Black Vibes 1 & 2 are ANSMA’s Flagship showcases and the organization's oldest event. Black Vibes has evolved into a program that happens twice a year as a part of Nova Scotia Music Week and the East Coast Music Awards festival. If selected for these two music industry showcases, you will have the opportunity to perform to a room of talent buyers (international festivals and tours) and music industry professionals that can give you real time feedback and facilitate new connections. If you feel you are ready to take advantage of this opportunity please submit an application package during the submission period.

Lift Every Voice Music Series is an annual series that consists of two concerts taking place during African Heritage Month in February in partnership with the Halifax Regional Library. The first show in this music series takes place at Halifax North Library and is an intimate style of show with a crowd of 50 to 75 people. The second show later in the month is a bigger show that takes place at Halifax Central Library which can hold a crowd of 300+ people. If you feel you are ready for one of these opportunities please submit your application package during the open submission period.

Town Hall is for all ages and open door invites the public in to have a voice. This is a perfect opportunity for regular community engagement from all performance arts focused organizations to collaborate. With ANSMA as a lead organization, representation will maintain a Black-led event welcoming others into this new community. The purpose of this program is to provide a low pressure, encouraging space for creatives to gather, perform, collaborate, network and support each other. This is an outreach program that provides information about ANSMA resources and enables the organization to direct interested participants to ANSMA programs such as Good Ingredients, It’s Deeper Than Music, and other music industry programs available. This is a free, open door event that takes place monthly with rotating hosts. Please fill out the host form if you want to be considered for hosting a Town Hall session in the future.

The Annual ANSMA School tour allows the organization to do outreach campaigns to the youth, while engaging them with interactive activities to get them moving and to find out their interests in music. This program involves a project coordinator and 1 to 2 artists for each visit. The purpose of each visit is to spread awareness of ANSMA’s mission and resources, drive youth to the Town Hall and The FRY UP Summer Youth program, and facilitate a fun, music-related experience in the schools. Please contact us for more information.

The Freedom Festival in partnership with the Halifax Regional Municipality - Civic Events is one of ANSMA’s oldest events with an 18 year history. The festival started by former ANSMA board President, Louis Gannon, is in celebration of African emancipation in North America and also honors the 400 year history of Black Canadians in Nova Scotia. The festival takes place all day on Natal Day Sunday starting with a Gospel from 2pm to 5pm and a showcase of classic black sounds from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Members can submit to perform or assist in the production (stage manager, AV, artist relations, sound tech, etc.) of the festival by submitting an application package during the submission period. Please contact us for more information.

The Annual Canada Day Concert in partnership with HRM- Civic Events is an outside concert that was started as a response to the obstacles faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this historical period in the world being behind us, ANSMA and Halifax Regional Municipality - Civic Events have decided to continue the outdoor concert in Downtown Dartmouth to celebrate Canada’s birthday.