Musicians, artists and trade insiders descend on Ottawa, Canada for panels, performances, and events on the 2025 Skull Convention and Showcase.
Ottawa’s artistic scene is rising at an amazing tempo with new artists, producers, graphic designers, photographers, and extra rising day by day. With this comes a higher demand for sources corresponding to funding, skilled recommendation, networking alternatives, and platforms to point out their work. The Skull Arts Undertaking affords all of that and extra. From Might 1-4, 2025, their annual Skull Convention and Showcase hosted lots of of creatives and trade professionals from the nation’s capital and past.
SHIFTER had the possibility to attend the four-day pageant whose aim is to attach energetic trade professionals with musicians, artists, and other people making strikes within the artwork and leisure enterprise. The weekend featured a wide range of networking classes and data panels, and a grand finale showcase that spotlighted a few of the metropolis’s hottest acts, together with Shim In The Reduce, Taapz, Maeesha B, and Emma Gabriel.
The convention offered deep insights into important matters like grant writing, easy methods to navigate festivals and showcases, and even DJ fundamentals, courtesy of the legendary DJ EASE and DJ Scram Jones.
Lunch live performance + occasion
The occasion kicked off easily with the Jukebox lunch live performance at the side of the Nationwide Arts Centre, which honed a robust efficiency by Paula C, a revered veteran in Ottawa’s music scene with over a decade of expertise. That night, attendees celebrated FRMULA’s 5-year anniversary with Ottawa to the World, a high-energy occasion that includes DJ Mes, DJ Velvet, and a standout efficiency from Metropolis Fidelia. The vibes have been constant from starting to finish, with of us dancing till the lights turned on.
Convention and panels
Days Two and Three of the Skull Convention have been nothing in need of information-packed. Day Two kicked off with a potent networking session the place key music associated assist organizations like OMIC talked concerning the companies they provide. Attendees had the chance to attach with main trade gamers, forming relationships that would form their careers.
Following the networking session there was a DJ workshop led by DJ EASE, who delivered a 90-minute deep dive into matters like serato, battle routines, and the ins and outs of the DJ world. The day wrapped with the return of the Music Grasp Lab, a fan-favourite from final 12 months. Moderated by Metropolis Fidelia, the panel gave native producers the possibility to get stay suggestions on their unreleased tracks from DRTWRK and DJ EASE—two revered names within the trade. DRTWRK, a Montreal-based producer with credit together with Kanye West, Joyner Lucas, and Lil Wayne, joined DJ EASE, who’s not solely a globe-trotting champion DJ but in addition excursions with Younger M.A. This session was a real masterclass, filled with star energy and real-world perception from some heavy hitters.
Showcases
Day Three of the Skull Convention was stacked and featured standout panels like “Cultivating a Music Metropolis”, the place audio system together with Annalie Bonda (Director of operations at OMIC) and Nathan Hammah (Aukiss Media) explored what it takes to develop a thriving music ecosystem. The spotlight of Day Three was after all, the Skull Showcase. Hosted by Jessie Simmons, the present highlighted a few of the unimaginable expertise that the nation’s capital has to supply. Maeesha B stood out with a stellar efficiency accompanied by dancers and had the gang vibing from starting to finish. Shim In The Reduce, a rising star in Ottawa’s music scene, shut down the showcase with an lively efficiency that had the gang on their toes. Each artist who graced the stage got here with the intention of displaying out. And so they did simply that.
Brunch
The weekend closed out with a brunch hosted at Tropikal Restaurant with vibes curated by DJ Meseem Up Beats, designed to convey the scene collectively to attach and have a superb time.
This 12 months’s Skull Convention was a real reflection of how quickly Ottawa’s music scene is evolving. It wasn’t simply an occasion—it was a blueprint, a launchpad, and a celebration of town’s simple expertise. With each panel, efficiency, and connection made, Skull strengthened the concept that Ottawa is taking one other step into Canada’s music trade, stepping firmly into the highlight.
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