Canadian music manager Bruce Allen.Katy Ann Davidson/Supplied
Music manager maestro Bruce Allen, who took care of business for Bachman–Turner Overdrive, looked after Jann Arden and Anne Murray, and began guiding the career of a young Bryan Adams back in the summer of ’79, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Departure Festival and Conference.
The 80-year-old Vancouverite is to be feted at the second-annual industry event taking place in Toronto from May 4 to 10. Departure was known as Canadian Music Week for decades before rebranding a year ago after a change in ownership in 2024.
It was also revealed on Monday that Toronto-based arts and mentorship organization the Remix Project, formerly Inner City Visions, is this year’s recipient of the Industry Achievement Award.
Previously announced honourees for Departure’s 2026 edition include KPop Demon Hunters co-director Maggie Kang (Cultural Innovator Award), poet Rupi Kaur (Independent Achievement Award), singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan (Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award), and the creator of television’s red-hot hockey series Heated Rivalry, Jacob Tierney (Creative Impact Award).
Tierney, along with Heated Rivalry composer Peter Peter and music supervisor Scotty Taylor, will participate in a panel discussion.
Among the films screening at the festival are Like Ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King, Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience, Bif Naked: The Documentary and the Canadian premiere of John Carney’s Power Ballad, starring Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd.
Allen will accept his career-spanning award on May 7 at Koerner Hall. The outspoken manager who organized 1985’s star-studded Canadian charity single Tears Are Not Enough was given the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for outstanding achievement in the music industry at the 1987 Juno Awards.
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He is less active these days. Last fall, the music executive moved into the role of chairman of Bruce Allen Talent when Paul Haagenson replaced him as head of the B.C.-based management firm. In 2023, Allen and the Cuts Like a Knife singer Adams parted ways, ending a business relationship that began with a handshake agreement more than four decades earlier.
The Departure event is part of a spring schedule of industry gatherings that began in Toronto with this past weekend’s Wavelength Music Festival and Conference and continues with the Juno Awards (March 26-29, Hamilton), the Canadian Blues Music Awards (March 30, Toronto), the Canadian Folk Music Awards (April 9-12, Calgary), the East Coast Music Awards and Conference (May 20-24, Sydney, N.S.) and the NXNE Music Festival and Conference (June 10-14, Toronto).