RBC Black Diamond Ball 10th Anniversary Kicks Off with The Vocalist Singing Competition and Empowering Workshops
Momentum builds for the Ball with competitions, over $17,000 in cash prizes, and industry workshops
January 27, 2025 (Toronto, ON) - The RBC Black Diamond Ball is set to celebrate its milestone 10th anniversary with a dynamic lineup of events empowering local artists, supporting small business and fostering community growth. The festivities begin with the RBC workshops at RBC The Well, 8 Spadina Avenue on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 6 PM, followed by The Vocalist singing competition and the Black Diamond Ball Launch Party at The Pearl, 184 Pearl Street on Friday, January 31, 2025 starting at 6:30PM.
The RBC Black Diamond Ball Workshops will bring together entrepreneurs, professionals and creatives for an evening focused on showcasing and collaborating with other businesses. Attendees will gain actionable strategies in real estate and finance, networking with BIPOC businesses, opportunities to present their ideas during The Pitch, and connect with like-minded professionals through networking.
“Celebrating a decade of the Black Diamond Ball is an incredible milestone. We’ve seen the Ball grow not only in size, but in its impact, and this year’s events reflect our continued commitment to supporting Black culture, businesses, and emerging talent,” exclaimed Black Diamond Ball Founder Shawn Cuffie, who is also the VP of Operations for ArtXPeriential Projects, producers of the Ball.
Below is the workshop schedule:
Workshop 1: Mortgage Strategies in Today’s Market
Presented by Wesley Maynard & Soonyoung Kwon, RBC Mortgage Specialists
Workshop 2: Investment Best Practices
Presented by Jermaine Thornhill, RBC Investment and Retirement PlannerSession 3: The Pitch
15 entrepreneurs present their business ideas in 2-minute pitches.
On January 31st, The Vocalist, an electrifying singing competition will take place. Ten singers will have just 90 seconds to impress the judges and audience as they compete for over $17,000 in cash prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000.
The Vocalist will be hosted by Hollywood Jade from RuPaul’s Drag Race. The judges are: Sean Jones, Juno-award winner; Tracy McNamara, Creative Director at Red Brick Music Publishing; Kaye Parker, Client Services Manager at Departure TO; and Simone Denny, Dance Music Icon. This electrifying singing competition begins at 8:00 PM.
“Ahead of the competition, participants will have the opportunity to attend the International Music workshop hosted by Tracy McNamara as well as the Breaking into the Music Industry Workshop hosted by Sean Jones,” shared Cuffie. “This will be a phenomenal opportunity for all who participate as well as the audience that gets to witness stars in the making!”
The RBC Black Diamond Ball Workshop Experience aims to increase visibility and showcase Black arts, small businesses, and BIPOC/LGBTQIA2S+ communities. The series will promote collaboration, amplify young Black voices in arts and culture, and reflect the diverse voices in the community. The workshops focus on strengthening business owners and supporting emerging artists, offering them opportunities to break through barriers in their sector.
“This is a significant year for the Black Diamond Ball and at RBC, we are so proud to support and be part of something that champions artistic and entrepreneurial excellence. I’m also excited for year two of the Vocalist, which isn’t just a competition, but a platform that creates opportunities for artists to shine and share their unique voices,” said Wayne Griffith, Vice President of Commercial Financial Services at RBC.
Black Diamond Ball B-roll
Media Contact:
Fennella Bruce | FKB Media Solutions | 647.290.7610 | fennella@fkbmedia.com
About The Black Diamond Ball
Not-for-profit ArtXperiential Projects produces the Black Diamond Ball, which was founded in 2015 to celebrate Black culture, showcase artists, support Black youth and Black-owned businesses across Canada.
The Black Diamond Ball brings together the community and its supporters to celebrate the conclusion of Black History Month and accomplishments of the community. We do this by honouring youth and pillars of the community with awards, showcasing community businesses in a marketplace and by giving emerging and professional community artists a platform to perform and entertain before a combined audience of over 75,000 televised and in-person attendees.
Each year we put forth this signature Black History Month event to support important initiatives, artists, small businesses and to celebrate the Black community’s achievements. We’re excited to explore and celebrate our vibrant cultures and creative communities. We know that championing diversity, inclusion and equality gives us all the sense of belonging, thus encouraging our communities to thrive in a meaningful way year-round.
ABOUT RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 98,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 18 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.