Speakers

Brent Oliver is one of the most earnestly dedicated champions and patrons of the Arts in Alberta and Canada. For over 30 years, Brent has devoted himself to developing and promoting Alberta arts initiatives, events and artists. This life-long calling grew from Brent’s passion for music & culture. As a young musician looking for opportunities to perform in Edmonton, he took the initiative to organize and promote local concerts and encouraged other provincial and national acts to play Edmonton. In 1989, he founded Green Pepper Records, an independent label which produced local compilation albums, giving dozens of artists a platform for their original music to be promoted and broadcast on campus radio. After earning a Music Degree from the University of Alberta, Brent worked as a talent buyer, booking local and touring acts at the Rev Cabaret/ Starlite Room, New City Likwid Lounge and the Sidetrack Café – some of Edmonton’s most iconic live music venues. Guided by his confidence in the strength of Alberta’s music community, and his desire to help it grow, Brent established Foundation Concerts, an Edmonton based concert and arts event promotion company which brought some of the most prominent touring acts to Western Canada. Through these experiences Brent established a vast network of industry contacts across North America. This led to a unique opportunity for Brent where in 2010 he accepted a position as an Agent with Winnipeg based Paquin Artists Agency, Canada’s largest talent agency.

In 2012 Brent’s heart brought him back to Alberta. He began a role with the Province as the Alberta Legislature Events Coordinator for two years. In his first role in public service, he helped break the Canada Day attendance records in 2013 with 52,000 visitors, then again in 2014 with over 75,000 enjoying the national event. In 2014, Brent brought his wealth of arts and event expertise to the City of Spruce Grove as Director of Cultural Services. that included management and operation of the Horizon Stage Performing Arts centre. After the unfortunate pandemic affecting so much of the live event industry, Brent left the City of Spruce Grove in 2021 and since taken contract roles as Executive Director for Sustainival - a green energy based carnival in Alberta, then Manager of Entertainment for Cineplex Entertainment Canada handling Entertainment and Event bookings for 18 properties in Canada from Vancouver to St. John’s, NL.

In addition to his full-time work, Brent continues to consult and volunteer on countless cultural initiatives. In September 2013, Brent was elected Director of Alberta Music and later sat as Chair of the board until 2019. He also had a 4 year stint on the executive for the Creative Cities Network of Canada as Secretary. In 2016, Brent assisted in raising over $15,000 for the Red Cross to benefit the displaced residents of Fort McMurray following the wildfires in May, and over $40,000 for the Town of Jasper in 2024. He was a committee member and ambassador for the 25th and 30th anniversary music showcases for Edmonton and Nashville's Sister Cities Celebration in 2015, 2019 and 2020, the 2017 Breakout West Host Committee and was the 2017 Chair for the Rogers’ Hometown Hockey event in Spruce Grove.

Brent is currently the Producer for Edmonton's Winterruption YEG festival a multi venue arts and music event taking place in Downtown Edmonton every January. Winterruption YEG brings over 100 artists ranging from music, comedy, drag, film and wrestling to the Alberta Winter, seeing regular attendance of close to 6,000 participants. Brent’s management company, BOP MGMT, had a very successful management relationship with Indigenous indie-rock act nêhiyawak, securing them to a label deal with Toronto’s Arts & Crafts. He currently manages Edmonton’s indigenous electronic act ASKO, roots artists The Hearts, & country rockers Ayla Brook & The Sound Men. In addition, Brent acted as Artistic Director of the UP+DT Music and Arts Festival from 2013-2019 and is currently talent buyer for The Black Dog Freehouse, Cask & Barrel & Rocky Mountain Ice House in Edmonton. Finally, Brent continues to give his knowledge on music juries, and cultural industries consultations with the Alberta Government and Western Industry Associations as well as career consultation to a number of Western Canadian artists. Brent has spoken at a number of industry events and panels regarding community engagement through arts & culture, best practice for Canadian touring and career development for musicians, along with cultural strategic planning, policy and placemaking.

Brent is an 18 time nominee for a Western Canadian Music Awards at Breakout West, has been nominated four times for a Live Music Buyer of the Year by the Canadian Live Music Association, a two time nominee for the John Poole award for promotions of the arts at the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts, and named a Top 40 under 40 by Avenue Magazine. In 2022, Brent was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal for Outstanding contribution to the Arts in Alberta.