NXNE 2016 to Feature New Outdoor Festival Experience at Port Lands

Celebrating 22 years as Toronto's essential music and arts festival, NORTH BY NORTHEAST (NXNE), taking place June 15-19, 2016, is adding a major outdoor festival experience at the Port Lands, a new Interactive, Music and Gaming Conference at the Ted Rogers School of Management with location sponsor Ryerson University, and a new format for the NXNE Yonge-Dundas Square take-over to the 2016 Festival.

On June 17-18, the Port Lands, located at Cherry and Commissioners Street, will be the home of a major festival hub that will reflect the spirit of NXNE. The ticketed "festival within a festival" will feature live music from discovery bands, artists on the cusp of glory, and stellar headliners creating the soundtrack to this immersive experience that will include art installations, a convoy of food trucks and you-had-to-be-there moments in a convenient location.

In addition to the new two-day outdoor experience, NXNE will continue to program events in key Toronto clubs and venues, in partnership with Collective Concerts, such as Lee's Palace, The Mod Club, and Danforth Music Hall from June 15-19.

"The addition of the Port Lands site represents major growth for NXNE, building on our 22 years as a leading edge festival," said Michael Hollett, President and Managing Director of NXNE. "Beyond the great clubs events that Toronto has come to expect, we will also have a remarkable, massive festival site and all the opportunities that affords."

NXNE's Interactive, Music and Gaming Conference will focus on video gaming with a speaker series, industry panels and job fair focusing on technology, gaming, and how musicians can thrive in these industries. The Interactive and Gaming Conference will be held at Ryerson University, in collaboration with the Faculty of Communication and Design (FCAD), and will take place at the Ted Rogers School of Management, which overlooksYonge-Dundas Square, where NXNE will extend the music-meets-video game element for live gaming opportunities and dynamic concerts. Ryerson University is renowned for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the creative industries through digital media and technology, which makes it the perfect home for NXNE's innovative conference.

"We see huge opportunities for our community of scholars, artists and creators at the intersection of music, gaming and technology," said Charles Falzon, Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Design at Ryerson. "With NXNE, we're excited to play a part in uncovering and discussing the cultural, creative and business possibilities where these industries converge."

Band submissions for NXNE 2016 are open until April 14 and it's free to apply! Bands of all genres are welcome to apply. For information visit nxne.com/2016/play-nxne-2016-submissions-now-open.

Exciting programming announcements will be released in the coming weeks . . . Stay tuned!

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