NXNE Announces City of Toronto Music Sector Development Officer

North by Northeast (NXNE) says goodbye this week to Director of Operations Mike Tanner. After seven successful years with the festival, Mike has accepted the newly created position of Music Officer at the City of Toronto starting Tuesday, October 21.

"Only a unique opportunity like this could have pulled me away from NXNE," says Tanner. "I'm leaving behind an extraordinary organization run by wonderful people whom I'll miss very much. But I am excited to join the new Entertainment Industries and do whatever I can to help bring the music industry and City Hall together to make Toronto the best place possible to work in music while growing our city's reputation as one of the world's top music cities."

Since joining NXNE in 2007, Mike has been instrumental in the festival's growth to become one of Toronto's premier cultural events and an essential part of the international festival calendar. At NXNE, his roles included overseeing all logistics and operations as well as managing relationships with government and other industry organizations across North America. With frequent trips to Texas, he also helped to cementNXNE's strong ties with sister festival SXSW and other industry contacts in Austin.

"While we at Northby are, of course, disappointed to lose Mike's contribution to the festival, we are delighted that he will take on this important role of coordinating the City of Toronto's music initiatives," said Michael Hollett, President of NXNE. "I believe the creation of this new position is a huge step forward in achieving many of the goals I have personally held in backing the Music City Alliance with Austin, Texas. And I think that having a music sector development officer is essential in helping Toronto's vibrant live music community grow their important work. Congratulations to Mike and the City for hiring him."

A member of the Advisory Board of the OMDC and the Ontario Government's Live Music Working Group, Mike will draw on the experience and relationships he developed while at NXNE to serve the interests of music across Toronto as a member of the City's Economic Development and Culture Division.

"Mike was an integral part of the NXNE family during many breakthrough moments in the Festival's history," said Christopher Roberts, the Festival Director of NXNE. "We are happy Mike will have a role where he can continue to champion and promote the Toronto Music Industry with the same passion he brought to NXNE every single day."

Programming for NXNE, June 17-21, 2015, will be announced later this fall. NXNE's five pillars - Music, Film, Comedy, Art, and Interactive - are essential gatherings for artists, industry, and fans. NXNE draws 350,000 attendees and generates an annual economic impact of over $50 million on the city of Toronto.

Follow NXNE on Facebook and Twitter.