Supported by the NSW Government through Sound NSW.
Program Overview
The AAM is delighted to announce the return of the Managers Retreat thanks to the generous support of Sound NSW.
The 2024 NSW Managers Retreat (previously called the Managers Sanctuary) will be a peer-to-peer professional development residency for 12 globally active and experienced NSW-based artist managers of intermediate to advanced level. Running over 3 days and 2 nights (Nov 5-7), the Retreat is a curated environment for high-level sharing of knowledge and professional development between manager peers. This intensive program enables significant challenges faced by participants to be tackled collectively, and allows participants to develop foundations for meaningful relationship building within the management community.
Participants will arrive at the program venue - Peppers Manor House (Kater Rd, Sutton Forest NSW 2577) - at midday on Tuesday 5 November, 2024. This first day will foster participant, facilitator and staff introductions and informal networking sessions, enabling managers to get settled, connect, share stories and get to know each other. Attendees will share dinner together, and have ample time for chats, activities and to unwind. Day 2 and Day 3 (Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 November) will comprise facilitated full-day discussions and workshops, based on topics of greatest interest to participants, as identified through the program EOI applications and pre-Retreat surveys. The program will finish late afternoon (approximately 5pm) on Thursday 7 November. Participants will receive a digital program booklet closer to the event date, which will outline running times, activities and other essential program details.
The Retreat aims to address the lack of professional development opportunities that exist outside of the emerging and development phases of an artist managers career, and this unique 3-day intensive program is based on the concept that artists managers are best placed to help each other with their professional development due to their intimate understanding of the role and its challenges.
When applying for this program, participants will be required to demonstrate a substantial level of broad management experience operating at a global level, so that as a cohort, they can collectively discuss and problem-solve current challenges, and identify future solutions, for themselves, their peers, and the group as a collective.
Previous iterations of the Managers Retreat have addressed important areas of business acumen, health and wellbeing. These topics include:
artist mental health
manager mental health and work/life balance
conflict resolution
management contracts
operating a small business
managing staff
global touring logistics
label deal structures
Key to the success of the Managers Retreat is providing an environment where participants feel safe and confident to speak candidly about their challenges, artists and business. This openness provides a unique opportunity for participants to learn from their peers experiences and collectively brainstorm ideas and solutions, within an empathetic group.
The AAM would like to acknowledge that this program is being held on the Traditional land of the Gundungurra and Tharawal people, and we pay our respect and recognise Elders both past and present.
What Do Participants Receive?
There are no costs for selected participants to attend the 2024 NSW Managers Retreat. Program participants receive complimentary accommodation, food and drinks* throughout the program, and also receive a contribution of up to $150 each to cover their ground travel expenses to get to and from the venue, Peppers Manor House.
*Please note that during dinner service specifically, limited beverages will be provided free of charge, however additional beverages can be purchased by participants should they wish. Beverages will be provided at breakfast, lunch and morning and afternoon tea free of charge.
Program Outcomes
The 2024 NSW Managers Retreat has a broad domestic and international impact. Expert knowledge-sharing and collective solution brainstorming will grow manager’s business acumen, skills and experience. By increasing a manager's business capabilities and resources, this delivers a direct impact on domestic artist opportunities, outcomes and sustainable career pathways.
The Managers Retreat will enable artist managers to upskill in mental health awareness and understanding as well as conflict resolution. They will gain an understanding of their own mental health, and that of their artist’s. And by building a framework for frank and open conversations, as well as developing skills around this, managers will be able to pay attention to prevention and mental ‘maintenance’, both for themselves and their artists, rather than functioning in crisis mode.
The program creates strong bonds between artist manager peers, and fosters an on-going collaborative community within NSW and beyond. This impact has a substantial flow-on effect creating support systems for other NSW artist managers - and Australian managers more broadly - enabling them to lean on each other for advice, contacts, and sharing of information.
The Managers Retreat serves as an essential program within the fabric of mid-career and experienced artist management. With a significantly high level of knowledge and resources available to participants, and hand-in-hand with newly developed personal relationships, endeavours into international territories and global network and audience development will inevitably become smoother, more strategic, and overall more effective, for both managers and the artists they represent. For these reasons, the impact of the Managers Retreat on the development of global markets for Australian music is far-reaching.
Eligibility Criteria and Selection Process
To be eligible to apply for the 2024 NSW Managers Retreat, you must be:
A current AAM member (any level)
18+ years of age
A current resident of NSW
An Australian citizen or permanent resident
Able to attend all programs dates
Able to arrange for your own travel to and from the venue (each participant will receive a contribution of up to $150 to help cover these travel costs)
12 NSW-based applicants will be selected to participate in this year’s program.
When submitting an expression of interest for this program, applicants should demonstrate a substantial level of broad management experience operating at a global level in their application.
Participants will be chosen based on the relevance of the program to their current career goals, challenges and their overall management experience. This program aims to bring together a group of diverse voices from individuals who can contribute their experience, knowledge and questions to support high-level group learning.
Applications will be assessed by the Association of Artist Managers Executive team, and industry experts may be asked to assess applications if required.
All participants will be required to complete a feedback survey upon completion of the program.
Please note that applications for the 2024 NSW Managers Retreat have now closed.
Key Dates
AUG 6: Expressions of Interest Open
SEPT 16: Expressions of Interest Close (4pm AEST) - APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
W/C SEPT 23: All applicants notified of the outcome of their application
NOV 5 - 7: MANAGERS RETREAT
Quotes from Previous Manager Retreats
“I was a participant in the Managers Sanctuary in December 2018, and I found it to be an invaluable experience. I went into it during a challenging moment in my career, and the opportunity to share my experiences in a trusted and understanding environment was both cathartic and enlightening. I gained a lot out of hearing about everyone else’s careers... The format of the Managers Sanctuary works so well because we could decide as a group what topics we wanted to focus on over the two days, and it meant the conversation was always relevant, and compelling.”
- Bill Cullen, One Louder
“I had such an incredible experience at the Managers Sanctuary in late 2018. I had just gone through a major career moment, and the Sanctuary was instrumental in helping me re-discover my motivation for management, both by allowing me the space to talk about recent challenges in an empathetic environment, and to bond with other managers and discover that they had all been going through so many of the same experiences.
I really enjoyed the fact that everyone in the room was on the same level in the conversation. There were no expert guests speaking to us, it was just two full days of in-depth conversation about all of the key topics that I deal with as an artist manager day in and day out. This included things like management contracts, international touring, conflict management, label deals, mental health for managers and artists, and how to most effectively operate a small business and delegate to staff and a wider team. The sessions were not strictly structured, but we covered a lot of ground, and were able to spend real time on topics that I had never spoken about with other managers. It really felt like a unique experience to just sit in a room with a group of people who are going through exactly the same challenges, and talk out how to face them, and get a comparison of how everyone is dealing with their specific situations.
I can’t speak highly enough of the experience and I think it is so important that the Managers Sanctuary continue to run as both a professional development resource but also as a key anchor for the management community in Australia.”
- Cathy Oates, Original Matters
“Since the Fairgrounds Sanctuary, I have met with a number of industry personnel in London, Paris, and Berlin through direct introductions from other participants.. [I have gained] a better understanding of the different business models, arrangements and international industry standards.”
- Ellen Kirk, Look Out Kid
“My experience working globally in the music industry has shown me that relationships with other managers are the most valuable of any relationship, because managers work so directly with their artists. It’s the best way to achieve collaborations, support tour slots, and get vital intel about working with labels, publishing companies, radio and PR teams, and promoters.
When we did the first Sanctuary in December 2017, it came at a time of crisis for me personally, and it was such a wonderful and inspiring few days, that proved to be invaluable to get through that period. The Sanctuary played out just as I had hoped. The conversation was vital, passionate, and very personal, and everyone in the room opened up about their business, their artists, and their personal challenges working as an artist manager. It felt like a truly unique experience and everyone involved gave me the same feedback.
We returned a year later with a different group of people and adjusted a few elements like having everyone stay at the same accommodation and working out of an easy conference space. The outcome was even more successful as a result, with all the participants getting to know each other in the mornings and evenings, and then as a result, feeling really comfortable to share their knowledge and experiences openly with the group. It was incredible to hear two of Australia’s most experienced and high achieving managers open up about very difficult artist breakups, and just lay out the emotions, business consequences, and industry realities of that experience with total vulnerability. Four different managers from that 2018 Sanctuary told me it was a key moment that kept them afloat in the artist management game, and that was a very satisfying outcome to come from the course.
I think The Managers Sanctuary can be a vital course in the calendar for managers and really establish a sense of being stronger together as a community, especially as we all go out and take on the world with our artists.”
- Alastair Burns, Heartstop Music