It's that time of year again! MusicOntario is partnering with CIMA and Ontario Creates for our 10th Reeperbahn Festival in Germany this September 2026!

MusicOntario plans to present Ontario showcases for its 10th Reeperbahn Festival in September 2026.

Reeperbahn is a competitive opportunity to access the 5th largest music market in the world, according to IFPI's 2026 Global Music Report on the state of the industry – having just been bumped out of the #4 slot by China. Revenues in Europe rose by 5.6% in 2025, with the region’s recorded music revenues and accounting for 30.4% of the global market. Germany remains the second largest market in Europe, with its 2025 revenue growth clocking in at 1.7%.

Reeperbahn Festival attracts thousands of artists and music industry professionals from across the globe to Hamburg for four days of music, professional development, art, and more. It is one of our most in-demand export offerings, and seasoned professionals and newer exporters alike report back on the incredible value this event provides over many years. To learn more about Reeperbahn, click here

When: September 16-19, 2026

Where: Hamburg, Germany

Details: If you are applying for showcases, you will not be charged. If you are accepted the presenter of the showcase will be charged (ie. A provincial host partner of CIMA's). Please note that each artist must have a business representative. Companies interested in participating in just the business portion of this mission (no showcasing artist) will be invoiced once this application is complete.

Want to showcase? We encourage that you apply directly though both CIMA and Reeperbahn!

APPLY THROUGH CIMA

APPLY THROUGH REEPERBAHN

Preference given to members of MusicOntario in good standing.

Deadline to apply is Friday, May 8, 2026.

EXPORT-READINESS

These showcase opportunities are extremely competitive, and there are only so many slots available. We encourage applications from export-ready artists. What does that mean? 

Well, it can look different for every artist, but it's important to have a strong strategy for the market you're looking to export to. 

• Why do you want to go to this specific market at this specific time? 
• What objectives do you have, and what can you do in advance of going to a new market to set yourself up for success in meeting those objectives? 
• Can you afford to send the best presentation of your project overseas (full band vs. solo, for example)? Do you have funding in place, or an idea of how to finance the trip? How would this showcase help to meaningfully further your current project?
• Online presence: have you connected with potential fans and industry in the market you're looking to enter? Platforms like Chartmetric can help you understand your performance and engagement across social media services and geography.
• Is your live performance strong and adaptable? If you want to be booked by festivals, for example, how would you leverage a showcase like this to bolster your pitch?
• Do you have a strong business representative to take meetings on your behalf to optimize revenue potential from an export mission?
• Genre/Program Fit: Ultimately, every festival has its own artistic direction and goals to engage industry and sell festival tickets to music fans. If one showcase event isn't the right fit to perform at, could it be an opportunity to go before you show to better understand better suited opportunities in the market?

There are no right or wrong answers when filling out these applications. The goal is to demonstrate why it's a sound business investment that is going to result in career development. These opportunities are designed to help Canadian artist entrepreneurs, Canadian-owned and controlled companies, and sector employees working within Canadian-owned and controlled sector to gain a greater profile, increase artist/business skills, and build export competitiveness.