Join Cultural Industries Ontario North and Polaris Music Prize as they amplify Northern Ontario voices on September 4th, 2026, at Knox Hall for the Northern Sound Exchange showcase gala. Please RSVP for the free event, tickets are limited until capacity is reached.
RSVP HERE
The lineup of artists performing at the showcase gala include three musical acts with roots in Northern Ontario and who will sound sensational in Sudbury's newest downtown music venue.
PONY
PONY specializes in a fuzzy yet melodic brand of guitar pop that draws its core inspiration from early-nineties grunge and vintage indie-pop traditions. Led by vocalist and guitarist Sam Bielanski, a Sudbury native, and multi-instrumentalist Matty Morand. Clearly Cursed PONY’s most recent album is long listed for the 2026 Polaris Music Prize and comes following an extensive touring schedule that had PONY playing alongside acts like Jimmy Eat World, Drug Church, Militarie Gun, Pool Kids, MSPAINT, and more.
Mistaken for Wayne
Mistaken for Wayne is the project of Northern Ontario farmer and musician Wade Montpellier, created in collaboration with close friends and longtime musical partners. Following the 2024 release of the EP This Time of Year, the group is set to release their debut full-length album Whitefish on September 25th, 2026. Rooted deeply in themes of place and identity, Whitefish explores the idea that “it’s in the water”— a reflection on how environment shapes who we are. Now fully settled back in his hometown, Montpellier offers a more intimate look at the land, community, and self that have long informed his music.
Aurel
Aurel was born into a multicultural family and has always written songs in the three languages she learned as a child: Spanish, French, and English. Trained in piano from a young age, she blends the instrument’s sounds with trilingual poetry. Her artistic journey is closely tied to her search for identity as a Mexican and a Franco-Ontarian. In 2021, she released her debut EP, “Piano Sessions en el Naufragio,” in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas. She was then accepted as an artist-in-residence at La Slague in 2022 to launch a brand-new project: “Soundscape sudburois.” The project, divided into two parts, was launched in 2023 with a first EP, “Soundscape sudburois: Summer,” followed by its counterpart, “Soundscape sudburois: Winter,” in 2025.
Amplify - Polaris Festival Northern Sound Exchange
September 4, 2026 | Knox Hall, Sudbury, ON | Ticket / RSVP
The Northern Sound Exchange creates space for artists, presenters, cultural workers, and audiences to come together to explore the future of Canadian music beyond traditional industry centres, building pathways and carrying the festival’s impact forward. This event will bring the Polaris Festival to Sudbury through a regional gathering designed to support artist discovery and industry dialogue in Northern Ontario.
AMPLIFY
In this edition of the Polaris Music Prize festival, creating opportunities that extend beyond the festival through artist labs, mentorship, regional showcases, youth programming, commissions, Heritage Prize reactivations and initiatives that are integral to support Canadian music forward long after September.
CION acknowledges and is grateful for financial support from FedNor, FACTOR, Ontario Creates, the Ontario Arts Council, and the City of Greater Sudbury.