitment to equity in the music industry makes this possible.
About Women in Music Canada (WIMC):
Women in Music Canada (WIMC) is a registered non-profit organization and one of the largest music industry associations in Canada. The organization is dedicated to fostering gender equality in the music industry through the support and advancement of professionals and creatives at every stage of their career. The goal is to strengthen the social-economic balance of the music industry by providing professional development, support and resources for our community. Women in Music Canada hosts educational, career development and networking events alongside broader programming initiatives, industry engagement, research and advocacy to serve the needs of our diverse community. Our panels, seminars, webinars, workshops and performance serve to educate, empower, and celebrate women and gender diverse professionals' contributions to the music world, and strengthen community ties.
Women in Music Canada acknowledges that they are on the traditional territory of many nations throughout Canada, specifically our headquarters in the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. They also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands. They respect the Treaties that were made on these territories, they acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and they dedicate theirselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.
Website - womeninmusic.ca
About Women in Music® Org (WIM):
Founded in 1985, Women in Music® is a non-profit organization with a mission to advance the awareness, equity, diversity, heritage, opportunities, and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts through education, support, empowerment, and recognition. Today, Women in Music® encompasses chapters across the globe - with executive chapters from Canada to Japan, and collegiate chapters from UCLA to NYU. Their members are a diverse group of individuals at all stages in their careers — from students to seasoned industry veterans. They are record label executives, artist managers, songwriters, musicians, attorneys, recording engineers, agents, publicists, studio owners, music publishers, marketers, and more. Women in Music® believes that the conversation around equality is an inclusive one, where all voices are welcome. Their educational and career development programming, global initiatives, leadership summits, seminars, webinars, workshops, performance showcases, and achievement awards serve the needs their diverse communities around the world.
Website - www.womeninmusic.org