Anthony Hughes has been a regular face at Music Network Meetings and has worked hard to bring the workings of Digital Central to the table enabling members of the local Music Community to interact, inform strategy and decision making. Thanks to Anthony, Digital Central picked up the bill for teas and coffees at the meetings and thanks to Anthony, when Digital Central closes the Musicians Union will be stepping in to pick up the tab so you can rest assured, teas and coffees will continue to be made available to you all at future meetings.

Anthony has been committed to ensuring that Digital Central has been available at Network meetings to listen to and interact with discussions that have shaped the way people perceive and work within the Midlands based music Industry over the past couple of years. Anthony will be at the next Network Meeting as he rarely misses the opportunity to get a free coffee and chocolate biscuits. Come and find him if you want to know more, he has sent us a message from the frontline and here it is to read for yourself.

“Friends, Romans, Sound engineers…

Dear All, For those of you who don’t know, the Digital Central project is drawing to a close. The last date of my contract and the project is 31st March and I have been informed that the department who contract managed Digital Central for the University no longer wishes to pursue this kind of project.

For the last two years I have worked towards my key objectives I set out at the start of my contract. I have aimed to finally bring together a dialogue between the regions music industry education and the regional development initiatives, providing the music industry with an equal voice at the table of such policy and funding opportunities. Mostly I have managed to achieved this.

I am pleased with the successes I have made and those who I managed to offer support to, whether that be direct funding, support service, in kind support or my time and energy.
Being the person given the role of working with the Music and Radio industries – I would like to thank all those who have worked openly with me and enabled a stronger network to develop both regionally and internationally.

Many of the projects I set in motion have grown and reflected the hard work you all put in on a daily basis in the commercial world or through the networks and an equal number of project ideas for various reasons were either overlooked or are still on the back boiler.

I am keen to build on the work I’ve done and take these forward with the regions music industry at the centre of whatever project, funding or initiatives are set up in the future. As one of the regions most successful and far reaching industries, I am also keen to fight for our industry to have an equal share of support and for this to be reflected in financial investment.

Those who don’t already have my personal contact details (There’s probably a few left who haven’t emailed at midnight or called me Sunday morning!) are welcome to continue the dialogue and can email a reply to this individually as I will no longer be able to use this email after the project closes.”
Best Wishes

Anthony
Anthony Hughes – Project Coordinator

Digital Central
Birmingham City University
Screen Media Lab
Bromley Street
Digbeth
Birmingham B9 4AN
t: 0121 2049881
f: 0121 2049885
www.digital-central.co.uk