Australian Music Week is around the corner and we’re getting pretty excited. 2016 will be the music summit’s sophomore year and will see the Australian music industry converge on Cronulla in Sydney once again. The week-long conference includes band showcases, industry panels and workshops, and even a cheeky festival thrown in for good measure.
If you’re looking to break into the music industry, work in the industry and are keen to network, or you’re just a punter looking to see a bunch of amazing shows, you should head over to the Australian Music Week website to check out the program. 2016 is going to even bigger than last year, and here 10 events you can’t afford to miss.
Heading to Australian Music Week this year? It’s going to be a huge occasion for Aussie music. Here are 10 events you can’t afford to miss.
HiFi Days Festival
Alongside the main conference, Australian Music Week is putting on a huge bash called the HiFi Days Festival on Sunday to wrap up the week. They’ve wrangled some killer bands to play including the Delta Riggs, The Tea Party’s Jeff Martin with Terepai Richmond, Bootleg Rascal, Letters To Lions and Betty & Oswald. There will also heaps of bars and food stalls. It’s free and all ages too.
Studios 301 Present: Demo To Master – The Producer Panel
If you’re a producer, or are looking to get into professional production, this one’s for you. Presented by Studios 301, this panel will take an in-depth look at the processes behind production from an industry perspective: looking at juggling the expectations of labels, the artist, their management and the market all at once. Speakers will include Ron Haryanto, Antonia Gauci, Jeff Martin, Daniel Antix Malesev, Simon Cohen and Jack Prest. Find out more here.
Grant Funding Now
Government grants play a huge role in helping fund independent musicians and labels, and although arts funding has taken a few shaky turns in recent times it’s still a huge opportunity for many looking to get a leg up. Whether you’re a muso or a record label, this Q&A and info session will be a extremely enlightening.
The Rise of Sticky Fingers – In Conversation With Neal Hunt
Sticky Fingers are undoubtably one of the biggest bands in the country, but we remember when they couldn’t even get booked on Newtown Festival. How did they get where they are today? This conference will see their manager Neal Hunter recount the tale of their epic journey and there’s nothing more valuable than a bit of advice from someone who’s travelled the long road with a band. Find out more here.
Breaking An Artist Without Breaking Yourself
Being a manager isn’t easy – actually it’s one of the most demanding jobs in the music industry, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. This panel looks at successful managers and how they go about handling their artist’s career, managing priorities, developing goals and persevering through ups an downs. Find out more here.
Sounds Australia Presents: Best In Showcase
Australian Music Week is just one music industry conference of many across the world that are aimed at showcasing emerging talent and fostering opportunities within the realm of music. Bringing your artist to a huge international showcase like SXSW, The Great Escape or Canadian Music Week can be a big step, but these events are an excellent opportunity to break into the international music community.
This panel, led by the legends at Sounds Australia, looks at opportunities out there, how to tell if an artist is ready to go and how to maximise your time on the ground. Find out more here.
Approaching Radio
Getting played on radio is one of the most important components of an artist’s career, but it can be daunting process for the uninitiated. This event looks at how to approach radio, how to build relationships and the opportunities offered by both community and national radio. Super intersting for artists, managers and labels. Find out more here.
Oztix presents: Bums on Seats – The Event Marketing Landscape
This one is all about getting people to your shows, and looks at the process from a marketing perspective. The panel of event marketing authorities will look at marketing via social media and digital media, the press, plus trusty techniques like posters, flyers and word of mouth. Live music is increasingly competitive and you need to know about how to stand out. Find out more here.
The Copyright 101 Panel
Copyright, sync and publishing are slightly more advanced spheres within the music industry, but they all have huge potential for boosting an artist’s career in a big way. In this panel, copyright experts will share some of their sage advice on getting the most our of an artist’s valuable intellectual property. Find out more here.
Booking Agents’ Round Table
Securing a good booking agent is a crucial step in any artist’s career. This panel will see some of the country’s most prominent booking agents discuss the in’s and out’s of what they do, the climate of booking live performance in 2016 and the issues they face trying to book shows for their artists. Find out more here.
Australian Music Week kicks off on November 2nd and runs until Sunday. Be sure to check out the conference schedule here, plus the massive artist lineup here.
Get your tickets here.
For more information on upcoming events in your city, check out our gig guide.
While you’re here, check out our piece on how to promote your band too.
