Since its founding in 1973, Vancouver New Music has been regarded as Western Canada's major producer of contemporary music and sonic art and is dedicated to the outstanding performance of the music of our time. Throughout the course of the year, VNM presents special event concerts, an annual festival in the third week of October and concert series with events on the first three Thursdays in March (changed to April for the 2010 season). Further activities lectures and workshops with visiting artists, ensemble workshops and presentations open to the community, and other sound art and new music related community events, such as Soundwalks and Sonic Playground (the latter is co-produced with Western Front New Music and NOW Orchestra).