Looking for something fun to do with the kids tomorrow? 🥁 Head to PlayLab at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, for Rhythm Playground, a free drop-in program for ages 4-12. Grab a boomwhacker, djembe, or wooden spoon and make some noise! Drop-in from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm on Level 1. Free admission. 🔗 Visit studiobell.ca/exhibitions/pl… to learn more.

Your bubbly and refreshing summer sip has arrived. 🥤 Sonic Fizz Sodas are now available at the NMC Café & Gift Shop. Try Red Berry, bursting with raspberry and strawberry flavours, or Sunrise Passion, a tropical blend of passionfruit and raspberry. Grab one on your next visit. 😎

Celebrate #NationalIndigenousPeoplesDay at Studio Bell, home of the #NationalMusicCentre, on Sunday, June 21. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome! 🧡 See performances by: 🎶 Award-winning throat-singing duo Tudjaat 🎶 Country, folk, and blues project Black Crow Funk 🎶 Techno/electronic artist Sean Beaver, who incorporates pow wow elements into his hybrid sets of live loops and original music Visitors can also explore a vendor market featuring local Indigenous artisans, and the updated Speak Up! exhibit, highlighting the stories of five newly added Indigenous musicians. This event is presented as part of NMC's OHSOTO'KINO initiative, dedicated to amplifying Indigenous artists and their contributions to Canadian culture. Find details about NMC’s NIPD event: bit.ly/4vQtnY1 Learn more about other events and activities happening throughout the city during #NationalIndigenousHistoryMonth: bit.ly/3RVTEWe

"We're all connected through that drum. That's what brought us together." 🥁 Traditional powwow drum group Mountain Kree, from Maskwacis and Mountain Cree Camp in Alberta, recently recorded at #StudioBell, home of the #NationalMusicCentre. As recipients of the 2026 OHSOTO'KINO Recording Bursary, it was their first time recording professionally, and a powerful step forward in preserving their culture through music. With support from @TD_Canada, National Music Centre is creating more opportunities for #Indigenousartists through the OHSOTO’KINO initiative, which revolves around the creation of new music in NMC’s recording studios, artist development through a music incubator program, and exhibitions via the annually updated Speak Up! gallery. Learn more about Mountain Kree’s recording residency: bit.ly/4eCLZET

Come cheer on the talented youth of Jam Club, #NationalMusicCentre’s after-school program for teens, as they showcase the skills, confidence, and creativity they've built all year long. Join us at the King Eddy on June 14 for our free Jam Club Gig Day, where Calgary’s next generation of musicians will take the stage. 🎸✨ Did you know⁉️ Many young musicians have started their first bands at Jam Club, and some have even gone on to play stages across Canada.

Good news! 🎹 Timeless: 100 Years of Oscar Peterson has been extended until the end of the year. In celebration of Black Music Month, explore the life and legacy of Oscar Peterson, one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time and one of Canada's most celebrated musicians. The man affectionately known as "The Maharaja of the Keyboard" and "The Man with Four Hands." Through multimedia installations, storytelling, awards, and instruments and artifacts from Peterson’s home studio, get to know the artist that influenced generations of musicians, including Herbie Hancock and Diana Krall. 🎶 Learn more and plan your visit: bit.ly/3GcpMzp

New merch just dropped. 👕 Fresh threads are now available at the NMC Gift Shop in-store and online. Grab one of these limited-edition designs before they're gone. 🔗 Visit studiobell.ca/shop to shop now.

Calgary's Black creative community took over Studio Bell last Saturday, and it was everything. 🎵 The National Music Centre's Black Music Month celebration brought together performers, artists, dancers, and community members for a free day of performances, conversation, and culture. Thank you to our community sponsors @atbfinancial and @bakertillycan for their support. 📸: Sebastian Buzzalino

This is your sign to host an epic holiday for your company this year. ✨ From intimate gatherings of 50 to blowout celebrations for 1,500 guests, we've got a space for all kinds of parties. 🎄 Be the office hero. Book a #holidayparty at #StudioBell before someone suggests the boardroom. Head to studiobell.ca/event-spaces learn more.

The @nmc_canada will offer free admission on June 21 for National Indigenous Peoples Day and a live performance with Tudjaat. muskratmagazine.com/tudjaat-… #NIPD2026

Canadian country music has lost one of its most passionate advocates. #LarryDelaney was a tireless champion of Canadian country artists, who dedicated his life to telling and preserving their stories. Larry founded Country Music News in 1980, alongside his wife Joanne, spreading the word about emerging and established talent for over 32 years until it ceased publication in 2012. For his dedication to the genre, he has been recognized with 11 CCMA Awards for Country Music Person of the Year, and was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996 as the first Stan Klees Builder honouree. Larry was also a dear friend to NMC, contributing his knowledge and passion to our country-themed exhibits, including the annually updated Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame exhibition. His words and photos can be seen displayed in our galleries today. We are grateful for everything Larry gave to Canadian country music. His lifelong work to preserve its stories and history will continue through the National Music Centre. Rest in peace, Larry. 📸: John Leefe via The Historical Society of Ottawa

We’re continuing to spotlight the instruments and artists that have shaped popular music for #BlackMusicMonth. 🎹 The #YamahaDX7, released in 1983, powered the soul of 1980s and ‘90s R&B. In the hands of Black producers like #JimmyJam and #TerryLewis, it defined the sound of late ‘80s R&B. #TeddyRiley then used it to help create New Jack Swing, a fusion that became the blueprint for mainstream pop. Tomorrow, join us for a free Black Music Month celebration at #StudioBell, home of the #NationalMusicCentre, showcasing the vibrancy of Black culture in Calgary. Or book a Backstage Pass tour to see the Yamaha DX7 up close. 🔗 Visit studiobell.ca/whats-on to learn more.

"I thought I blew my big chance." 🎶 In 1995, #RonSexsmith was about to be dropped by his label. Then Elvis Costello changed everything. Now on his 18th album, Sexsmith reflects on the serendipity that saved his career and turned it into something far bigger than he ever dreamed.

#StudioBell is turning 10 on #CanadaDay, July 1, 2026. To celebrate, National Music Centre (NMC) is throwing a building-wide birthday bash – and everyone is invited to the party. Admission is free, powered by @atbfinancial. 🎶🇨🇦 The milestone event will feature “A Sharon Lois and Bram Singalong” with children's entertainers Sharon & Randi, genre-bending outfit Kue Varo & The Only Hopes, country-rocker Ty Baynton Cree-Métis outlaw country artist Jacquie Daniels, Franco-Albertan country singer Meera Sylvain, and more live acts at Studio Bell and the King Eddy, along with new exhibits honouring Canadian Music Hall of Famers, and interactive family-friendly activities for a full day celebrating the music, culture, and spirit that bring us together as Canadians. NMC is also showing its appreciation for 10 years of community support by offering 50% off NMC Memberships for one day only on July 1. 🔗 Learn more and see the full lineup: bit.ly/4uTV02i Thanks to ATB, the Government of Canada, and @SOCANmusic for making this event possible.

Only a few tickets remain for the next installment of Liner Notes: Inside the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio on July 5 — and they won't last. 🎸 Experience cult favourite Fleetwood Mac's ‘Mystery to Me’ as it was recorded through the RSM. Recorded during a period of internal change and creative transition, the album marks several closing chapters at once. The result is an understated, atmospheric album with standout tracks like "Hypnotized" and "Emerald Eyes" that rewards every close listen. If you can’t make it to the tour on July 5, the next ‘Mystery to Me’ tours happen on Nov. 1 and Mar. 7. 🔗 Plan your visit at studiobell.ca/whats-on/rsm and check out all the tour dates.

National Music Centre (NMC) has been nominated for two 2026 Western Canadian Music Awards (@BreakOutWest): Impact in Artist Development and Impact in Music Marketing. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary this year, this recognition feels especially meaningful. Over the past decade, NMC has supported over 500 artists through development and residency programs, fuelling their creativity by giving them access to our historic “living collection” of instruments and world-class recording studios. We're honoured to be recognized for work that has been at the heart of NMC for the last 10 years. And being nominated for Music Marketing is the icing on the birthday cake – because if there's one thing we love as much as supporting Canadian artists, it's telling the world about them. Thank you to the Western Canadian music community for the honour – and congrats to the rest of the nominees!

For @djshub, music has always been about transmission. Long before he understood DJ culture, he understood records as portals. For NMC Amplify, he recalls the recovery that led to his latest double-album, Heritage. Read the full story: bit.ly/4e0ImqZ

Last call! Still spots left for NMC's Build a Band Summer Camps for kids 9-12 years of age. Campers will jam and learn to write original songs, tour our world-class recording studios, and cap it all off with a live performance at the end of the week. This is where first bands are formed! 🎸 Sessions run throughout July and August, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. 🔗 Head to studiobell.ca/camps to register.

For #BlackMusicMonth, we're spotlighting the Black innovators who’ve played a role in shaping popular music – and the instruments behind the sounds. The Korg M1, released in 1988, helped define the early ‘90s house and dance music scene. Its piano and organ sounds were embraced by Black producers and DJs and became the backbone of #CrystalWaters' "Gypsy Woman," #RobinS's "Show Me Love," and #CeCePeniston's "Finally," transforming dance floors into spaces of joy, release, and community. To continue celebrating the legacy of Black music, join us on June 6 for a free Black Music Month celebration, showcasing the vibrancy of Black culture in Calgary. Or book a Backstage Pass tour at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, to see the #KorgM1 in action. 🔗 Visit studiobell.ca/whats-on to learn more.

June is #NationalIndigenousHistoryMonth! To celebrate, the National Music Centre will reveal an updated edition of its Speak Up! exhibit on June 17. This year’s update spotlights a new group of trailblazing #Indigenousartists who have used their voices to preserve their culture and inspire the next generation. The 2026 Speak Up! artists include: 🌟 Pioneering Nunavut throat-singing duo Tudjaat 🌟 Powerhouse vocalist and songwriter @crystalshawanda from Wiikwemkoong First Nation 🌟 Acclaimed Métis singer-songwriter, actor, and author @andreamenard from Flin Flon, Manitoba 🌟 Northern Tutchone musician Jerry Alfred, known as the hereditary “Keeper of the Songs” for his role in preserving ceremonial songs for the Crow Clan of the Selkirk First Nation 🌟 Renowned family drum group Stoney Park Singers from Mînî Thnî (Morley), Alberta Visitors can learn about the latest 2026 additions and revisit past featured artists through artifacts and an interactive kiosk. #StudioBell will also be open with free admission on June 21 for #NationalIndigenousPeoplesDay, inviting visitors to explore the Speak Up exhibit, and more at no cost. 🔗 Visit studiobell.ca/speak-up to learn more.