As The Great Escape Festival has come to an end over the past weekend it’s only fitting that one of our graduates was named to be in the festival’s new professional development programme for young adults starting their career in this industry.
Our graduate, Jamie Ford, founder of Honeymooner Records/Presents and graduate of Music Promotion, was put forward for this programme by the Association of Independent Promoters along with others to make a grand total of thirty independent promoters.
What does this mean? The festival itself has a mixture of music conferences ranging from how to get into the industry to what it’s like running your own company. However, Rory Bett, CEO of TGE promoter MAMA festivals gave some light upon what this means for the selected promoters and how it will help them.
“The 30 people who get to participate in the core programme will include artists, managers, promoters, label executives and educators. Participants will be nominated by trade groups like the Association Of Independent Music, the Association Of Independent Promoters, the Featured Artists Coalition, the Music Venue Trust, Creative & Cultural Skills and the Music Managers Forum and then selected by the TGE team.”
Following on by explaining that “Other early-career delegates will also benefit from TGE Elevate with a series of new Elevate Seminars – presented by CMU – that are open to all TGE Conference attendees, plus an Elevate Guide will be available online offering tips galore about how to get the most out of showcase festivals and music conferences.”
It’s great to see our graduates working hard in the industry, but to be selected for a programme and to shine a light on their work? We can’t complain at that. This is all happening whilst Jamie has just had his biggest show put together through Honeymooner Records/Presents with Fat White Family headlining The 1865.
He explained that “It’s a busy one on other levels this year too – both acts I manage will be playing (Mystic Peach at Jubilee Square, Fri 10.30pm – Hotel Lux at The Deep End beach site Sat 6.15pm for The Quietus”
As the festival has just finished and has had nothing but praises this year it’s great to see festivals, companies and more showing independent promoters and how they can make an impact in this industry.