Erin Benjamin to Depart Canadian Live Music Association After More Than 12 Years

Erin Benjamin is stepping down from her role as president & CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA).

Today (Feb. 26), Benjamin announced she is leaving the position after 12 years. She will remain in her role until April, supporting the maintenance and transition of the organization’s programs, partnership and advocacy initiatives.

“Leading the CLMA has been one of the great privileges of my career,” she says..

“What began as a shared vision across a passionate community has grown into a strong national organization with a clarity of purpose and the capacity to forge lasting change. I’m so, so proud of our incredible team, our community, proud of what we’ve built together, and excited for the organization’s future.”

Throughout her tenure, Benjamin has supported and advocated for the country's live sector, representing the needs of venues, clubs, promoters, festivals, agents and touring professionals. Benjamin assumed the role of CEO in 2019, following the live music organization's rebrand from Music Canada Live to CLMA.

During the pandemic, she coordinated with the industry and government, leading national efforts to help the live music sector survive and recover. Benjamin has argued for live music as a cultural and economic industry to be recognized at the federal level.

Last year, CLMA facilitated Hear and Now, the first-ever national economic impact assessment of Canada’s live music industry. The data built a case for the importance of public investment and policy development.

Last month, Benjamin penned a budget submission to the Ontario government, providing recommendations for support of live music and situate it as a driver of tourism, economic development and cultural identity.

Earlier this year, Vancouver music industry executive Nate Sabine was appointed chair of the live music organization, a notable addition to the company’s leadership team. He shares that Benjamin’s impactful role in the country’s live music scene “cannot be overstated.”

“Her unparalleled and unrelenting leadership brought together a fragmented industry and helped build the CLMA into the national voice it is today,” Sabine says. “At critical moments for our sector—especially during periods of extraordinary challenge — Erin provided clarity, persistence and vision when it mattered most.”

Benjamin was an honouree at Billboard Canada Women in Music in 2025. She offered this advice to the next generation of music industry workers: “It never hurts to just ask. Asking for help — mentorship, coaching, peer support — you don't have to do it all by yourself, and it's better for everyone if you don't.”