06/08/2025
Hey friends,
Today is the Forest City London Music Awards. The 23rd annual awards gala. There will be artists that walk away happy and satisfied and those that walk away disappointed. But I want to say that the FCLMA and the “award” is a really only a piece of what the genesis of this program was back in 2001. Sure, winning something/anything is important and satisfying. We all like to win the race, the competition, the auction or a draw. But that’s not the prime function of the Forest City London Music Awards. It’s a piece. The importance of what has been done for 23 plus years is the creation of community. When we lift each other up, and celebrate someone else’s triumph by clapping and cheering loudly during their encore performance and in their achievement, that’s how we build community. We create a network of support. Today it’s a neighbour. Tomorrow it could be you, should the story unfold that way.
When we celebrate each other, support and encourage each other and revel in someone else’s accolades we build community. That was the goal when we first met to start this project (The little project that could) back in 2001. Myself and others at the table; Ian Gifford, John B Young, Kate Young, Ron Shroeyens , Ian Davies, Kathy Navackas, John Sharp, Johann Kinting, Paul Sharp and others looked to find a path to celebrate our music community and the help enhance and encourage our own. The awards program became the way forward because we agreed there is much to celebrate and that London has always been home to top notch musicians. The idea was to bring together musicians, music producers and music supporters in our area for one night and to stand back and say, we got something going right here! The award is cool but the sauce is really the four pillars of the non-profit FCLMA; Preserving (telling our stories because there is a story here and its worth preserving and telling and re-telling), supporting each other, encouraging each other and celebrating what we have, who we are and what we’ve accomplished.
The bottom line is that any community or any movement worth rallying around cannot be legislated, decreed or proclaimed by a governing body. All movements worth committing to and following, start from the ground up! Anything worth celebrating and preserving starts and progresses in the critical mass of the grass roots. That’s my belief.
Those on the ground floor doing the work because they believe in who they are, and who we are, are the true heroes. Its those that host regular jam nights. The people who pay and sweat to put together festivals like, Elevate, the Jazz Festival, Home County, Simple Reflections for Artists and many others help to drive community. The independent photographers that head to shows and snap photos to catalogue and share events are the driving force. The people who spend time creating social media platforms and stitch together and promote who we are, are the ones creating community. All the folks that put together events and the music related support structures who at the end of the night are not concerned about how much they pout in their wallet BUT rather making sure artists are respected and paid are the ones who build community. They do not ask, “What’s in it for me?”
So, when the FCLMA awards are handed out let’s celebrate each other. That’s the point of the Forest City London Music Awards. Remember! Over 200 local/regional musicians are celebrated as nominees in 2025. Over 300 musicians are paid to be a part of Canada’s only city specific music week. AND the whole thing happens and has happened for 23 years because of people who believe in you and your art. FCLMA volunteers and Board members are not paid and work tirelessly to make this happen. They are the people that preserve, celebrate, encourage and support YOU! They help to create and lift our community. They do it so you can find the strength to keep doing what you do. Let’s celibate each other and not wait or rely on uninvested forces. The FCLMA relies on fundraising and we work hard to make sure we can celebrate YOU!
So, when you hear, “and the awards goes to….” Let’s feel proud for our neighbours and cheer loudly because we’ve got something going right here. And London has always been a place of music.
Peace & respect
MP Circelli
Chair, Forest City London Music Awards
London Music week
London Music Hall of Fame
Past & Present Steering Committee Members
(In No Particular Order)
We invite those we missed (unintentionally) let us know & we will add your name.
chair .com
Ian Gifford, Catherine McInnes, Johann Kinting, Garwood Wallace, Jenny Nauta, Adam Debevc, Paul Breau, John Teeter, Marc Gammal, Meghan McCready, Lynn Dubuc, Matt Weston, Brendan Couture, Demetri Manuel, Alexandra Kane, Brady Parr, Jim McCormick, G. Scott Bollert, Alex Foster Roman, Andrew Purdy, Amanda Lynn Stubley, John B Young, Brandon Eedy, Brian McMillan, Kate Young, Paul Sharp, Brian Mortimer, Christine Paterson, Joseph Parry, Jacob Parry, Greg Hatchette, Ian Davies, Linda Wharton, Janis Wallace, Kevin Dunklee, Matt Farrant, Matt Grady, Tyler Hetherington, Melissa Parrott, Sarah Burke, Skye Sylvain, Simon Larochette, Fred Smith, James Tanney, Melissa “MO” Ogden, Greg Simpson, Michael Marucci, Darin Addison, Jenny Nauta, James Reaney, Adam Plante, Patrick Maloney, Andrea Dunn, Brad Gibb, Pierre Bussierre, Bianca Marcus, Josh Clark, Lauren Denualt, Matt Weston, Derek Leung, Cam Paton, Kathy Navackas, Kaarlo Koskiala, Steven Aziz, Janice Mills, Chris Parr, Steve Ward, Adam Dafoe, Edward Platero, Bob Breen, Brian Lambert, Christian Lewis, Marty Ryersee, Don DiCarlo, Aaron Murray, Glenn Waugh, Tommy Alcatraz, Silence Genti, Michael DeeVee, Steve Kopp, Barb Whitney, Gina Farrugia, Kate Milner, Andrew Petrasiunas, Tara Scott, Sarah Smith, Jody Stockfish, Dave O’Halloran, Rena O’Halloran, Dan Brodbeck, Kelly Ziegner, Sylvia Pozeg, Howie Kittelson, Vera Kittelson, Joel Jacobs, Aaron McMillan, Richard Gracious, Ryan McNevin, James O’Rourke, Bob Klanac, JW Huff, Carolyn Mitchell, Jeff Blake, Juliana Kopp, Destiny Q, Scott Hill, Demetri Manuel, Shannon Murray, Victoria Lee-Hudson Morse, Lucy Gravelle, Janice Drysdale, Will Haas, Maddox Bourdeau, Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Willie Loman, Stephen Harding, Ryan Spence, Colin Stewart, LaDel Sanders, Brian Lambert, Jeffy B, Grant Stein, Kate Young (MP), Donna Currie, John M. Sharpe, Paul Sharpe, Trish Kiwanuka, Marsha Haggarty, Ian Gillespie, Jacky El, Jade Bennett, Karie Wells, Cindy Allison, Karen & Adam Grant, Dave Kinchlea, Fred Young, Nicole Bain, Kathy Bulmer. Steve Ward, Cindy Rochon Allison, Jill Lawton. Glen Wize, Dan Harris, Julie Ryan, Liv Rae, Simon Dorward, Michael Seguin, Sarah Hoy, Nick Romanoff, Nate “Imperetiv” Butcher, John Pacheco, Rick Kish, Michael Trudgen, Brittany Higgins, Carol MacQuarrie, Kelly Mulvey
OUR COMMITMENT:
The Forest City London Music Awards (FCLMA) believes in a world that is inclusive in approach and where equal opportunities and equitable outcomes exist for all. We are committed to developing and supporting a robustly diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, where all members create and feel a sense of belonging. Through all our endeavours, FCLMA strives to provide a basis for equality and inclusion.
