Mayor Andrea Horwath visited Main Stage Rehearsal Studios to experience how music is made in Hamilton. Here’s what we shared about the local music scene, the JUNOs, and why rehearsal spaces matter.
When Music City Means More Than a Stage – A visit from Mayor Andrea Horwath to Main Stage Rehearsal Studios
We first met Andrea Horwath at TD Coliseum, where conversations about Hamilton’s future as a Music City were already underway. During that conversation, Justin invited the Mayor to stop by our studios — not for a formal tour, but to experience where music in Hamilton is actually made.
To our delight, she accepted.
Mayor Horwath has been a vocal supporter of arts, culture, and the creative economy, and since taking office she has continued to push the idea that Hamilton’s identity as a Music City must be more than branding. It must be rooted in real infrastructure, real people, and real opportunity. Her visit to Main Stage reflected that belief, a genuine curiosity to understand the behind-the-scenes work that musicians do long before they ever step onto a big stage.
During her time at Main Stage, we showed her what a typical day looks like inside our building. She saw musicians rehearsing in our hourly rooms, bands locking in tight arrangements, and artists working through songs that are still taking shape. She met our monthly tenants – musicians who spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of hours here every year and listened as they shared why Main Stage feels irreplaceable to them.
We talked about the importance of proper construction, professional-grade gear, and sound quality, and why acoustics matter not just for performance, but for learning, confidence, and musical growth. We also shared how difficult it is to find rehearsal spaces that are both affordable and operated at a truly professional level. These are conversations musicians rarely get to have with decision-makers, and it mattered that she took the time to.
The Mayor was visibly impressed by the scale of our community. With thousands of musicians passing through our doors, she quickly understood why facilities like this are rare — even in cities that proudly call themselves Music Cities. In many places, rehearsal spaces are either under-resourced, informally run, or entirely dependent on government subsidies to survive. Main Stage is different. We are self-sustaining, community-driven, and built to last — proof that music infrastructure can be both accessible and professionally operated.
One of the most powerful moments of the visit came during our Open Jam. The Mayor watched as musicians of all ages shared the stage — including a ten-year-old boy jamming alongside seasoned, professional players. It wasn’t about being perfect. It was about gaining experience, learning in real time, and feeling safe enough to step into the music. Moments like that are how confidence is built, and how the next generation of musicians is nurtured.
That experience captured something important about Hamilton’s music scene. It’s collaborative, welcoming, and grounded in mentorship. It’s not about hierarchy. It’s about showing up, sharing space, and growing together.
At the end of the visit, we shared two clear asks during our conversation.
First, that our community be meaningfully involved during the JUNOs. Hamilton musicians deserve to experience this moment in the spaces where they actually work — not just as spectators, but as participants in the industry they sustain year-round.
Second, that opportunities in music be shared more openly with young and emerging musicians. When young people feel included, they invest their future in this city. When they feel shut out, they leave. If Hamilton truly wants to be a Music City, it must show the next generation that there is room for them here.
We left the visit feeling encouraged. The Mayor listened. She asked thoughtful questions. And most importantly, action followed. Since the visit, we’ve been contacted by the City and invited to propose ideas on how Main Stage — and our community — can help ensure the JUNOs benefit Hamilton’s music ecosystem in a real and lasting way.
It starts in rooms like these.
And we’re grateful to have leaders willing to step inside and see it for themselves.