SWIMMING AWARDED SIXTH-ANNUAL MUSICNL MUSICIAN-IN-RESIDENCE

June 18, 2026June 18, 2026Tamara KaterUncategorized

St. John’s, NL – MusicNL, in partnership with Landfall Trust of Brigus andGenoa Design International, is excited to unveil their sixth-annual Musician-in-Residence. The Musician-in-Residence program is an opportunity which offers NL musicians dedicated time, space, and compensation to retreat and focus on writing new music.

St. John’s-based emo band Swimming has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the program. Swimming will spend two weeks, from August 1-14, at the historic 200-year-old Kent Cottage, a Landfall Preserve and Provincial Heritage Site in Brigus, NL, surrounded by 11 acres of untamed coastline and pristine, undeveloped natural lands.

Swimming will use this unique opportunity for focused, creative thought to work on material for their next album. As the 2026 Musician-in-Residence, Swimming will undertake the residency in a space designed for both living and creative development. They will receive a weekly stipend, as they spend time writing in one of the most inspiring areas of the province. During the residency, Swimming will also perform and share their incredible talent with residents of Brigus through community outreach.

This retreat will provide Swimming with the protected time, space, and resources needed to focus entirely on songwriting and artistic development. By removing financial barriers, the project makes dedicated creative time more accessible to Newfoundland and Labrador artists, allowing them to invest in their work without the competing demands of daily life and employment. Concentrated time to focus on writing and reflection can yield creative breakthroughs that are often impossible to achieve through fragmented periods of work. This ends up resulting in new material, renewed artistic momentum, and a stronger sense of creative direction.

“New music means new recordings, new releases, and new opportunities to reach audiences — building the kind of catalogue and career momentum that drives a sustainable music industry in Newfoundland and Labrador,” says Tamara Kater, Executive Director of MusicNL. “None of it would be possible without the generous support of Genoa Design International and Landfall Trust of Brigus.”

The residency also contributes to a growing legacy of music created through this initiative, with previous residents including Rube & Rake, Nico Paulo, Ana Luísa Ramos, Ian Foster, and Katie Baggs, all developing and recording new work inspired by their time in Brigus. Many of these releases have earned awards and garnered national recognition through award nominations. Swimming will build on this legacy, adding their own artistic voice to a growing catalogue of music shaped by place, reflection, and creative immersion. Music to the previous albums that were created as part of the Musician-in-Residence program can be found in this playlist.

“Genoa is proud to support the arts in Newfoundland and Labrador, and we couldn’t be happier to contribute to MusicNL’s Musician-in-Residence program.”

— Luke Joyce, Director of Communications and Marketing, Genoa Design International

“Landfall Trust is honoured to welcome Swimming to Kent Cottage for this year’s residency. In partnership with MusicNL, this program reflects our commitment to preserving this historic home and its surrounding natural beauty, while supporting artists with the time and space to create. We’re proud to be part of a collaboration that nurtures creativity in such a unique and storied setting.”

— Ana Luísa Ramos, Board Member, Landfall Trust of Brigus

“We are a band that is used to sleeping on floors and making records in basements, so we are incredibly honoured that MusicNL, Landfall Trust & Genoa Design have graciously given us the time to work on new music in one of the province’s most beautiful historic spaces. Our identity as a band is inextricably connected to our home province of Newfoundland and Labrador and we hope that the Brigus atmosphere will put its own stamp on these new recordings. We’ll try not to turn our amps up too loud.”

— Swimming

ABOUT MUSICNL

MusicNL is the voice of the music sector and industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. As a non-profit trade association, MusicNL fosters business, grows exports, supports music entrepreneurs and shines a spotlight on all facets of music in the province. Through its programs and services, MusicNL provides information, education, communication, advocacy, industry development, and networking opportunities to nurture, develop and promote the growth and sustainability of the local music industry. Its marquee annual event, MusicNL Week, brings together an awards gala, conference, industry gathering and music festival.

For more information about MusicNL please visit: https://www.musicnl.ca

ABOUT GENOA DESIGN INTERNATIONAL

Genoa Design International has been providing production design and 3D modeling services to the shipbuilding and offshore industries from here in Newfoundland and Labrador since 1995. In that time, we’ve become one of the most sought-after production design firms in the North American shipbuilding market, with a commitment to quality as a recent ISO 9001:2015 certified organization. With collaboration as the cornerstone of our work, we approach every day with a focus on our core values: Put People First, Create Lasting Relationships, Make a Difference, Own It, Live Well, and Never Stand Still. Our customers tell us that our employees’ daily demonstration of these values sets Genoa apart from competitors.

For more information about Genoa Design International, please visit: https://genoadesign.com/

ABOUT THE LANDFALL TRUST OF BRIGUS

The Landfall Trust is a registered charity established in 2005 through the legacy of the late Bradley Jacob Folensbee, Jr. (Jake). The Trust owns and oversees the undeveloped 11-acre Landfall Preserve, a provincial heritage site with its 200-year-old Kent Cottage, in the coastal community of Brigus, Newfoundland and Labrador, where Jake’s seasonal residence for 51 years.

For more information about Landfall Trust, please visit: http://www.landfalltrust.org/index.php

ABOUT Swimming

Swimming channels mathy Midwest emo from the eastern edge of Canada, blending angular drums, noodly guitars, and earnest vocals into songs shaped by life in Newfoundland and Labrador. Their music explores isolation, nostalgia, weather, small-community dynamics, and the emotional experience of growing up on the island. Newfoundland remains central to the band’s artistic identity, appearing not only in their lyrics but also throughout their album art, merchandise, music videos, and use of samples. The DIY culture of St. John’s has been foundational to Swimming’s growth and continues to shape their creative direction.

For more information about Swimming please visit: