About Us

New Music Arts Projects (NMAP) is a not-for-profit arts organization, and registered as a charity. It was formed by key members of the Toronto Coalition of New Music Presenters. Working in cooperation with the Coalition, NMAP exists to conceive and organize innovative events that capture the imagination of the general public and attract an international audience.

NMAP operates as both an umbrella organization for concerts and events presented by members of the Coalition, and a presenter of its own curated events. Other non-music arts organizations and institutions are collaborating with NMAP by participating in soundaXis. This community of contributors fosters discussion, exploration and collaborations, and continually presents fresh and innovative ways to consider and experience new music.

The soundaXis festivals are intended to be large-scale, city-wide events that promote Toronto and its arts communities to the world; events that provide occasions for visitors to come to the City to experience its culture.

The initial soundaXis festival took place June 1 to 10, 2006 in Toronto. Concerts and events took place in 'traditional' and non-traditional spaces. The festival challenged expectations and known 'truths' about sound and space. As such, soundaXis placed concerts into non-concert spaces – the city's places.

MNAP was selected as one of the three finalists for the Roy Thompson Hall Award of Recognition for 2008. This is one of the 2008 Toronto Arts Council Foundation Awards. The Roy Thomspon Hall Award of Recognition is presented to an individual, ensemble or organization to recognize creative, performing, administrative, volunteer or philanthropic contributions to Toronto’s musical life. In its citation, the TACF states that "MNAP acts as a unifying organization for Toronto’s contemporary new music community. It creates a space for the diverse expressive possibilities within Toronto by supporting music that takes risks, challenges audiences and invites cross-disciplinary collaboration. NMAP works in cooperation with the Toronto Coalition of New Music Presenters to conceive of innovative events such as the soundaXis festivals that explore the interaction between music and other forms of expression and artistic practice."