About PlayOnward

There are few professions in the world tougher or more unpredictable than a career in music. The challenge isn’t just in the pursuit of art, but in the demands of the business.

PlayOnward is a community that aims to deliver musical talent the help they need to launch a career in this most challenging field. It’s an online community that offers a network of wisdom and advice to help emerging Canadian musicians advance their careers.

At its heart is a pool of experts and advisors volunteering their time, energy and expertise to help young musicians in a variety of ways.

The gateway to accessing this pool of talented volunteers is here, at PlayOnward.ca.

Our community of expert volunteers covers a wide (and growing) range of subjects crucial to the success of emerging musicians: social media, talent management and representation, marketing, media relations, recording technology, legal and accounting, grant applications, awards and competitions, and much more.

Launched in the fall of 2024, PlayOnward is inspired by the life and memory of Darin Diehl, a friend of many, and lifelong and passionate lover of live, local music. (You can read more about Darin and his legacy here.)
A not-for-profit organization, the PlayOnward community is a totally free service to the artists it serves.

Explore this site. Once you’ve reached out to the expert of your choice, they’ll get back to you as soon as possible with a response or to arrange a follow up. If you don’t see the skills and advice you need, send a note in the feedback section here, and our PlayOnward team see what we can find for you. This is how we’ll grow the pool of experts that can help as many young musicians as possible to find the advice they need to build their careers.