Mark and Andy, and all those others who help run and support the Birmingham Music Network, surely this is partly what the BMN was created for.
1. Producer and studio flooded out in Wolverhampton
2. Producer goes to BMN to ask for help
3. BMN asks members for help
4. Producer happy with offer of help from new studio (Musoplex.com) and should move in soon
Tag: 2009 (Page 9 of 11)
Inspired by several things, I thought I would look at the funding situation for those in creative industries.
At a recent Creative Networks event in Birmingham, Mike Ryan from the LSC stood up and told us all some good news about some funding being made available for the sector as part of Train to Gain. The only condition is that your business has 5 employees or more. As the next talker put it, that excludes nearly 90% of the sector who are embryonic, micro or whatever a sole trader is called these days.
Advantage West Midlands has been putting money into supporting the sector as well through the setting up of projects like Digital Central and Music for Media. They have supported activities like research into audiences, venue development, training in music technology and lots more. Those projects ceased to be funded by AWM in March 2008. The next round of funding was advised by a document drawn up by Clare Edwards who also ran Gigbeth. The early news in Summer 2008 was that the funding was to be split between Birmingham City University (formerly UCE) and Tribal supported by Gigbeth.
To date (13/01/09) no money has been given out.
Arts Council England also support ensembles, projects and other things across the region and some of their money has been swallowed up by the London 2012 Olympics. The funding does seem random with an emphasis on Classical and World music.
So where does this leave us? Funding for a new or developing creative business exists, sometimes, if you are not a sole trader, you play Classical or World Music and you hope to never make a profit. By the way, the money doesn’t come into your account; you have to bankroll it first and claim it back at the end.
So why bother? Most of the people making the decisions don’t have an understanding let alone a grounding in the creative industries. How could they possibly understand your project?
If your creative idea isn’t commercially viable in the first place, should it be helped to survive or left to die?
We should not expect to rely on these funds – they are politically skewed, shrouded in bureaucracy, absorbed by admin costs and near impossible to obtain.
We are in the early stages of a global financial realignment. Old ways of doing business are changing, some dying, some staying. New models of working are being developed.
This is the time to take risks and try something out.
It is worth bearing in mind that in the America of the 1930’s the economy supported the popular music of the time having large touring bands – a situation that has never been repeated in better times.
People still need to eat and drink and after that, the simple things in life – friends and good times are what people want. As musicians, our audience needs us as social commentators, shoulders to cry on, people to share experiences with and for escapism. A man with £3 in his pocket doesn’t mean much, but 100 people make a paying audience.
Remember who you work for, remember you are entertainers – funding doesn’t work, it distorts the market.
This article is printed in full at: http://www.andyderrick.co.uk/
Andy Derrick is an independent freelance musician based in Birmingham, UK. He used to work for the Musicians’ Union delivering front line services and advice to musicians of all genres, experience and backgrounds. Andy’s main work is as a trombonist in many groups playing Jazz, big band, classical and other kinds of music. He also works in studios as a session musician providing horn tracks for writers and composers. Since 1992 Andy has written and arranged music and currently has works published by Warwick Music and Andek Music. Andy also Teaches jazz, trombone and music theory working with pupils of all ages and standards across the Midlands.
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Andy Ward responds to the blog post
Off topic to start with I guess – it is the 1st time we (Musoplex.com) have been mentioned alongside Artisan and Magic Garden outside the phrase ‘a lot louder than….’ or ‘not as posh as…..’ but I am aware Si at Framework Studios is a more than exceptional producer but that is not why I am here (but thanks for the inclusion).
I feel I should establish my lack of credentials here….I have played for over 20 years from empty pubs to 3000 people….I love music, but not all of it – all my formal qualifications (degrees / MPhil) are outside of music – I have only been running my own business for less than two years.
Funding: It hasn’t yet been 18 months since we moved Framework Studios out of the congested basements of Hockley to bigger premises with a vision of creating a small hub of people genuinely interested in music and ALL of its associated artistic and business areas.
I have to say that after 6 months of sheer bloody-minded arguing and some truly mind-numbing blunders we received a 5k Creative Space grant – which was a massive boost for us in year 1. But this is the thing….that 5k went towards relocation, rent, building materials (we built every room ourselves), infrastructure, security, legal and professional fees for 3 people in a 2, 500 square foot business. Now that’s value for money…
However – these types of grants are available for pretty much any start up – but here is the thing: we spent 5k and created a thriving, happy, encouraging, inclusive music playground AND business turning a small profit in year 2 from start up without the wasted hundreds of thousands thrown at most god-awful music programmes and projects in the West Midlands. So – I have to agree, though somewhat hypocritically, that I don’t hold with the principals of the funding either – or at least not under the current system anyway of chucking hundreds of thousands into a bottomless hole and hoping to fill it.
As another aside you have no idea how much bile and anger has started to come back to me just writing about this topic some 18 months after the events over funding. A few people in the end were angels but the rest…and the system….AARGH!!
Having attended several funded and sponsored events over just the past 2 years I remain utterly dumbfounded as to where the money goes or exactly what any funding has hoped to achieve – except for watching some nepotistic, city-centric, self-promoting truly awful nonsense. I attended one with a Bristol arts writer bud and we left half way through both howling with laughter and crying that that is where our money was going – shameful really.
I have reached the point where I consider this to be fast becoming a rant and a tirade against the near-contuniuous stream of a**-holes that you have to wade through only to reach an uninhabited atomic island, stripped of ideas and bereft of a sense of reality (Lost, anybody??). It really shouldn’t be – there are some excellent bands out there, young and old, great promoters, great venues, great times ahead but all of them survive, just about.
There are no paid gigs except for those who turn to the dark side of covers and tributes, there are no easy promotions and many lazy promoters, there are venues looking and needing to make money in a tight and overcrowded market faced by closures that are reluctant to try new music for lack of new crowds or alienation of existing ones.
You do not fix these things by throwing money at them. Good bands will be listened to, good promoters will source good acts and promote them well, some venues will stick by their guns to raise themselves above the others. Sandwell needs a venue, cheap, simple for use by all – what do we get? The Public…shame on you all.
All this can be achieved by small donations and grants, spreading the money around in small packets to those with drive and commitment. Instead – all the huge amounts of money we get assigned goes to a handul of organisations to squander and fritter on self-glorification and the further promotion of expensive white elephants.
Andy ward, Musoplex.com
Hi.. the beach party is sorted for this year.. Another 10 days non-stop from the 21st til the 31st of May. Lineup so far is. Jerome Hill, Chris Liberator, HueJahFink, Warlock, NoYeahNo, Miss Pink, Bigga, Dead Man Walking, Savage Rehab, Louise+1, Billy the Kid, Unlikely, DubWreka, Controlled Wierdness, Lusinda, Skarper, Da Boogie, Dom the Bong + many more. Also daily open decks sessions…Gonna be the bollox…again :).. check unsound website for details . we got a couple of network links… Bruno Unsound on facebook and unsoundsystem666 on myspace..or get in touch through beachparty2009 @ unsound-system.org cheers lee
COLOUR Presents: Charlie Parr + Support
Tuesday 24 February, 8:30pm
The Victoria, John Bright Street, Birmingham
COST: ?4
On Tuesday 24th February, Colour will host their first live music event in Birmingham, following on from several years of success in Wolverhampton. Headlining the event will be renowned Minnesota folk-blues artist Charlie Parr. It will take place at The Victoria, a recently refurbished Victorian pub at the heart of the city centre.
Charlie Parr
Charlie has toured the UK several times before, astounding audiences with his contemporary take on American musical tradition. His rousing, heartfelt songs speak plainly of the darker places ordinary folks often lose themselves and of the hope that gets them through.
Lawrence Matkin of The Irish Times said:
“This is music that pulses and breathes, rhythms that sway heavy and deep, like fruit swung low on an autumnal tree; music that utterly captures the America of shunting trains and rolling plains, of home-made hooch and
Piedmont blues.”
Charlie counts among his fans Alan Sparhawk of Low and comics legend and aficionado of the blues, R. Crumb. He is touring in support of his new album Roustabout, which is released on 17 February on Misplaced Music.
More on Charlie Parr: Official Site
Colour
As well as stunning live music, the event will also feature Colour’s distinctive hosting style, with projected vintage slides, homemade cakes and DJ sets featuring folk, Americana and leftfield indie new and old.
For more information on Colour visit wearecolour.com
For photographs, interviews or quotes, email colourpromo@gmail.com