Live Music, Promotion & Venue Management

Tuesday 20th March & 17th April 2012
10.30am – 4.30pm

Despite the economic challenges that lie ahead, 2012 could be a breakthrough year for small venues across the UK. With reforms to the Licensing Act set to ease the live sector and the appetite for big ticket arena concerts on the wane, there's no better time for small venue operators and promoters to update their knowledge, refresh their skills and drive new business.

Generator, in association with The Bunker, are proud to bring MusicTank’s live music seminars to the region. Tutored by Andy Inglis, respected co-creator and manager of London venue The Luminaire, the seminars are designed as a much needed best-practice roadmap for live music promotion and venue management. This two part programme draws on Inglis’ two decades of experience, sharing lessons learned and highlighting the pitfalls plaguing promoters and venue operators UK wide.  The seminars will update on an extensive range of topics concerning venue owners, promoters, artists and programmers including promotion, ticketing, legislative issues as well as the future concerns facing the UK’s live music industry.

What will be covered?

• The Lie Of The Land: Sector Overview
  From 150 capacity rooms like The Windmill in Brixton, to 20,000 all-seated arenas, we'll examine both the common issues (marketing and promotion, how to turn a profit, customer service) and the unique issues they face (how to keep the regular bar punters happy while there's a Japanese noise core band playing in the corner, in the case of The Windmill). This introductory session will also consider the changing nature of the audience in a world where attention spans are shortening, where technology and an explosion in media makes never leaving the house an attractive proposition, and how venues can adapt to cope and survive in the teeth of arguably the worst economic crisis in history.

• Selling The Gig: Marketing & Promotion
  From promoting the barely-breaking-even backroom gig, right up to sold out arena shows, we’ll consider the full gamut of marketing methods available. From traditional press ads, flyers, posters and street teams to the constantly evolving digital methods and platforms: e-lists, Facebook, Twitter and whatever else has appeared in the past five minutes, we’ll establish what works, what doesn't and what’s best value for money. What tricks can be learned from the likes of Live Nation and Kilimanjaro and what do the cream of indie gig promoters keep up their sleeve?

• Selling The Gig: Ticketing
  From Ticketmaster and WeGotTickets to the new direct-to-fan companies snapping at their heels, we'll look at booking and administration fees, kickbacks, paperless tickets, entry systems, fraud and what new technology has in store for the future of ticketing. For those with sell out gigs on their hands we’ll also consider the new front opened by a contentious secondary ticketing market jostling for a slice of a particular huge and tasty pie.

• Compliance
  Venue owners and promoters face a slew of legislation top-down; from the proposed changes to the Licensing Act (seldom out of the news) to a burgeoning raft of health and safety legislation, noise abatement issues, security and temporary event notices. How does this affect the day-to-day of the live sector, who exactly is responsible for what and how is this legislation best managed?

• Learning By Example - UK & Overseas Case Studies
  The Luminaire…from award-winning venue to shut-down in under six years. A thorough examination of why it was opened, how it tried to be different, how it was received by the audience, artists and industry, what went right, what went wrong and what its legacy was - if indeed it left one - from one of the people who built and managed it. For an international perspective, we’ll look at other markets covering mainland Europe, how things differ to the UK, particularly where state funding is concerned. We’ll also take a look at that super-rich anomaly of Norway - the world's third largest oil exporter, pumping tens of millions of pounds into culture a year.

Who Should Attend?

These seminars are intended to encourage and inspire a new wave of live industry entrepreneur AND those at the coalface looking to enhance and further grow their businesses.  Core participants: tour managers, promoters, booking agents, marketers, DIY artists, small-to-medium sized venue owners and operators.

Places are free but limited, and pre-booking is essential. To register your interest please complete this form.