CMU INSIGHTS EVENTS HUB
The CMU+TGE Sessions
A music business conference curated by CMU at The Great Escape each May
The Great Escape is the festival for new music, taking place in Brighton every May, and showcasing and championing the best new talent from all over the world, while also bringing together music industry professionals from every strand of the global music business.
Those industry delegates also have access to the four-day TGE Conference, at the heart of which is the CMU+TGE Sessions, a programme curated and presented by the team at CMU.
The 2023 edition of The Great Escape will take place from 10-13 May, with the CMU+TGE Sessions putting the spotlight on education, deals and the creator economy. Check out the full programme of CMU curated sessions below.
The CMU team also curate and present a series of keynote conversations as part of the TGE Conference programme. Check out more details about the conversations confirmed so far below.
Click here to access the TGE Conference website.
Click here to buy TGE delegate and conference passes.
A full day of talks, discussions, case studies and insights on music and education curated by CMU – on Wednesday 10 May 2023.
THE BASICS…
CMU and The Great Escape once again bring together music educators and the music industry to put the spotlight on the best ways to support future music talent, both on-stage and behind the scenes.
We will ask how the music industry can help deliver the new National Plan For Music Education in England, how online content and digital education platforms are changing how people learn, and how traditional educators can work alongside digital educators to deliver maximum value.
Plus, what skills are needed in the music business today, what skills will be in demand in the future, and how can education and industry ensure that young people develop the skills they need to succeed?
THE SCHEDULE…
10.00-10.30 THE NEW NATIONAL PLAN FOR MUSIC EDUCATION
In June 2022, the UK government published its new National Plan For Music Education in England. What even is a National Plan? And why does it matter?
CMU tells the story so far and brings in expert insight to help educators and industry understand how they can work together to deliver world class music education.
While the National Plan focuses on formal education – and in particular schools and hubs – learning is not just about what happens in the classroom. We look at how the National Plan lays the foundations for the wider evolution of music education in England and across the UK.
10.30-11.00 WHAT DOES THE NATIONAL PLAN ACTUALLY SAY?
What does the National Plan actually say about supporting young people who want to pursue a career in music or the wider creative industries? A range of experts from education and industry contribute their insight and interpretation of what the National Plan really means.
Using this as a conversation starter, we will examine how schools, education hubs, talent development programmes and other organisations can collaboratively deliver the objectives of the National Plan, and how practitioners from the wider music industry can add value.
11.00-11.30 BUILDING LOCAL MUSIC ECOSYSTEMS
The National Plan says that music education hubs should work with local music employers and organisations to create “stronger connections between music education and progression into musical careers”. What does this really mean? And how can hubs effectively execute this vision?
We know that a vital part of achieving that objective is mapping music education and the music industry at a local and regional level.
Doing this gives hubs, educators, industry and other stakeholders a clear view of their local music ecosystem allowing them to identify what makes their area unique, and to draw everyone together to nurture and support creative talent locally and regionally, and across the country.
We will look at best practices for this and discuss how great mapping can drive educational excellence and help develop the next generation of music talent.
11.45-12.00 ALGORITHMS, AI & EDUCATORS
Are teachers going to be replaced by ChatGPT and other AI tools? Are algorithms influencing the evolution of music education? And are educators able to match the high octane experience of TikTok, YouTube and other digital content?
Online tools and resources now play a key part in music education – both for educators and learners. We look at what education online looks like, what content aspiring music-makers or industry professionals might encounter, and how they might find it. And at the role the search box plays and what educators need to understand about online content and trends.
CMU presents original research giving an overview of the content, communities and platforms early-career music-makers are now utilising online.
12.00-12.30 MEET THE ONLINE EDUCATORS
How do the people making and delivering educational content online go about developing their materials and finding an audience – and what does the business of online education look like?
We get the inside view on how online education really works from the creators making the content that the next generation of music-makers and industry leaders are consuming – and ask how what they do fits into the bigger picture.
12.30-12.45 BEATING THE SEARCH BOX
More than 86% of Gen Z say that they have engaged in online learning – which has big implications for the future of education.
Whether that’s formal online courses, MOOCs, or informal learning via TikTok, YouTube, podcasts and other media, it’s essential for educators to understand what is happening online, and how they can connect what they do in the classroom with the content their students are consuming elsewhere.
Through original research and expert insight we look at how teachers, tutors and other educators can keep up to date and better sign-post credible learning content and opportunities online, as well as how to build on what is available digitally to maximise the in-person educational experience.
Before and after lunch, join us for two keynote in conversations.
14.30-15.00 PATHWAYS INTO MUSIC: JOBS & CAREERS
The new National Plan For Music Education notes that teachers, parents and carers are often “concerned that music is an uncertain industry”, going on to say that more needs to be done to show that careers in music can be “sustainable and rewarding”.
With help from a selection of industry execs and music business entrepreneurs, we look at what those careers are, how people get there, what educators can do to showcase these options, and how the industry can help make the idea of a career in music seem less risky.
15.00-15.30 FUTURE SKILLS, FUTURE KNOWLEDGE
What skills are in demand in today’s music business – and what skills are going to be essential in the future? Aligning with the National Plan’s vision for 2030, we look at what educators should be focusing on to equip today’s teenagers for a career in music in the 2030s and beyond.
We ask employers from across the sector what they need today and what they see on the horizon; and examine how teachers, lecturers and tutors at all levels can ensure their students are leaving education ready for the realities of tomorrow’s industry.
15.45-16.30 BACK TO THE BLACKBOARD: EVOLVING MUSIC BUSINESS EDUCATION
Presenting original research showing the current music business education landscape at college and university level – and beyond – we look at what we are teaching, how we are teaching it, and why.
How should music business programmes keep up with the rapid evolution of the industry, and how can industry and educators work together to create future industry leaders? Joined by educators, employers and academics, we join the dots across education and industry.
16.30-17.00 LIGHTBULB MOMENTS: ASK THE MUSIC-MAKERS
We sit down with a range of music-makers in an informal end-of-day conversation asking “what one thing do you wish you’d known at the start of your career?” – and “what have you learnt more recently that has really changed your game?”
These sorts of lightbulb moments can change and define careers: how can educators and industry surface and share this sort of knowledge on an ongoing basis?
A full day of talks, discussions, case studies and insights on music and deals curated by CMU – on Thursday 11 May 2023.
THE BASICS…
CMU and The Great Escape review how deals are being done in the music business today.
We will identify and dissect the deals that best help artists achieve their objectives, consider the different options artists now have when selecting and negotiating with their business partners, and look at how the evolution of consumption is informing deals around particular rights.
We will also ask what that evolution of consumption means for the music industry’s digital deals in the future – and will investigate how samples and interpolations are delivering new licensing opportunities for songwriters and music publishers.
THE SCHEDULE…
10.00-11.00 THE ARTIST BUSINESS IN 2023: RIGHTS, REVENUES & REACH
The modern artist business is powered by music, but also incorporates a lot more.
The rights, revenues and reach that artists create are valuable assets and the foundation of the deals they do with a wide range of business partners. Each of those assets can present attractive opportunities for different types of partners in the music industry and beyond, but each has its own complexities.
We’ll look at those rights, revenues and opportunities to reach audiences in detail, and how they come together as part of the artist business in 2023.
Our expert guests will then discuss:
• Recordings and songs – and the specific revenues and remuneration rights attached to them.
• Image rights, publicity rights and trademarks, and how they form an increasingly important part of the artist business as technology drives ever more rapid evolution in consumer behaviour.
• Relationships artists have with fans and wider audiences – and the data generated by them.
11.00-11.30 ACCELERATING THE ARTIST BUSINESS: WHAT ARTISTS NEED
Artists are creative entrepreneurs running their own artist businesses. Like any entrepreneur they need access to infrastructure and investment that allows them to fulfil their creative, commercial and personal objectives, helping their businesses to thrive.
While technology has helped make it possible for artists to grow successful businesses outside the traditional models, the industry still has a crucial role to play and has evolved in turn, developing new ways of working with artists to help them drive maximum benefit from their creative output and fulfil their creative vision.
We look at the landscape of services, investment, expertise and support offered by music companies, and ask how do artists work out what they need most at each stage of their career?
11.45-12.45 ARTISTS & DEALS: THE LANDSCAPE
To grow their businesses, artists need expertise, money, distribution and traction.
Though, as the music business has evolved, artists are more keen than ever to keep control of their copyrights and ownership of the relationships they have with their fans and other audiences.
We look at the “minimum viable product” deals that artists need to operate in the modern marketplace, and then at the more extensive relationships most artists look to pursue with their key music industry business partners, and how those relationships – and the deals that formalise them – have changed in recent years.
We’ll speak to experts who sit on both sides of the deal-making table about the new kinds of service providers, business partners and deals that are now available to artists, and consider what is now leading change and helping disrupt the traditional deal-making process.
Before and after lunch, join us for two keynote in conversations.
14.30-14.45 SPEED BRIEFING: WORKING WITH MUSIC, WHO CONTROLS WHAT?
The music rights and revenues landscape has never been more complex.
If you’re a brand, media owner, digital platform or technology company wanting to harness the power of music, collaborate with artists and connect with the unique and valuable audiences those artists are talking to, you need to understand who controls what and where the deals need to be done.
CMU gives a rapid run down of who sits where and who you need to talk to.
14.45-15.45 PLATFORMS & CONSUMPTION: DIGITAL INNOVATION & TRENDS IN 2023
“We’re competing with sleep”, said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings when talking about the challenges of growing market share for the video streaming service – and for the music industry, both challenges and opportunities will increasingly come from other entertainment services.
As consumers reach entertainment saturation and with music streaming user-growth levelling off in major markets, realising the full potential of digital will require the music industry to work with a wider range of platforms, services and digital products.
The next phase of growth – and next frontier of innovation – in the digital market will be driven by platforms that complement rather than directly compete with on-demand streaming, where music is part of a wider experience rather than the destination.
We look at how that changing market might impact on labels, distributors, publishers and collecting societies, and the deals that are being done in this fast moving space to capitalise on the opportunity to get music in front of consumers in new contexts.
16.00-17.00 SYNC, SAMPLES, STEMS & INTERPOLATIONS: LICENSING EVOLUTION & TRENDS IN 2023
There are more opportunities than ever for rights owners to generate additional income from their catalogues. We take a birds eye view of the opportunities and the licensing deals that are facilitating growth.
As the subscription video, UGC and gaming sectors continue to grow, what opportunities do these rapidly evolving markets offer the music industry and how are sync deals adapting to that evolution?
Plus, how are samples and stems being licensed – and how are they generating revenue? And what opportunities have been created by the recent rise in interpolations – where hits from the past are given new life within newly created songs?
Our expert guests look at the opportunities for labels, publishers, artists and songwriters.
A full day of talks, discussions, case studies and insights on music and the creator economy curated by CMU – on Friday 12 May 2023.
THE BASICS…
CMU and The Great Escape put the spotlight on the wider creator economy.
We’ll dissect and discuss the growing number of tools, platforms and market-places being used by creators of music to write, record and iterate music, to facilitate collaborations, and to generate new income from their creative expertise. And we’ll look at what being part of the creator economy can mean for musicians – as both creators and consumers.
Plus, we’ll review the digital tools and platforms that help frontline artists – and other creators in and beyond music – to grow their fanbases and monetise the fan relationship.
THE SCHEDULE…
10.00-10.30 THE ARTIST BUSINESS IN 2023: THE CREATOR ECOSYSTEM
More than 200 million people define themselves as creators – and they power a creator economy that’s worth more than $100 billion. However, a minority of those creators make a full-time living, with the majority generating small amounts of money or creating content driven by passion rather than income.
Tapping into the latest stats and trends, CMU presents a guide to help you navigate and understand the creator economy, taking a look at the platforms, tools and innovations that are driving growth and engagement.
We will then look at what this means for music – for artists, songwriters and other music-makers. What platforms and tools are enabling musical creation and driving new music revenues – and what lessons can the music industry learn from the booming creator landscape?
10.30-11.30 CREATION, COLLABORATION, PLATFORMS & MARKETPLACES
A wide range of digital tools, platforms and marketplaces are changing the way we make music, and are bringing together artists, songwriters, producers and other music-makers from around the world, enabling collaborative music-making at a whole new level.
What does the creation/collaboration landscape look like in 2023 and how might it evolve in the future?
We look at how music-makers are using cutting edge tools to streamline their creative processes, build their businesses and generate new revenues – and, in particular, how songwriters, producers and beatmakers can identify and secure collaborations and opportunities that allow them to build successful careers.
With input from expert guests and insight from their case studies, we’ll examine how artists are using platforms to create, what the deals powering the collaboration/creation space look like, and how an increasing number of music-makers are building successful “behind the scenes” careers.
11.45-12.15 BEATS, SAMPLES & STEMS: CREATOR RIGHTS & REVENUES
We take a deep dive into musical creation marketplaces where beats, samples and stems are bought and sold, looking at all the revenues, rights and innovations.
We’ll consider what happens when artists collaborate online – what legal and copyright questions are raised when buying or selling beats, samples and stems – and how this thorny issue can become even more complex when collaborations are drawing on multiple elements sourced from numerous countries.
We ask the experts what music-makers and their business partners need to consider when they are buying and selling musical elements in digital marketplaces – or making music that utilises beats, stems and samples produced by other creators online.
12.15-12.45 MUSIC & CREATOR TECHNOLOGY
New technologies continue to make it easier to compose, produce, record and release music, while new digital platforms are changing the ways people consume and interact with the music that is released.
We look at the challenges and opportunities presented by these innovations – and in particular how generative AI is opening an entirely new debate around music, creation and copyright.
Artists, managers and legal experts weigh in, helping identify what this might mean for the future of music-making and how the music business can rise to the challenge.
Before and after lunch, join us for two keynote in conversations.
14.30-15.30 BEYOND THE BEAT: WHAT THE MUSIC BUSINESS CAN LEARN FROM OTHER CREATOR INDUSTRIES
Music creation is just one part of the creator economy – there are obviously many more creators growing audiences and making and monetising content that has nothing to do with music.
We look at how these creators are generating income and nurturing relationships with fans and other audiences – and we identify the revenue streams and commercial opportunities underpinning the business of creation.
We’ll review monetisation strategies in detail, looking at ad income, brand partnerships, advertorial, product placement, merch, tips, donations, subscriptions and premium content. What can the music industry learn from what is happening elsewhere?
Plus how is the music industry embracing the tactics and trends of online creators and influencers to find, engage, inspire, interact and connect with new audiences. What does this mean in practical terms – and what content is required beyond music?
15.45-16.45 CREATING MAGIC: THE NEW FAN RELATIONSHIP
The rapid evolution of consumption and new digital platforms has created huge opportunities for artists to connect with new audiences, nurture relationships with fans, and develop new revenue streams.
Ten years ago the “direct to fan” business was focused on direct sales of physical discs, merchandise and tickets. Today, the business model offers a wider range of products, services and opportunities that artists and creators can use to offer fans unique content and experiences.
We look at the platforms and products that are driving next generation growth, the data they generate, and how first party data gives artists and creators power to innovate.
The CMU team also curate and present a series of keynote conversations at TGE with leading executives, entrepreneurs, creators and innovators from across the music community.
The keynote conversations confirmed so far for 2023 include…
Musician, broadcaster, Chair of BPI and Chair of Youth Music YOLANDA BROWN, who will discuss her career as a music-maker, and her ground-breaking work encouraging, educating and supporting the next generation of music talent.
Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter, producer and recently re-elected President of the PRS Members’ Council MICHELLE ESCOFFERY, will also discuss her career in music and her creator advocacy role at PRS For Music, as well as what early-career music-makers actually need to focus on to pursue a successful career in the industry.
Promoter and Afro Nation co-founder SMADE, who will tell the story of the creation, evolution and global expansion of the Afro Nation festival, and his work promoting and supporting afrobeats music and culture via his SMADE Entertainment business.
Ticketmaster’s EVP of Global Music DAVID MARCUS, who will discuss the latest trends, innovations and opportunities in the live music and ticketing sector, including how new data technologies and services can help promoters, venues and artists better plan and market their shows, and build stronger connections with their audiences.
