Business News Education & Events The Great Escape 2013

Great Escape convention programme now live

By | Published on Thursday 2 May 2013

Chris Coke

With just two weeks to go now until kick off at this year’s Great Escape, Europe’s biggest showcase festival and music industry convention, the full schedule has been published for the CMU Insights-programmed conference side of the proceedings, including the panels, the conversations, the networking and the parties. You can check the schedule on the TGE website.

CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke (pictured), who leads on the programming of the TGE Convention, says: “After yet another eventful year in the music business, there is plenty to cover at this year’s Great Escape, those three days in the calendar when music business professionals from across the world can come together to reflect, learn and debate”.

“Here in the UK, the future of music retail has probably been the biggest headline-grabber so far this year, and with that in mind we are excited to welcome Rough Trade co-Owner Stephen Godfroy as one of our keynote speakers. He will explain how his business has defied the odds and his vision for the future of Rough Trade Retail, before joining [PIAS] UK MD Pete Thompson, Independent Label Market founder Joe Daniel and entertainment retail specialist Rob Salter to consider the future of entertainment retail at large”.

“Another theme at this year’s TGE is funding, finance and the new ways artists are doing deals with music companies. As part of that we will host the official launch of Arts Council England’s Momentum Music Fund and a panel considering how other countries have successfully nurtured new talent through similar initiatives. I’ll also speak to Remi Harris about a new MusicTank research programme on access to finance in the music space, and to three inspiring managers about innovative new deals they have struck up for their artists, with a focus on Nick Cave, Madness and Deaf Havana”.

“Our sessions in The Old Courtroom are also themed, with a Focus On Data & Discovery on Thursday, and a Focus On Music Marketing on Friday, the latter also including some of our internationally themed sessions, considering how to break artists in new markets. And in addition to all our panels, don’t forget our more informal conversations programme, which includes Brighton Dome show headliners Everything Everything in conversation with Xfm’s John Kennedy, Seymour Stein and Korda Marshall leading a debate on the art of A&R, and Billy Bragg taking part in John Robb’s Pop Question Time”.

“Korda and Billy will also be sharing words of wisdom with the next generation of music talent via our Focus On DIY strand on Saturday, which I am particularly looking forward to. For any grass-roots artists, new managers or music entrepreneurs, this day is going to be packed with invaluable advice and insights from leading artists and industry people”.

With The Great Escape now very much on the horizon, CMU will be posting reports and updates each day, available in the CMU Daily and on the TGE Convention Blog on theCMUwebsite.com. Meanwhile, though festival tickets have just sold out, a small number of delegates passes are still on sale at £175 – buy yours while you can.



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