Nordic Connect Conference (NCC) is the industry-facing platform of Estonian Music Week, created to build meaningful professional connections between Canadian artists, presenters, festivals, export organizations and music-sector leaders from Estonia, the Nordic region and the Baltics.

Following a successful 2023 pilot, NCC expanded significantly in 2025 into its first full conference edition. Presented alongside Estonian Music Week in Toronto, the 2025 conference brought together 57 delegates from six countries, including 35 Canadian and 22 international participants. Delegates represented festivals, venues, artist management, media, service organizations, self-managed artists, cultural institutions and government, creating a focused environment for knowledge exchange, networking and international market development.

The 2025 edition combined daytime conference activities with evening showcase and festival programming. Sessions, panels and facilitated discussions explored touring, artist development, venues, cultural exchange and sustainable international collaboration, while structured and informal networking created opportunities for direct relationship-building between Canadian, Nordic and Baltic music professionals. Five Canadian artists performed for conference delegates: Al Qahwa, Anachnid, Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, Leandra Gold and Moskitto Bar, with Estonian Voices closing the conference showcase programme.

The impact of the 2025 edition demonstrated the value of NCC’s relationship-based model. Approximately 80% of showcasing artists received booking interest or concrete next steps following the conference, with projected business activity across participants exceeding $500,000. Outcomes included international touring discussions, local bookings, new presenter relationships and continued collaboration between Canadian and European delegates after the event.

NCC’s work now extends beyond the Toronto conference itself. In 2025 and 2026, Nordic Connect Conference facilitated Canadian Industry Connect at Tallinn Music Week, in partnership with Mundial, Women in Music Canada and the Canadian Embassy, creating a direct bridge for Canadian artists and industry professionals entering the Estonian and wider Nordic-Baltic markets. This activity strengthens the two-way exchange at the heart of NCC by supporting Canadian visibility abroad while continuing to build the relationships that inform future programming in Toronto.

The next major step is NCC x KESKUS, a special 2026 edition taking place in Toronto in connection with the opening of KESKUS – Toronto Estonian International Centre. This focused Toronto–Tallinn exchange will bring Canadian and Estonian music professionals together for curated meetings, site visits, networking, knowledge exchange and partnership development. Building on the outcomes of the 2025 conference and the Canadian Industry Connect activity at TMW, NCC x KESKUS will deepen market relationships, support touring pathways and create concrete opportunities for artists and organizations.

Through its pilot, full conference edition, international market activity and upcoming special edition, Nordic Connect Conference has become a growing platform for export development, cultural diplomacy and practical music-sector collaboration. Its strength lies in combining showcase opportunities with intentional professional exchange, creating the conditions for relationships that continue beyond a single event cycle.

If you are interested in participating as a delegate please contact: emw@vemu.ca