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The night mayor of Amsterdam, the executive director of Sydney Fringe and the promoter of Tramlines festival are among the first names confirmed for the Brighton event
By IQ on 19 Feb 2016
Delegates at the Music Cities Convention in Washington, DC, in November 2015
The Music Cities Convention, which focuses on “the relationship between city planning, strategy, development, policy and the music industry”, will return to Brighton on 18 May, the day before The Great Escape.
The first convention, in Brighton this time last year, was initiated by The Great Escape co-founder Martin Elbourne and music market development agency Sound Diplomacy and attracted 120 attendees from 20 countries and 50 cities. The inaugural US edition – in Washington, DC, in November 2015 – exceeded that, with 170 attendees from 60 cities. According to organisers, the Washington conference also generated over US$170,000 worth of direct economic impact.
The latest Music Cities Convention will be held at the University of Brighton and boasts an initial speaker line-up of Mirik Milan, Amsterdam’s night mayor; Busk in London’s Dr Julia Jones; New York University’s Carlos Chirinos; Jocelyn Kane, executive director of the San Francisco Entertainment Commission; Sydney Fringe executive director Kerri Glassock; Sheffield Tramlines organiser Kate Hewitt; and South Australian government advisor Joe Hay.
Other highlights include presentations by BIMM Brighton, which will discuss the impact music has had on the English seaside city, and environmental charity Julie’s Bicycle, “with many, many more to be announced”.
Tickets are limited to 200. They’re available now and include access to the delegate database, the Music Cities newsletter and lunch, refreshments and the evening reception.