IMPF celebrates 10th anniversary

14 April 2023 - Press release

2023 Assemblies, details revealed.

Second Global Music Entrepreneurial and Creative Industry Summit set for October in Palma.

  

IMPF celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, with a series of occasions planned throughout 2023 to mark the milestone.

IMPF will hold a joint event and reception with MPC on June 6 during Canadian Music Week; a joint breakfast and panel with AIMP on June 13 during New York Music Week; and a joint event with BuddeMusic during Reeperbahn in September.  

There will also be a special 10th anniversary celebration at the second edition of The Global IMPF Music Entrepreneurial and Creative Industry Summit in Palma, which has been announced as taking place from October 8 – 11, with a songwriting camp running concurrently from October 6 - 11.

Details of IMPF's 2023 General Assembly have also been released. It will take place in Stockholm on April 20-21, with a number of high-profile industry figures confirmed to attend for a series of special talks. 

Speakers include Casper Bjørner (CEO, STIM); Kai Roböle (founder member of Artic Rights Management); Mona Aghai Berg (founder of All About Music Publishing); Kerstin Mangert (Chair, Swedish Music Publishers Association); Helienne Lindvall (President, ECSA); Aman Khullar (General Counsel, Musixmatch); Abbie Triggs  (Director of Operations and Business Development, On Music); Robert Singerman (The Belem Project); Niclas Molinder (WIPO for Creators and co-founder, Music Rights Awareness Foundation); Oskar Pollinen (A&R Manager, Elements Music Publishing); Hampus Olsson (Head of A&R, Ten Music Group); Anna Kornelai Åberg (entrepreneur and founder of BLNK Music); Corey Johnson (founder, Defenders Entertainment); Eva Karman Reinhold (Artist Law & Rights Management, Smilodon); Emmanuel Legrand (Legrand Network) and Per Strömbäck (Netopia).  

IMPF will also launch the third edition of the IMPF Global Market View Report at Stockholm on April 20. The report, authored by Emmanuel Legrand, assembles the market revenue and percentage share of the independent music publishing industry globally.

Founded in Brussels in 2013, IMPF was created as a networking collective for independent music publishers globally. It was formed to represent the interests of its community; share experiences and best practices; exchange information; support relevant projects; and promote a favourable environment for artistic, cultural, linguistic, and commercial diversity for composers and music publishers.

In the 10 years it has existed, IMPF has established itself as an influential body in the international music industry.  It has achieved delegate status to WIPO; earned a seat on the Advisory Board for WIPO for Creators; become an expert Stakeholder to the European Union Intellectual Property Office; a partner to Keychange, the Ivor's Academy, ECSA, CIAM, IMPEL, The MLC, Pro Music, and AIMP; gained membership of and collaborated with CISAC; engaged in active outreach with the MPC Canada, GESAC and IMPALA; seen the launch of two (soon to be three) first of their kind international reports on the value of independent music publishing within the global music ecosystem -  the Global Market View -, and the first edition of a Digital Licensing Handbook; established a  successful collaboration with its Friends and Supporters network;  and gathered numerous working groups, board meetings, conferences, panels and webinars attended by well over 1,000 top professionals from the world's leading independent music publishers.

The organisation also launched a 'Friends and Supporters' category in 2021 for companies wishing to work with independent music publishers. Since then it has added ESMAA, ICE, LyricFind, Musixmatch, On Music, PEX and Vistex to the category.

IMPF was also the first music publishing trade body in Europe to receive European Union financing under Creative Europe and, in March 2022, launched The IMPF 'Network for Capacity Building of European Independent Music Publishers Project' as a result.

The IMPF Network Project is designed to enhance the knowledge and ability of our members to deal with digital transitions and innovative music publishing processes on both administrative and creative fronts, while nurturing new talents amongst writers, composers, and music professionals. During 2022, the funding supported meetings and networking events, and enabled members to avail of development grants for various cross-border business activities. IMPF Network Project activities will continue throughout 2023, 2024 and up to March of 2025, and will further support IMPF independent publisher members across Europe, as well as benefitting our community around the world. 

IMPF President Annette Barrett said: "Today, IMPF represents some 150 independent music publishing companies across more than 45 countries and territories around the world encompassing thousands of professionals in the sector.  And we are still growing, with 31 companies joining our organisation in 2022 alone. Thanks to the strength of our collective expertise, resources and repertoire, we have been able to accomplish a lot over the past 10 years – both for our members, their clients, songwriters, and the wider music industry. From lobbying in the corridors of international government, to providing opportunities and education for emerging songwriters, artists and professionals alike, IMPF has had a hugely positive impact that we are very proud of."