Saskatchewan Music Education Day

Saskatchewan Music Education Day 2026

Empowering Classrooms. Elevating Advocacy.

Launch Date: September 15, 2026

Presented by: Saskatchewan Music Educators Association (SMEA) & Saskatchewan Arts Alliance (SAA)

Official Hashtag: #SaskMusicEdDay

Music Education Celebration

A celebration of Music Education Day will be held at Valley Manor School on September 15, 2026. This will feature the presentation of the Proclamation as well as the introduction and performance of Side by Side - a brand new released song with resources designed specifically for schools to utilize. The song has been composed by Wilbur Sargunaraj, featuring Cree singer-songwriter Falynn Baptiste from Red Pheasant First Nation and Elmer Tootoosis from Poundmaker First Nation, this bilingual piece in English and Cree serves as a bridge of unity with a tangible call for cross-cultural understanding. The event will be filmed live and released at a later date. For full details on this resource and how to access the printable resource click here.

Connecting Classroom Music Directly to Advocacy

Music Education Day 2026 bridges the gap between everyday classroom learning and provincial advocacy. Whether you are looking for impactful Truth and Reconciliation resources, physical instrument sets for your students, or tools to engage parents and school division leadership, SMEA and SAA are here to support you.

Discover the four strategic tiers of this year's campaign and claim your member-exclusive packages below.

Tier 1 (Classroom): Do more locally with inclusive SMEA tools.

Whether through Classic Classroom Music Kits &/or Incorporating a brand new Truth and Reconciliation Resource

Free Classroom Instrument Kits

Member Perk: Available on a first come, first serve basis for SMEA active members - 5 kits of each (each kit will equip a classroom of up to 28 students). Also available are our SMEA Resource Kit on each of these (available on our website as well as posted for free on Teachers Pay Teachers).

Upgrade your classroom hands-on learning toolkit with complimentary physical instrument sets provided by SMEA:

Boomwhacker Sets (5 available)
Bucket Drumming Sets (5 available)
Movement Scarves Sets (5 available)

Incorporate Truth & Reconciliation into your Classroom

SMEA is encouraging you to bring meaningful Truth & Reconciliation learning into your music room. Our 2026 Saskatchewan Music Education Day feature song—"Side by Side" (ᓃᓱᑳᐸᐏᐘᐠ / nîsokâpawiwak) by Wilbur Sargunaraj and Falynn Baptiste—celebrates unity, reconciliation, and community through song.

Public Audio Stream: Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major streaming platforms starting August 15, 2026.
Member-Exclusive Teaching Materials: Active SMEA members get exclusive access to:
- Chord chart
- Bilingual lyric sheets (Cree and English)

Tier 2 (Division): Thank school board trustees and division leadership

Member Perk: Available to the first 40 SMEA members who apply (Up to $150 total value per member).

Turn your school performances into powerful advocacy moments. Enable parents and community members to thank school board leadership for investing in local music programs.

How the Package Works:

We Print & Ship (Valued at ~$130): SMEA customizes and orders up to 500 high-quality 4" x 6" VistaPrint postcards delivered directly to your school.
You Collect Thank-Yous: Hand out postcards at your school concerts for student, parents and audience members to sign.
Mail & Get Reimbursed (Valued at ~$20): Send the collected postcards in one bulk package to your School Division CEO or Director of Education. Submit your mail receipt to SMEA for 100% postage reimbursement.

Tier 3 (Provincial): Message the Minister of Education, Saskatchewan School Board Association, and your local MLA via Saskatchewan Arts Alliance templates.

Local advocacy drives provincial change. We are partnering with the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance (SAA) to make sure your voice reaches key provincial decision-makers.

Head directly to the SAA Digital Advocacy Portal (or scan the QR code on your concert postcard) to take action! When you enter your name and address, SAA’s tool automatically generates and sends a personalized letter directly to:

Hon. Everett Hindley – Minister of Education
Hon. Alana Ross – Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport
Shawn Davidson – President, Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA)
Darren McKee – Executive Director, Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA)
Your Local MLA (e.g., Darlene Rowden, MLA for Batoche)

Whether you scan the QR code on a concert postcard or click through from here, taking action takes under two minutes.

Canadian Country Music Awards

As part of Country Music Week 2026 in Saskatoon, the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) and SaskMusic are hosting "Inside the Industry: Explore Careers in Music," a free youth-focused event taking place on Friday, September 18, 2026. [1]

Event Overview

This special half-day initiative is designed to inspire the next generation of music professionals. It provides young creators and aspiring professionals with an inside look at how a passion for music can be turned into a full-time career, covering both on-stage roles and essential behind-the-scenes work.

Key Details

Target Audience: High school students, post-secondary students, and young adults across Saskatchewan.

Cost: Registration is entirely free, though space is strictly limited.

Industry Insights: Attendees will learn about songwriting, music production, artist management, touring logistics, live sound engineering, music publishing, and marketing.