About
The Association of Artist Managers (AAM), in partnership with Sounds Australia is thrilled to announce Round 2 of MICC - the Manager's International Conference Contribution.
This second 2023 edition of the MICC program will follow Round 1, which centres around Reeperbahn, Germany this September, and will see 15 managers each receive $5000 AUD of funding support to attend the conference. MICC funding aims to help managers overcome the financial difficulties of getting to market and build important international export pathways for Australian artists.
This new MICC Round 2 will provide funding support for selected AAM manager members to attend either ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) - which takes place in Amsterdam, Netherlands from Oct 18-22 - or WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo) taking place in Galicia, Spain from Oct 25-29.
ABOUT ADE
OCT 18 - 22
ADE - Amsterdam Dance Event - is the most upfront, influential and educational gathering for electronic music and its industry. With its conference, festival and educational breeding ground, ADE is able to create a solid foundation for future generations of electronic music professionals. The event attracts a total of more than 1,000 events in nearly 200 locations across its multidisciplinary program; for five days and nights, the city of Amsterdam truly breathes electronic music.
ABOUT WOMEX
OCT 25 - 29
WOMEX – Worldwide Music Expo – is the most international, culturally diverse music meeting in the world, and the biggest conference of the global music scene, featuring a trade fair, talks, films and showcase concerts.
Over 2,600 professionals (including 260 performing artists) come together every October from 90 countries. Its diverse musical spectrum embraces folk, roots, jazz, local and diaspora cultures as much as urban and electronic sounds from all over the globe. WOMEX hosts 7 stages, around 700 exhibiting companies, 100+ speakers, films, an opening concert and an award ceremony across five packed networking days and rather short nights.
WHAT DO FUNDED RECIPIENTS RECEIVE?
MICC: ADE + WOMEX Edition 2023 will see selected AAM artist manager members who wish to attend ADE or WOMEX - with or without a showcasing artist - each receive $5000 AUD, to contribute to costs associated with their international activity at the event, including their flights, accommodation, ticketing or admission and other associated costs.
Centering around select key global music events like ADE or WOMEX, MICC funding is designed to ease the financial burden for selected artist manager funding recipients, so they have the capacity to undertake a reconnaissance trip to either Amsterdam (ADE) or Spain (WOMEX), to build international industry networks, export in-roads and learn more about international markets, leveraging the activities, networking and professional development opportunities of ADE or WOMEX.
Please note:
For this round of MICC funding, all artist managers will need to submit an EOI - regardless of whether or not they have a confirmed showcasing act performing at ADE and/or WOMEX, or have already purchased a delegate registration badge - if they wish to be considered for MICC funding.
Only a limited number of applicants will be selected via the EOI process and all successful applicants must meet the eligibility criteria.
Applications are now closed for this round.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome between September 11-15, 2023.
Please ensure you have read the eligibility criteria and T&C’s below before applying.
Eligibility
Criteria
and T&Cs
Who Is Eligible To Apply For This Program?
You are eligible to apply for MICC: ADE + WOMEX Edition 2023 if:
You are a current AAM member and practicing artist manager
You are an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident
You hold a current valid passport
You submit an application by the due date, Sunday 10th September, 2023 at midnight (AEST)
Only a limited number of applicants will be selected via the EOI process and all successful applicants must meet the eligibility criteria.
Criteria
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
A commitment to a career in artist management, and that they are recognised by the industry, and their peers, as a professional music manager
A comprehensive plan of activities they will undertake during their time at ADE or WOMEX, demonstrating why the Netherlands (ADE) or Spain (WOMEX) - and/or Europe, more broadly - is a priority territory for themselves and their artist/s at this time
Clear goals for their artists and themselves in the European market, as well as demonstrating the potential for growth in this region
A plan for how they intend to maximise the opportunities in the European market [notably the Netherlands (ADE) or Spain (WOMEX)] during and after the program
A clear outline of their short and long term plans for 2022-24 which is both detailed and realistic, but demonstrates potential growth
Letters of support from up to 3 industry professionals / peers (optional)
T&Cs:
AAM will pay selected funding recipients (Activity Participants) AU$5,000 (excluding GST) as a lump sum upon receipt of an (a) fully executed Agreement and (b) a valid Tax Invoice. Agreements will be distributed to confirmed Activity Participants promptly upon confirmation of their involvement in MICC.
The Grant Funds shall be exclusively used by Activity Participants to contribute toward their costs of attending ADE (Amsterdam, Netherlands) or WOMEX (Galicia, Spain) [as relevant to their application], including their flights, accommodation, ticketing or admission and other associated costs.
No later than 60 days from the last day of ADE or WOMEX, Activity Participants must provide AAM with an Activity Report that details the activity they undertook with regard to the grant, including achievements, goals (including those not met), industry outcomes and benefits, and a breakdown of how the funds were spent.
Travel Permissions: The Activity Participant has, or will obtain prior to the Activity, all visas, permissions, valid documentation and any other permits or exemptions required to travel to ADE (Amsterdam, Netherlands) or WOMEX (Galicia, Spain).
As a condition of receiving the Manager Grant, the Activity Participant gives their permission to allow AAM and Sounds Australia to use, without compensation, the participant’s name, professional information and likeness for advertising and publicity purposes in connection with the Grant, including on websites or social media channels controlled by the AAM or Sounds Australia.
For this round of MICC funding, all artist managers will need to submit an EOI - regardless of whether or not they have a confirmed showcasing act performing at ADE and/or WOMEX, or have already purchased a delegate registration badge - if they wish to be considered for MICC funding.
Quotes from previous funding recipients:
“The MICC Reeperbahn Festival Program, orchestrated by Sounds Australia and the AAM, has been a true catalyst for the advancement of my artist management career and the growth potential of my artist roster. This program offered me invaluable opportunities to acquire knowledge, expand my professional network, and forge meaningful connections across diverse segments of the music industry within Germany and Greater Europe. An additional significant benefit was the establishment of strong and enduring relationships with my Australian management colleagues who also participated in the program. I wholeheartedly endorse this program to any manager seeking to establish pathways in Germany, Europe, and beyond."
- Matthew Day, Pistol MGMT
“The MICC program is one of the most valuable uses of funding in the Australian music industry. State and federal funding bodies don't always recognise the value in supporting artist managers, making it almost impossible to access funding for this kind of activity elsewhere. Attending Reeperbahn ahead of our 2024 EU touring had such a huge impact on my career and I'm so grateful to the AAM & Sounds Australia for making it happen.”
- Kelsie Miller, Across The Road Music
“Moving together as Australian managers was very helpful, both in the intel we were able to provide each other around the event but also in making deeper connections with the people you should be working with much more closely at home. With the global music industry experiencing so much change, it's very important for us as Australian managers to be very present in the international music conversation, these face to face opportunities build relationships that last far into the future. It is a very worthwhile investment”.
- Ricky Simandjuntak, When Worlds Collide
“Attending Reeperbahn was an incredible experience. The conference provided a strong platform to build extensive industry networks in the German music industry, a burgeoning market currently for Australian artists. The excellent on the ground support I received from Sounds Australia and AAM as part of the MICC program, directly contributed to yielding amazing results for Future Static and The Omnific, which will be crucial to their long term success and longevity in this market.”
- Eli Chamravi, Wild Thing Music Group
“The MICC program was an unbelievable success, opening doors to so many Australian managers to enter a less obvious market with incredible opportunities for Australian artists. The international relationships created were done so in such a unique way, led by the AAM and Sounds Australia, allowing Aussie's to band together, lean on each others network and connect particularly to the EU and UK industry in a meaningful way.”
- Jamie-Rose Fowler, Powerhouse Management
“Reeperbahn is truly a world-class showcasing and networking event, the value of in-person performances and meetings can not be understated. The SA and AAM showcasing and meeting events were standouts providing perfect opportunities for Australian attendees to get maximum value from the week”
- Darcy O’Brien, Wildfire Music
“As an early-career artist manager, having the opportunity to go to Reeperbahn without a showcasing artist to connect with the European market and get my head around the opportunities this festival presents, before bringing my artists over has been so truly valuable. It wouldn't have happened without the support of the MICC program, thank you Sounds Australia and AAM!”
- Shauna Upton, I RATE MGMT
“Attending these conferences can be game changing for emerging Australian bands and artists. However it can come at an extreme cost, the MICC program is providing managers with a generous and welcomed relief in assisting financing their trip to these magical events.”
- Hugh Cruickshank, More To Come
“The MICC program is a really invaluable helping hand for managers who want to get their acts and themselves into international markets, which is always a prohibitively expensive exercise. Market familiarity is incredibly important and Europe is a key region for my acts, so it was a great help”.
- Heath Brady, Fidelity Corporation
“MICC program is an incredible experience, and Sounds Australia and AAM's commitment to Australian managers, artists and industry is palpable - there is an incredible level of care and support they put into these programs and I feel very privileged to be a part of it.”
- Lauren Mikkor, Post Modern Collective
“Going forward, the MICC could become an essential initiative not only assisting Australian managers that do not yet have experience at genre specific international conference events like ADE, but managers like myself to broaden the outcomes we can achieve with artists already working in international markets.”
- Ant Celestino, Onelove
“The MICC Program was such a massive boost to my artist, general roster, and business overall. It helped grow and develop relationships that had predominantly been online for several years, and the benefits have been incredible already and it seems that 2024 will be a key year for my act in the UK/EU because of this. ADE is a massive event and I was lucky to be able to bump into people I'd not have the chance to meet normally. Thank you to Sounds Australia for valuing electronic music, and providing me the opportunity!”
- Rick Bridgman, Good Intent
“At a time where the cost of travel, inflation and the Australian dollar is making it extremely difficult to get overseas to create opportunities for Australian artists, the MICC program, AAM and Sounds Australia teams have provided a lifeline to ensure the continuation and growth of managers and artists in the Australia. ADE was an incredible event presenting unlimited opportunities, made better even better knowing that the costs to get there were covered!”
- Luke Jamieson, LEVARIA
“Finances and workload are the two biggest factors stopping us from attending a valuable overseas event like WOMEX from a remote area of Australia. So to have been successful in our application for financial support and to have Sounds Australia on the ground to support artists and managers on site was crucial in our attendance and success at WOMEX.”
- Anthony Gray, Bapa Gajah
“Attending Womex has allowed me to build relationships across Europe, secure opportunities for our artists and has provided a solid foundation for connection, growth, ongoing dialogue, increased visibility and scope to undertake new projects that speak to audience development, cultural exchange and soft diplomacy across continents.”
- Tanya McLaine, Sona Productions
“Attending WOMEX to represent my artists has been an invaluable experience. The networking and building of solid bridges with other countries will enable us to understand how we create, plan, strategise, develop, and implement touring, showcasing, and releasing music to the world. It's a long game, but the seeds we sow now should lead to fruitful outcomes in the future.”
- Greg Dodge, Oxygen 42 Management