In 2014 City Showcase launched a new venue for a new three-day series of seminars, workshops and masterclasses entirely free – ‘Finding The Future’ – at the Apple Store, Regent Street, London, 13-15 November 2014. Working with Apple this created further brand endorsement as a central point of cutting edge music as well as creating a high profile platform and networking opportunity for songwriters and artists. It also created a launch-pad for newly signed artists and songwriters to showcase to the media. Programme below.
City Showcase announces ‘Finding The Future’ music seminar at Apple Store, Regent Street, London, 13-15 November 2014.
City Showcase has announced the first free music industry event encouraging enterprise, creativity, employment and debate in the entertainment sector. Finding The Future, will be held at the Apple Store on Regent Street, London W1 from Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th November 2014.
The 3-day event, which runs from 2pm to 8-30pm on each day, provides a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs and jobseekers to meet, speak to, learn from and share ideas with leading music industry experts and peers.
The panels and presentations include wide-ranging topics such as careers in A&R, music sales, songwriting and live music, as well as exploring the DIY ethos of the independent music market, including taking control of your career, online business models and brand partnerships. Key executives already lined up to chair, moderate and speak at panels include moderators Guy Fletcher (PRS for Music Chairman), Sean Devine (ASCAP), Paul Hutton (Metropolis Music), Matt Dixon (Band2Market), Tim Ingham (Music Week), Chris Cooke (CMU), Liz Stokes (Record of The Day), Nanette Rigg (City Showcase) and Oliver Tuercke (PRS For Music). Panellists include Alex Boateng (Island), Colin Barlow (RCA), Claire Horseman (Coda), Daniel Lloyd-Jones (Sony ATV), Ed Horrox (4AD), Eliot Kennedy (songwriter) Ivor Wilkins (Mama Group Jim Reid (Warner Chappell), Jo Charrington (Capitol), Mark Mulligan (MIDiA), Martin Goldschmidt (Cooking Vinyl), Ollie Hodge (Columbia), Rebecca Kane (The O2), Simon Williams (Fierce Panda), Stuart Galbraith (Kilimanjaro Live) and plus many more.
There will be daily performances from heavily tipped new acts between 8 and 8-30pm with songwriters and artists Tallia Storm (Virgin Records), Kimberly Anne (Polydor Records) and Nick Brewer (Island Records) performing and answering questions alongside their management, publishers and labels.
#FindingTheFuture.
Synopsis of panels and presentations.
A Lifetime In A&R (Careers) – moderated by Nanette Rigg (City Showcase), with senior A&R executives John Saunderson (NottingHill Music), Ed Horrox (4AD), Jo Charrington (Capitol Records UK), Daniel Lloyd-Jones (Sony ATV) and Ollie Hodge (Columbia Records).
Take Control Of Your Career: Your Business In 2014. Does It Make Sense? – presented by AIM Startups (Enterprise) – chaired by Tim Ingham (Music Week), with Martin Goldschmidt (Cooking Vinyl), Simon Williams (Fierce Panda) and Julie Weir (Visible Noise).
Business Models Online: Opportunities Explained and Discussed – presented by PRS for Music – candid insights from Mark Mulligan (MIDiA Research) and Oliver Tuercke (PRS for Music).
Love Music? Sell Music! Careers In Music Marketing, PR & Promotions (Careers) – moderated by Matt Dixon (Band2Market), with Julie Arnott (The O2), Kevin McCabe (Caroline/Universal) and Robert Wood (Parlophone).
BFF? Brand Partnerships: How Does It Really Work? (Enterprise) –moderated by Chris Cooke (CMU), with Dom Hodge (Frukt), Aislinn Fairbanks (Fairbanks Endorsements), Theo Gupta (MixRadio), Marc Robinson (Globe/Universal) and Daniel Mathieson (Barclaycard).
From Calvin Harris To James Blunt: How To Write A Hit Song? – moderated by Sean Devine (ASCAP), with Alex Boateng (Island Records), Paul Aiden (songwriter) and songwriter Eliot Kennedy (Gary Barlow).
Backstage Pass: A Career In Live Music (Careers) – focusing on live music and moderated by Paul Hutton (Metropolis Music) with Gemma Gilford (The Borderline), Rebecca Kane (The O2), Claire Horseman (Coda)
Live Music: The Lifeline Of The Music Industry? (Enterprise) – moderated by Liz Stokes (Record of the Day), with Stuart Galbraith (Kilimanjaro Live), Colin Barlow (RCA Records) and Ivor Wilkins (Mama Group).
Sell Me Your Song! How To Pitch Your Hit Song – moderated by Guy Fletcher, Chairman of PRS for Music, with Jim Reid (Warner Chappell) and Charles Kirby-Welch (Kartel Creative).
Meet The Artists and Hear Their Stories each day from 8pm:
Tallia Storm and Tessa Hartmann (manager)
Kimberly Anne and Matt Johnson (manager)
Nick Brewer and Alex Boateng (Island)
Quotes
Guy Fletcher (PRS for Music) ‘British music thrives on the world stage and the next generation of songwriters and entrepreneurs will drive the industry to further success in the decades ahead. This City Showcase event draws together some of the best business brains in the industry. PRS For Music is looking forward to joining Mark Mulligan and steering new talent through the dynamic and changing online music market.
Alison Wenham (AIM): “The music industry has evolved beyond all recognition in the 15 years since I started AIM, and understanding of the industry hasn’t quite kept up with the rapid changes. New businesses are vital for the industry, and seeing business models reinvented breathes new life into the whole scene. Events like this are so important in correcting assumptions, providing fuel for thought, and giving people a chance to get a glimpse of the wonderful reality of the music business”.
Martin Goldschmidt (Cooking Vinyl): ‘the music industry is a mysterious beast that many people (most spectacularly in recent years – guy hands) misunderstand. Events like these give people on the outside or ground floor a window to the experiences and insights of the professionals who having been living and breathing it for most of their professional lives’.
Rebecca Kane (The O2): ‘The live music industry in the UK has been a real success story over the last decade. Fans of all genres love the live experience. To continue to grow our industry and for the UK to retain pole position as the best place for live music, we need fresh talent helping us shape its future. This is why conferences such as City Showcase and events that help young people better understand and engage with the business are so important.’
Robert Wood (Parlophone): ‘Lots of people want to work in music but it can be hard to get a foot in the door. Hopefully this event will help to show people the different routes they can take to get into the industry and also the multitude of different kinds of jobs that are available within it ‘Robertson Taylor W&P Longreach ‘we are extremely pleased to support City Showcase in yet another successful year – their Finding the Future conference is another example of their year-round support of new artists which sets them aside from any other organisation & is absolutely what this industry needs’.
Live Performance and Q&A From Emerging Artists each day from 8pm (ARTIST PANEL INFO)
Virgin Records introducing Tallia Storm: 15 year old Tallia Storm has signed an international record deal with Virgin. In 2012 at the age of 12 she was ‘spotted’ by Elton John having handed her demo to David Furnish in a restaurant. Over the last 2 years she has grown her fanbase in the UK and the USA, the latter being one of the most challenging markets. Her phenomenal US press puts her regularly across teen fashion bibles who have already dubbed her a ‘teen style icon’. Q&A alongside Tessa Hartmann (Management, Hartmann Media).
Polydor Records introducing Kimberly Anne: South London artist Kimberly Anne is a unique breed. A cursory glance at her ever expanding Twitter profile shows a young lady not hugely interested in creating any sense of false mystique, preferring to breakdown any idea of a boundary between artist and fan. It’s made her a whole heap of new friends in the process. Q&A alongside Matt Johnson (Management, Redlight Management).
Island Records introducing Nick Brewer: With his successful performances at the Isle of Wight festival, Camden Crawl, Wireless and V Fest, a growing army of supporters are turning on to this assured, mature hip-hop/soul man whose been supported by The Guardian, MTV, Soul Culture, Clash, SBTV, MOBO and a host of other online tastemakers. Q&A alongside Alex Boateng (A&R, Island).