This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Français (French)
As the end of our fiscal year approaches, I am writing to update you on the latest developments at La Scena Musicale (LSM), and to inform you about our fundraising campaign and subscription renewal offer. We would like to look back at a successful year, and inform you of our current planning for the 2025-26 season.
Successful 2024-25 Season
La Scena Musicale has worked cooperatively with arts organisations across Canada throughout our 2024-25 season to celebrate artistic innovation and resilience. We are proud to be Canada’s largest bilingual arts publication, with almost all of our content available in both French and English, both in print and online. Our all-English editions serve the English-language minority in Quebec.
This year, we were able to produce and distribute seven print issues. With writers in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Vancouver, Victoria and London, UK., we proudly provided Canadian artists and organisations with a platform through which to share their stories, and promote their artistic activities. Cover artists this year included Tanya Tagaq, Andrew McAnerney, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, winners of the 2024 Azrieli Music Prizes, Suzie LeBlanc, Dorothéa Ventura, Jordan de Souza, Clemens Schuldt, Thomas Hampson, Samuel Mariño, Elisabeth St-Gelais and Michael Bridge.
Following the pandemic, we have encountered numerous obstacles, including increases in printing and transport costs by 30%.
We have been fortunate to gather a dedicated team at La Scena Musicale. During the pandemic, we benefited from federal emergency funds, which allowed us to keep our entire staff employed, but these funds are no longer available. With inflation, our staffing costs are rising. With a decrease in available funding, a precarious artistic and cultural economy which continues to recover, and limited and uncertain advertising revenue, La Scena is relying on subscriptions and donations support more than ever.
Seven years ago, we transitioned to an all-colour format with increased content, which continues to be positively received by our readership. Our website offers readers additional content, including concert and album reviews; highlights columns; news and special interest pieces; and our weekly newsletter. Beyond our print content, this season saw the launch of our La Scena Internet Radio platform, on which we have been able to stream musical content related to our articles and reviews.
Our 2025 Summer issue represented the end of our full-issue publishing schedule for 2024-25. As is the case every year, this issue highlighted summer arts programming, and included a comprehensive Guide to Canadian Summer Festivals.
Later this month, we will publish the final issue of the year for paying subscribers. This short-form issue will include classical and jazz album reviews, book reviews, and articles on recent competitions.
The year’s challenges have emphasised to us the importance of individual support and donations. With competition from Google, Facebook, and bloggers, our advertising revenue is not what it used to be. We are thus grateful for your support, now more than ever.
Upcoming Plans
We look forward to our 2025-26 publication season, our 30th, during which we plan to continue distributing national issues in both English and French. Beyond this, we hope to publish three special book-magazine issues (one on Giacomo Puccini, one on Handel’s Messiah and one on Gustav Mahler), taking the information from the music library to educate the general public. You can pre-order your copy today at a discounted price of $15 (instead of $20). We will continue to make listening to the music and artists that we feature easier for our readers through our streaming radio station and podcasts.
We at La Scena Musicale firmly believe that the arts will continue to thrive if they receive the support they deserve. You can affirm your dedication to Canadian artists and arts organisations by subscribing to the print edition La Scena Musicale — still, in my view, the most accessible and convenient format — and/or by making a donation. Donations made before the end of our fiscal year, dated on or before July 31, 2025, will ensure that we begin the 2025-26 season in a strong financial position. Please contact us for donations of stocks or for planned giving.
Beyond donations, purchasing merchandise from the LSM Boutique, including our Greeting Cards, and personalized serenades are great ways to support our mission to provide engaging, timely, relevant information and commentary on the Canadian musical and artistic landscape.
As always, La Scena Musicale maintains a vigorous presence on Facebook, X and Instagram. Our website offers new articles and resources daily.
On behalf of our team, we thank you, and wish you a wonderful summer filled with good weather, better company, and the very best music.
Wah Keung Chan, Founding Editor and Publisher
P.S. You can make a donation or take out a subscription at www.mySCENA.org or by calling us at 514-948-2520 x 3.
Please note that all donations will be acknowledged with a tax receipt in 2026.
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Français (French)
