A record number of UK companies are receiving support to attend this year's South By South West festival in Austin, Texas thanks to an initiative from the Association Of Independent
Music, backed by UK Trade & Investment, a government organisation that provides support services for UK companies trading overseas.
Labels and music companies receiving some financial assistance in their promotion at the convention include Bella Union, Cherry Red,
Cooking Vinyl, Drowned in Sound, Fat Fox, Mercenary PR, Moshi
Moshi Records, Muirhead Management, No Half Measures, Record of the Day, Sincere Management, Smekkleysa/Bad Taste SM, The
Band Agency, The Sound Foundation, Truck Records, UZ Events and Wichita.
All in all no less than 56 UK companies will be on show at the convention this year, with bands like American Music Club, Best Fwends,
Bikini Atoll, Black Moses, Blanche, Bloc Party, Heavy Deviance,
Freedom Republic, Hobotalk, Hot Chip, Jawbone, Jetscreamer,
Khus, Mary Lou Lord, Mandarin, Midlake, Anna Neale, Nizlopi,
SKE, The Arlenes, The Cribs, The Czars, The Dears, Martha Wainright and Willard Grant Conspiracy among those appearing in showcases.
Commenting on the funding programme, Phil Patterson of UK Trade & Investment told CMU: "We are very pleased to continue our support for the British delegation at South by South West for the third year running and particularly pleased to be supporting directly
56 companies through our International Business Scheme, attending via the AIM trade mission to the event. We are also delighted to be involved in the largest ever programme of British events taking place in Austin, to highlight the continued strength and depth of British music, artists and composers available to the world!"
AIM boss Alison Wenham added: "With SxSW establishing itself as the most important event in the international A&R calendar, it's increasingly important that promising new acts have the opportunity to attend. And these grants are helping more British companies to showcase their acts at SxSW each year."