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Artists in Durham Region have until Monday to submit their work to a local awards show that seeks to recognize and promote musical talent.
The Durham Region Excellence in Arts, Music and Sound (DREAMS) music awards — formerly the Oshawa Music Awards — is preparing for its seventh ceremony in September.
Eligible artists can submit their work for consideration online. Categories include album, record/single, songwriter, music producer and music video of the year.
“We want to acknowledge and reward you for the work that you’ve been doing,” said Will McGuirk, communications liaison for DREAMS and manager of KOPS Records in downtown Oshawa.
He said Durham Region is a vibrant and diverse music hub, home to artists from a variety of genres — including country, pop, R&B, heavy metal and hip-hop.
Prominent artists from the region include Shawn Mendes and Daniel Caesar.
McGuirk said he hopes every musician in Durham Region submits their work.
Submissions must be from the period between January 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026. Artists must live in or be from Durham Region to apply.
The ceremony will take place on September 18 at the Biltmore Theatre in downtown Oshawa.
Recognition was a ‘boost,’ previous winner says
The DREAMS Music Awards was rebranded in 2025 to include all artists in the region, McGuirk said.
Blues and rock musician Stefan Palicki, who is based in Oshawa, won best emerging artist last year.
Stefan Palicki, a blues and rock musician based in Oshawa, Ont., won best emerging artist at the DREAMS Music Awards last year. He said the recognition was a ‘big boost’ at a time when he was struggling with his progress in the music industry. (Devina Brown Photography)
He said the win came at a time when he was feeling demoralized about his progress in the music industry.
“I wasn’t getting many shows [or] much recognition,” he said. “Getting that award was a big boost.”
Since the win, Palicki has continued playing shows and is preparing to compete as a finalist in the Toronto Blues Society Talent Search on June 28.
While Toronto’s music scene is larger than Durham Region’s, he described the music community in the region as being tight-knit and welcoming.
“They’re really accepting of all kinds of people,” Palicki said.
Durham Region home to diverse music scene
The awards are presented by Invest Durham, the region’s economic development division.
In 2023, Durham Region’s music industry generated $162 million in GDP and supported roughly 5,000 full-time jobs, said Eileen Kennedy, the region’s creative industries specialist and film commissioner. She said these numbers were based on a 2023 study.
Kennedy oversees the region ’s creative industries program, which offers grants, programs and professional development opportunities to artists.
Those resources include Beyond the Music, a series of free networking and workshop events that took place earlier this year.
Last year, the region created a music industry working group, made up of people in the sector who provide advice and direction to support development.
“We’re building a stronger, more vibrant music ecosystem that not only entertains but also drives economic and cultural growth,” she said.
Will McGuirk, communications liason for DREAMS and manager of KOPS Records in downtown Oshawa, said Durham Region offers artists a unique mix of rural areas where they can develop their music and urban settings where they can perform. (Rochelle Raveendran/CBC)
The region’s geography is one factor that contributes to that ecosystem, McGuirk said.
Artists have the freedom to workshop their music in quieter, remote areas in the region, he said, but they also have access to various music venues.
Artists have the freedom to workshop their music in quieter, remote areas in the region, he said, but also have access to various music venues.
“The urban infrastructure and the rural isolation rub up against each other,” said McGuirk.
“It creates a really cool place for people to be able to create,” he said.
Some of those creators are listed in the Durham Music Scene Database, a website that lists musicians, live music venues and open mics in the region.
Emilie Lavigne, who created the database, said she launched the resource after helping friends navigate the music industry — from connecting with venues to promoting themselves online.
Awards such as DREAMS can help artists gain visibility in a crowded music landscape, said Lavigne, who also owns music management company EAL Management.
“It’s really hard work to get your name out there right now,” she said. “There are so many musicians in the area that a lot of people get overlooked.”