Canadian Independent Music Association pulls out of SXSW amid Canada-U.S. tensions

CBC

21-02-2025

Canada House, an integral networking opportunity for Canadian musicians and filmmakers attending South by Southwest (SXSW), has been cancelled for 2025.
Originally reported by Billboard Canada, the decision is a result of the rising tensions between Canada and the United States. SXSW is a hybrid music, film and media festival that occurs every March in Austin, and with looming tariffs, the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) doesn't see its Canada House event as a viable option this year.
CIMA president and CEO Andrew Cash told Billboard Canada that "the growing instability of everything in the United States right now, plus the high cost [of putting on events in the United States] and the low [Canadian] dollar — all of these things combined made it so we couldn't feel confident or good about what we were getting ourselves into at this particular moment."
CIMA sent emails about the cancellation of the event to artists on Feb. 13, a little under a month away from the expected kickoff date of March 7.
For the past decade, Canada House has been a major boon for emerging artists, providing opportunities to make connections and perform for wider industry professionals during panels, workshops and showcases.
Cash further explained that the timing for the event wasn't ideal: "We would be going down there just after the 30-day tariff pause has expired. We're going to have a new prime minister. I just didn't feel comfortable putting CIMA out there in that context of instability."
Almost 40 Canadians are booked to perform at various venues during SXSW, including the OBGMs, Ahi, Billianne, Kimmortal, Omega Mighty, King Cruff, Holy F--k and Merv xx Gotti. CIMA stressed that it did not want to discourage Canadian acts from performing at the festival, but that Canada House was cancelled on behalf of its own staff.