Pictured: Big Tones (left) and Jessa Sky (right) are two of the artists that participated in the 2025 Reverie Indigenous Music Residency.
CBC and the SOCAN Foundation are proud to announce the return of Reverie: The Indigenous Music Residency, an immersive month‑long creative program supporting emerging First Nations, Inuit, and Métis music creators from across Canada. The 2026 edition will take place October 1st - 31st, 2026, offering four selected artists the opportunity to live, write, collaborate, and record in Toronto while supported by industry‑leading mentors and resources.
Now entering its third year, Reverie continues to build on the success of its past cohorts. The first program took place in 2024 with participants Logan Staats, Ashley Ghostkeeper, Beaatz, Raven Reid, Hasaatuk and Wiidaaseh, followed in 2025 by Sara Kae, Jessa Sky, Big Tones, and Raymond Sewell. Their contributions have helped shape Reverie into a landmark residency dedicated to artistic growth, community connection, and the amplification of Indigenous voices.
“Reverie provided me with the community and opportunities I needed to reach new goals in my career,” said Sara Kae. “I have since been able to expand my network and enter new rooms that I didn’t have access to before.”
About the 2026 Residency
Over four weeks, the 2026 cohort will collaborate closely with songwriters, producers, and mentors while gaining access to professional recording spaces, workshops, and curated cultural experiences in Toronto. Each selected participant will receive:
- Travel to and from Toronto.
- Accommodations for the duration of the residency.
- An honorarium of $2,150.00 to cover participation costs (e.g., food, Toronto transit, associated living costs, etc.)
- Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) scale rates applicable for creative work.
- A live performance showcase.
- Potential video/documentary coverage to be featured on CBC platforms.
- Access to a dedicated producer for program support.
- Education and mentorship sessions curated by SOCAN Foundation.
“It has been incredible to witness the talent and dedication of the artists through the first two years of the Reverie program,” said Tara Mora, Senior Director, Radio, Talk and Music Programming for Unscripted Content, CBC. “CBC is proud to continue working alongside SOCAN for a third edition of the program, to further amplify emerging Indigenous musicians and foster meaningful career-building opportunities.”
“We’re deeply grateful for our continued partnership with CBC and the Indigenous Advisory, whose dedication has helped sustain Reverie into its third year,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of SOCAN Foundation. “Together, we remain committed to supporting and empowering Indigenous music creators by providing time, space, mentorship, and vital resources to help elevate their creative work.”
How to Apply
Eligible Indigenous artists from all regions and genres are encouraged to apply here by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 31, 2026.
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ABOUT SOCAN FOUNDATION
Founded in 1992, SOCAN Foundation is dedicated to fostering musical creativity and promoting a better understanding of the role of music creators in today's society. The organization is a part of the SOCAN Group of companies and guided by a Board of Directors, which consists of composers, songwriters, and music publishers, and reflects concert music and popular music genres, as well as the geographic and linguistic regions of Canada. To learn more about SOCAN Foundation and SOCAN, visit www.socanfoundation.ca and www.socan.com.
ABOUT CBC/RADIO-CANADA
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through its mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, it plays a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, CBC/Radio-Canada offers a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Its distinctly homegrown entertainment programming reaches audiences across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages: Dëne Sųłıné, Dene Kǝdǝ́, Dene Zhatıé, Eastern Cree, Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun and Tłı̨chǫ. It also delivers content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as in both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). CBC/Radio-Canada continues to lead its transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
