A $40,000 provincial grant is being given in support of transmission, an international music and digital technology industry conference and showcase in Vancouver that is hosting up to 250 leading industry professionals, announced Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen today.

"British Columbia is building a solid reputation for having vibrant, creative communities," said Hagen. "Through this grant, we are investing in an international event to bring together music and digital industry leaders and export-ready artists from around the world, further enhancing the growth and vitality of arts in our province."

Taking place Dec. 5-8, transmission showcases live performances from Canadian and international musical artists. It also provides an opportunity for key music and digital industry representatives from Canada and the U.S.A., U.K., Finland, Sweden, Germany, China, Japan and Australia to participate in over 70 roundtable discussions on issues and opportunities in the music and digital media industries.

"We are pleased that the provincial government is once again providing support for this important music industry event," said transmission co-producer Tyl van Toorn. "We really believe that B.C., especially Vancouver, is ready for a future-focused initiative that can facilitate B.C.'s growth in the entertainment and new media industries."

"This is an incredible opportunity for B.C., Canadian and international artists to showcase their extraordinary talents in a showcase venue like no other, with state-of-the-art production technology," said transmission co-producer Brad Josling. "We're thrilled to be holding our two-night music showcase at the new Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver."

For more information on the conference, visit www.transmitnow.com.