I'm running for Music BC's Board of Directors

Advocating for those left behind post-pandemic

Dear friends,

I am excited to announce that I’m running for a position on the Board of Directors of Music BC, the for-profit music association in my province of British Columbia, Canada.

While voting is only open to members of Music BC, I wanted to share my platform with you as I believe the issues I’m experiencing as a musician are similar across industries.

I’m running to give a voice to the issues resulting from the COVID-19 era and the public response. If I am chosen to join the board, I will be able to engage directly with the most influential and inspiring professionals in the local music business, and I will use this opportunity to exchange ideas for solutions moving forward.

Thank you for your support!

Why I want to join Music BC’s Board of Directors

British Columbia’s music community is truly unique, home to the most diverse group of people and genres in the world. I’m one of the lucky musicians who got to grow up here, and I’ve been inspired throughout my life by people who speak different languages, play different instruments, and have different ideas. This is the perfect environment for creativity to thrive.

As we all know, the gap between picking up your instrument and achieving a successful musical career continues to get wider, especially over the last few years. When the world shut down in 2020, we were all left without a stage, and in many cases, without a studio. While some have been able to resume their musical careers as the world opened back up, many others have found that this has been significantly more difficult than expected. I know, because I’m one of those artists. Between venues going out of business, booking agencies slimming down their rosters, and other lasting pandemic effects, many BC artists find themselves isolated from the opportunity-filled music community that we once knew—even with COVID-19 behind us. 

This is a challenge we can solve together, and I want your vote so I can help Music BC lead the charge. As a member of the board of directors, I will advocate for musicians and artists at all points in their career, and work to create opportunities for those searching for their way back onstage or back into the studio. I will listen to all perspectives and collaborate with an open mind. I will represent people of all ages, sexes, genders, races, religions, and everything else that makes you uniquely awesome. Finally, I will make sure every member has a voice, and fully benefits from the opportunities and programs Music BC will offer in the coming years.

My biography

Liam Sturgess is a Vancouver-based recording and performing artist, working professionally in arts and entertainment since 2013. He has worked extensively with local governments and community organizations to create opportunities for up-and-coming musicians, earning him the “Kind Heart Award” from the City of North Vancouver. He graduated in 2015 from the Advanced Arts and Entertainment Management program at Capilano University, completing a practicum at Studio Cloud 30 under Warren Dean Flandez. In 2015, Liam opened his first commercial recording studio and music academy in West Vancouver where he led a team that taught and inspired hundreds of musicians of all ages. Liam was a founding co-producer of Rapidfire Hip Hop, featuring a range of prominent Vancouver artists including Missy D, Eric $hawry, and From Ash and Dust. 

After losing his mother to cancer in 2019, Liam embraced the opportunity to reset and began training in Advanced Audio Engineering and Studio Production at the Nimbus School of Recording and Media. When COVID-19 struck in 2020, Liam led his peers through innovative online performances, eventually helping return to in-person shows with clients such as FlyOver Canada and Lonsdale Quay Market. He is an avid human rights advocate, working alongside doctors, lawyers and a large community of volunteers to defend free speech, non-violence, and bodily autonomy in Canada and worldwide.

Liam's production portfolio includes dozens of albums, EPs and singles spanning a range of genres including pop, hip/hop, punk, folk, EDM, and country. He has featured as vocalist on multiple progressive house tracks, several of which have made international iTunes charts. He continues to create music as engineer, producer and artist through Sturgess Prime Productions. He released his fourth studio album, Foreverland, in July 2022.