Kingston Live is a self-funded, volunteer-run collective founded in 2018. It was born of the founders’ recognition of Kingston’s diverse music economy, and their desire to both elevate Kingston’s performing artists and venues, and celebrate Kingston’s rich musical legacy. Kingston Live exists to cement the city’s reputation—on national and international stages—as the premiere destination in Canada for live music experiences by uniting public and private sector interests to support and grow Kingston’s music economy. Want to support our cause? Join our crusade? Get in touch!

Thanks to the work of many, the quality and breadth of Kingston’s live music offering is disproportionate for a city of proximate size and population. Live music venues are plentiful throughout Kingston, most of them regularly hosting live performances by the city’s abundance of local bands and artists throughout any given week or weekend. The city also boasts a surprising number of larger venues, like The Grand Theatre, Isabel Bader Centre for Performing Arts, and the Leon’s Centre, where bigger, touring acts can play to Kingston’s larger audiences. Plus, Kingston has music festivals galore, including the Homegrown Live Music Festival, Limestone City Bluesfest, Wolfe Island Music Festival, Back to the Farm, Skeleton Park Arts Fest and more.  

Maybe. Truthfully, we’re always on the prowl for Kingston Live podcast or radio show guests with something interesting to offer our listeners. If you’re a Kingston-based musician or music industry insider, a concert promoter or music economy stakeholder and would like to be considered as a guest, email our producers.

As a volunteer-run collective, we’re always open to the participation of passionate people who believe in—and want to contribute their time, effort or skills to further—our cause. But please, no freeloaders. Kingston Live is fun and rewarding, but your participation is a privilege, and one that is earned through dedication and commitment. If you think you’re up for it, please get in touch with us.

Founded in 2014, the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) is the national voice of Canada’s live music industry. Established in response to an identified need in the music industry, the CLMA represents the full spectrum of the live music sector, including concert promoters, festivals, venues, and industry associations. Its mission is to entrench the economic, social and cultural value of live music – creating the conditions for concerts to thrive, from coast to coast to coast. Kingston Live has been a member of the CLMA since 2020. We believe that our city, Kingston, Ontario, has one of the most unique, diverse and thriving music economies in North America, and that it’s something worth treasuring, protecting and fortifying for the benefit of every resident of—and every visitor to—our lovely limestone city.