Departure Festival + Conference has announced a raft of speaker and event additions for this year’s event, May 4-10 in Toronto, including Trevaunn and Jermaine Richards from Crave’s The Office Movers and a panel with the creative team behind the Heated Rivalry soundtrack featuring show creator Jacob Tierney, composer Peter Peter, and music supervisor Scotty Taylor.

The festival has also announced new Departure Honours recipients – legendary music manager Bruce Allen, who will be the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award and Toronto-based arts and mentorship organization The Remix Project, which will receive the Industry Achievement Award. 

They join previously-announced honourees Jacob Tierney (Creative Impact Award), Maggie Kang (Cultural Innovator Award), Rupi Kaur (Independent Achievement Award presented by the University of Waterloo), and Sarah McLachlan (Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award presented by Slaight Music).

Departure’s film programming is also expanding with a slate of special screenings, including the Canadian premiere of Power Ballad, the latest from acclaimed filmmaker John Carney, starring Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd; and a screening of Bif Naked: The Documentary, a look back at the life and career of the Canadian pop-punk pioneer followed by a Q&A and live performance. 

Two live podcast tapings also join the lineup: a taping of The Jann Arden Podcast on May 5 at Jane Mallett Theatre and a taping of Cynthia and Josie’s Unmentionables, May 8, at The Rec Room.

The full list of newly-announced guests includes:

• Andrew Briol, music creator and manager
• Andrew Neufeld, musician, Comeback Kid
• Bob Lefsetz, music industry commentator and author of The Lefsetz Letter
• Brooke Dunford, Director of Booking, Republic Live, Boots and Hearts Music Festival
• Caron Nightingale, Director of Sales Canada, APM Music 
• Hollywood Jade, host and personality 
• Imani Walker, Social Editor, Complex Canada
• Jacob Tierney, creator, writer, director, and executive producer, Heated Rivalry
• Jermaine Richards, The Office Movers co-creator
• Jus Reign, creator, writer, and executive producer, Late Bloomer
• Karen Bliss, journalist, Pollstar
• Maria Alonte, SVP of Synchronization, BMLG
• Michie Mee, JUNO-nominated rapper
• Mitch Glazier, CEO, Recording Industry Association of America
• Patrick Guay, Senior Manager, Booking, Concerts and Events, evenko
• Patrick Rogers, CEO, Music Canada
• Peter Peter, composer, Heated Rivalry
• Scotty Taylor, music supervisor, Kiss the Sun Music, Heated Rivalry
• Stewart Johnston, commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL) 
• Tim Chan, Vice President of Editorial and Commerce, Penske Media Corporation 
• Trevaunn Richards, The Office Movers co-creator

Additional artist announcements, conference programming, and special events will be revealed in the coming weeks. For a full list of conference speakers, showcase artists and more, visit departureto.com.