2022 UK Export Mission Recap
Earlier this month, MMF Canada travelled to the UK with nine music managers and self-managed artists for our first ever in-person export mission! The mission included multiple components: online pre-mission sessions and in-person sessions during FOCUS Wales, in London, UK, and at The Great Escape.
PRE-MISSION SESSIONS (Online) - April 26-27, 2022
Thirty Canadian music managers and artists (including the MMF Canada delegation) met with fourteen Welsh and UK-based music industry delegates in a series of one-one-one meetings via Zoom. This event was presented in partnership with the High Commission of Canada in the UK as part of the Canada goes Cymru mission and was also supported by FOCUS Wales. Participants also got the chance to learn about the Welsh and UK music markets through an online panel discussion and presentation.
FOCUS WALES (Wrexham, UK) - May 5-7, 2022
Delegates immersed themselves in the FOCUS Wales conference attending the Canada Goes Cymru launch event with representatives from the High Commission of Canada in the UK and members of the Welsh and UK industry who came to network and to see some of our great Canadian artists showcase. There was also a Meet the Canadians reception, which brought together our delegates and other Canadian attendees to connect with the Welsh and UK delegates.
FOCUS Wales is an international multi-venue showcase festival taking place in Wrexham each year, welcoming over 20,000 people. The event showcases 250+ artists from across the world, fills out a variety of spaces and music venues, using 20 stages, and hosting a full schedule of interactive industry sessions, arts events, and film screenings, throughout the festival.
UK EXPORT DEVELOPMENT SESSION (London, UK) - May 9, 2022
Hosted at Canada House in Trafalgar Square in London with the High Commission of Canada in the UK, our mission delegates participated in a B2B session meeting with twelve UK music industry delegates. Participants had the chance to get to know the delegates while sharing their business goals to find export partners to help grow their businesses in the UK. Attendees were also took part in post-meeting networking to continue conversations started earlier.
THE GREAT ESCAPE (Brighton, UK) - May 11-14, 2022
The Great Escape is the festival for new music, showcasing 500 emerging artists from all over the world in 30+ walkable venues across the city and a pop-up festival site on Brighton Beach. It’s the first place to discover your new favourite artist and see them in an intimate setting before they go on to headline major festival stages.
TGE is also attended by the music industry who are on the hunt for the next big thing. With a conference alongside the gigs featuring insightful panels, topical debates, keynote speeches and networking opportunities in abundance there is ample opportunity to make business connections.
The MMF Canada delegates attended networking sessions, educational panels, and showcases connecting with music industry personnel from across the world. One opportunity was the MMF Brunch for international managers to gather. This was co-hosted with the MMF in the UK as well as the Association of Artist Managers in Australia. It was an incredible morning of networking with international counterparts, strengthening relationships across borders allowing our delegates to find partners in other parts of the world to support their export plans of international touring and music release.