The Great Escape

20 March 2019 - Press release

The Great Escape launches ground-breaking new professional development programme thanks to National Lottery funding further boosting the TGE Conference which this year takes place under one roof at its new home: Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfont
 
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25 more speakers added to the conference line-up
BIMM announced as lead education partner

 
 
The Great Escape today announces the launch of TGE Elevate - a ground-breaking new professional development programme funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
 
TGE Elevate will ensure that the next generation of music industry leaders get even more from The Great Escape, helping them elevate their careers to the next level. It will also add an exciting new strand to the TGE Conference, which this year takes place at its new home at Jury’s Inn Waterfront from 8-11 May 2019 in Brighton, England. Tickets are available now with hotel rooms also on sale.
 
The core TGE Elevate programme will provide thirty super delegates - including artists, managers, promoters, label executives and music educators - with an enhanced, subsidised and curated delegate experience. This will include a personally created conference schedule, access to invite-only seminars and networking events, and Q&A sessions with a number of music industry VIPs.
 
TGE is now working with organisations like the Association Of Independent Music, the Association Of Independent Promoters, the Featured Artists Coalition, the Music Venue Trust and the Music Managers Forum to identify participants for the core programme.
 
Other delegates will also benefit with the Elevate Seminars, presented by CMU:DIY, on the Saturday of the festival, and a free Elevate Guide available online and offering invaluable tips and advice on how to get more from a music conference and showcase festival.
 
Rory Bett, CEO MAMA Festivals says: "The Great Escape is all about future music talent, on and off stage. We want to enable those early on in their music careers to meet, question and learn from the very best in the industry. Thanks to National Lottery funding through Arts Council England, we can be even more proactive in making this happen via the TGE Elevate programme. By building closer relationships with, and hearing from, our Elevate delegates, we can also ensure that the TGE Conference remains at the forefront of the very latest developments and debates in the music business".
 
Hedley Swain, Area Director, South East, Arts Council England, adds: “We’re really excited by TGE Elevate and what it can do to support new and early career music professionals as they establish themselves in the industry. The opportunity to meet and quiz senior industry professionals as part of the curated delegate experience could be an invaluable part of their development. We’re pleased to help make that happen thanks to National Lottery funding”.
 
BIMM ANNOUNCED AS LEAD EDUCATION PARTNER
BIMM returns as Lead Education Partner at The Great Escape this year, staging events around the festival and participating in the Music Education Conference on Wednesday 8 May. BIMM will also stage daily street performances at multiple locations around Jubilee Square and New Road, as well as presenting a showcase at the festival’s Alternative Escape, run solely by students.
 
25 MORE SPEAKERS ADDED TO THE CONFERENCE LINE-UP
The Great Escape also announces today another 25 speakers for the three core conference strands, which this year put the spotlight on music education (Wednesday 8 May), digital dollars (Thursday 9 May) and music marketing (Friday 10 May).
 
These three conference strands will combine original research, case studies, practical training elements, one-on-one interviews and lively panel debates. Each strand will be co-hosted by Chris Cooke of CMU Insights along with Phil Nelson (music education), Fiona McGugan (digital dollars) and Jen Long (music marketing).
 
The new added speakers are as follows:
 
Aaron Bogucki                      VP Digital Marketing, AWAL Recordings
Andy Malt                              Editor, CMU
Andreas Ahlenius                 Co-Founder & Label Director, Amuse
Camella Agabalyan             Senior Marketing Manager, MAMA Festivals
Chloe Johnson                     Client Relationship & Project Manager, Dot Blockchain Media
Dan Francis                          UK Education Strategy Manager, RSL Awards
Diane Widdison                    National Organiser Education & Training, Musicians Union
Fiona McGugan                    General Manager, Music Managers Forum
Jason Edwards                     Head Of Music, Dice
Helen Smith                          Executive Chair, IMPALA
Helienne Lindvall                  Chair Of Songwriter Committee, BASCA
Kevin Graux                          Account Director, Diabolical
Ian Moss                                Director Of Public Affairs, BPI
Jane Beese                           Head Of Music, The Roundhouse
Jen Long                                Founder, Take Care Management
Matt Bolton                            Head Of Publisher Relations And Integration, IMPEL
Mel Thornton                        Head Of Careers And Employability, BIMM Group
Matt Phipps-Taylor              Head Of Insight & Innovation, PPL
Nick Faber                             Account Manager, Diabolical
Nigel Dewar Gibb                 Consultant, Lewis Silkin
Paul Dilorito                          Director Of Innovation & Partnerships, PRS For Music
Paul Craig                             CEO, Nostromo Management
Sam Hawkins                        Partnership Manager East & South East, Creative & Cultural Skills
Silvia Gargiulo                      Founder, BIY People & Talent
Tomas Ericsson                   CEO, AMRA
 
An outline of all the key topics to be discussed during each strand is already available online. Full schedules will go live next month, alongside full information on this year's partner panels, in conversations, DIY sessions and the AIM House programme.