News

Artist Development & Sources of Finance – Guest Speakers Confirmed

22 July 2013

We are pleased to announce guest speakers for the next stand alone module in this year’s MPA/MMF Professional Development Programme, taking place on the evening of Monday 5th August in central London.

To book your place now contact  angela@mmf-training.com. MMF members save 50% on module fees.

GUEST SPEAKERS:

  • MALCOLM DUNBAR (MD, PledgeMusic: www.pledgemusic.com) Malcolm was also A&R Director at 3 majors & 2 leading independents with career sales exceeding 40 million albums – from artists too numerous to list here!
  • JOHN ARNISON (MD, John Arnison Music & Media) John is one of the UK’s longest serving & successful artist managers – with invaluable experience of raising finance in support of artists’ projects & careers (both via traditional industry partners and more recently from a range of “alternative” sources). Artists he has worked with have also sold in excess of 30 million albums (again too many to list here – including Status Quo, Aswad, Rozalla, Gabrielle, Talvin Singh, Yusuf Islam and many more!)
  • JONNY DAWSON (Artist Manager, ATC Management: www.atcmanagement.com – clients include Treetop Flyers & The Hics)

SUBJECTS COVERED:

  • Funding & Financial Support: sources & options available
  • The Practical Process of Raising Finance: all levels – from 1st contact to exit
  • Investor and Funder aims, objectives, duties & obligations
  • Understanding Fan-Funded Projects & Campaign Management
  • Taking Care of Business: Project & Business Development
  • Legal Requirements & Working with Professional Advisors
  • Intellectual Property, Roles & Rewards: ownership & income participation
  • Rights Management & Revenue Distribution
  • Communications, Decision-Making & Reporting
  • Predictable Pitfalls & Opportunities

TIME: 6.30pm (prompt) – 9.30pm
VENUE: PRS For Music, 6th Floor Boardroom, Copyright House, 29/33 Berners St,  London, W1T 3AB.
PRICE: MMF members pay just £40.00 per module incl. VAT (standard price  £80.00 per module)
BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW:  contact angela@mmf-training.com.

Module background:

In 2013, the ladder of opportunity (at every level) to access finance to develop creative, innovative projects & business opportunities, forge new relationships with traditional partners, plus direct relationships with music users or between artists and communities of their fans is arguably more exciting than ever.

The first half of this next evening session focuses on the practical realities of accessing alternative finance in 2013. We explore the opportunities, issues and challenges presented by the growing number of sector-specific sources of finance – from crowd-sourced/fan-funded platforms, private & public sector opportunities through to VCTs. Together with a number of current government-approved tax efficient investment schemes to attract investors to the music industry, plus available support from both new & traditional music industry trading partners, the “glass ceiling” of Access to Finance has finally been removed – if predictable problems are to be avoided!

The second half of the evening then provides an update on and analysis of the often controversial and sensitive “internal” decisions needed to be made and agreed with all involved before considering how to fund business ventures or projects in the music industry – decisions that if not addressed early enough may lead to expensive legal action in the longer term.

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