Waveland is a nonprofit music organization committed to celebrating, connecting and empowering Canadian musicians across the nation since 2012. We spoke with Del Mahabadi to find out more about what they do.
Describe your charity/non-profit in a few sentences.
Waveland is a nonprofit music organization that supports and celebrates Canadian music. Our mission is to help make Canada the incubator for musical talent and contribute towards building more vibrant, positive, and inclusive communities.
When did you start/join it?
The organization first came to fruition in 2012 as a music blog, and has grown over the last 8 years to the nonprofit it is today.
What made you want to get involved?
I initially set out to create a platform that was committed wholeheartedly and obsessively to the Canadian music scene. Music has always had a big impact on my life. I wanted to contribute to its longevity—especially in Canada—by supporting those who create it in any way I could.
What was the situation like when you started?
When I started this platform, I was in school at Seneca College for Communications and PR. I was working as a waitress at Reds Wine Tavern on Adelaide and York in the evenings, and studying during the day. I became curious about the music scene in Toronto and started to look for blogs online that covered local music. However I was unable to find one, so I created one.
How has it changed since?
Since 2012, Waveland has changed from being a small blog covering the local Toronto music scene, to a nationwide platform that covers Canadian music, produces events, and contributes to the vibrancy of our communities. We have worked with Airbnb, Canadian Red Cross, FACTOR Canada, and other organizations alike in creating inclusive and safe music programming within our community. In 2020, we had the pleasure of hosting the VIP reception of the Barack Obama speaking event at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre. This year, we are kicking things off with our first ever virtual music festival called Everbloom.
What more needs to be done?
Funding has always been challenging. Be it through sponsorships or granting bodies. Since the start of the pandemic, events have been placed on hold. We are now relying strictly on sponsorships, grants, and donations to operate.
How can our readers help?
There are various ways to get involved with Waveland. In the normal world, we welcome volunteers with open arms to assist in our event executions. Being that everything is virtual at the moment, our volunteer program is on hold. However folks can visit our website, cruise through our online store, read up on some recent Canadian music releases, or attend one of our virtual events.
Do you have any events coming up?
Currently, we have a virtual music festival coming up on January 30th at 7PM EST that features 10 emerging Canadian musicians. The performances are pre-recorded. Since the province has deemed live music broadcast as unsafe in the new measures, we are putting our virtual events on hold until it is safe to conduct them again.
Where can we follow you?
Website: Waveland.ca
Twitter: @wavelandcanada
Instagram: @WavelandCanada
Facebook: @WavelandCa
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
We love the cause behind Toronto Tiny Shelters. I don’t think they are a charity per se, but it is run by an individual who is building durable insulated tiny shelters for homeless people across Toronto who might be living outside this winter.
