Keith Harris is currently the Director of Performer Affairs for PPL and chairman of Music Tank as well as being Stevie Wonder’s manager.

This event will take place in Studio 1 of the City Halls Glasgow on Monday the 9th of August at 5pm.

To register your interest in attending this event please email us at caroline@smia.org.uk

Enhancing employees’ skills will bring real benefits to your business including improved productivity and a stronger more confident workforce.

Types and levels of training that are eligible for support include:

* Qualifications including individual units
* Masterclasses
* Learning based on National Occupational Standards
* Industry recognised qualifications
* First line supervisory management
* Workshops
* Taster sessions

Funding is available for up to 10 employees per business and the money is not a loan so there’s no need to pay it back. SDS will refund up to 50% of each episode of employee training up to a maximum of £500.

To apply or for more information call 0800 783 6000 or visit

http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/our-services/services-for-employers/encourage-employees-to-develop-new-skills.aspx

Please let us at SMIA know what you think of these changes, either by commenting on this post or sending us an email.

For more information on changes to the MCPS membership framework please follow this link

http://www.prsformusic.com/creators/Pages/NewMCPSMembershipFramework.aspx

In his initial response to the BBC strategy review, BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons said that the case for the closure of 6 Music had not been made.

He said the trust – which represents the interests of licence fee payers – would consider closing 6 Music only as part of a wider strategy on the future of digital radio.

But the trust accepted plans to close the Asian Network, cut 25% of the online budget and close teen service Blast!

A high-profile campaign to save 6 Music was set up after a strategic review of the BBC’s services was announced in March.

The planned closures identified in the review needed the approval of the BBC Trust.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10507286.stm

PRS for Music has announced the start of a formal customer consultation on its royalty rates for popular music events in the UK. The rate – currently set at 3% of ticket receipts – was last reviewed in 1988. This is one of the lowest rates in the world with charges of up to 10% being applied in other European countries.

Following calls from key stakeholders and some customer groups within the sector to review the tariff, PRS for Music will begin its 12 week consultation on June 15th.

PRS for Music is inviting customers, rights-holders and representative bodies to be part of the consultation. All the details can be found at:

http://www.prsformusic.com/users/businessesandliveevents/musicforbusinesses/customerconsultation/Pages/TicketedPopularMusicEvents.aspx

SMIA will be holding a members only event at 11.30am on Friday11th. Venue details TBC.

The first seminar ‘How to get on a Festival Bill’ moderated by Vic Galloway, seen speakers including Rob Hicks (Rockness, Belladrum), Stuart Nisbet (Hogmanay Edinburgh), Dave Corbett (The Edge, T In The Park), Helen Chalmers (Wickerman) and P.C Rae (Slottsfjell, Norway) advise on the best way for bands to break into the festival circuit.

‘I am the Law’ seen a panel of lawyers including Murray Buchanan and Steven Fisher (The Sex Pistols, Bryan Ferry) taking artists through the grey area of legalities within the music industry.
A seminar titled ‘What Next?’ seen Scott Cohen (The Orchard), Ruth Daniel (Un-Convention), Andrew Dubber (Birmingham University), Will Page (Chief Economist, PRS) advise artists on how to make the most of technology and explain current trends.

‘Speak to The Management’ allowed legendary music managers such as Keith Harris (Stevie Wonder), Rab Andrew (Texas, Primal Scream) and Bruce Findlay (Aberfeldy, Simple Minds) share their knowledge acquired by years in the business.

The keynote Q&A featured Gavin Bain, whose book California Schemin’ describes how he and fellow Dundonian Billy Boyd ‘mislead’ the entire music industry into believing they were American rappers for over two years.

“To get to see such an amazing line up of speakers would normally involve paying hundreds of pounds to attend a conference, or at the very least taking a three hour train journey to Inverness for Go North,” says Wide Days co-organiser Olaf Furniss.

The next Born to Be Wide event ‘All you Need to Know About Music PR’ will take place at Electric Circus, Edinburgh on Thursday 6th May. Click here to buy tickets  http://www.eventzi.com/borntobewide

http://www.myspace.com/borntobewide

To promote the organisation, and encourage participation, Amb:IT:ion Scotland is running a series of roadshow workshops around the country.

The next event will take place at the University of Abertay, Dundee on the 6th May and will feaure a seminar by SMIA board member Dougal Perman.

For more information on the event, and to register, go to their Event Brite page:

getambitionroadshow-north.eventbrite.com/
getambition.com/
innerear.co.uk/events/getting-digital-roadshow-north/

Registration is free and Amb:IT:ion Scotland welcome SMIA members.

Have you applied for a loan for your business? Were you accepted or refused?

Many music businesses have reported difficulties in getting finance in the form

of bank loans and other loans.

UK Music is worried that this is a problem felt right across the music business.

This could hamper the ability of our industry to grow and put the future at risk.

We are looking for evidence that there may be a systemic problem, and we also want to find our ‘success stories’ so that we can identify ways of increasing our success rate.

We need case studies of music businesses who have applied for loans.

Can you answer YES to the questions below?

-       Is your business incorporated and registered with Companies House?

-       Does your business have a turnover of £68,000 or above?

-       Does your business have a good credit history?

-       Have you struggled to get a bank loan for your business OR;

-       Have you successfully applied for a loan?

If this is your experience, please email your name, business and telephone number to info@ukmusic.org so that we can contact you.

We will listen to your story about trying to get a loan or securing a loan.

This will be in confidence. We may ask permission to use your experience as a “case study” to convince Government ministers and banks that there is a problem. We also want to help other companies to successfully apply for loans using your example. This will only be with your express permission.

This project is supported by Brian Message, chairman of the MMF who has been refused a loan many times over.

“I have run a test case with the Rifles, applying to every high street bank for a loan for working capital to allow them to record and tour their new album. The Enterprise Finance Guarantee is specifically for viable plans from small businesses without sufficient access to capital to secure their loans. The criteria explicitly include songwriters and artists, and should be the idea vehicle for debt financing in music – but in practise there are no banks willing to back our businesses. That’s why I’m supporting UK Music’s research into solutions to this situation.”

Please email your name, business and telephone number to me at info@ukmusic.org.

We will call you when we receive your email to discuss your experience.

Thank you and best wishes,

Feargal Sharkey

CEO, UK Music

UK Music has today launched an online industry-wide skills audit in a bid to understand, evaluate and anticipate potential skills gaps across the commercial music sector.

Accessible via the UK Music and Music Week websites, the audit will run until the end of June.

The survey was developed in partnership with Creative & Cultural Skills who will analyse the data collected.

This will subsequently be used to help meet recommendations on skills and training made in Liberating Creativity, UK Music’s recently-published manifesto for the commercial music sector:

• That existing music companies, particularly micro-businesses, have the requisite skills to effectively compete in the current commercial music market

• To ensure music companies can attract a diverse and highly-skilled incoming workforce

• That Government ‘adopt’ successful industry-run apprenticeship schemes

• That further and higher education music business courses can meet standards established by an industry accreditation programme

• That industry will develop an industry wide diversity code of practice

Explaining the thinking behind the initiative, Feargal Sharkey, Chief Executive of UK Music, said:

“Improving access to skills and training was one of the key recommendations made by UK Music in Liberating Creativity. For the long-term development of our commercial sector, it is crucial that existing companies, and particularly micro-businesses, can survive and compete in an ever-evolving digital marketplace. Meanwhile, it is equally vital that those young people who aspire to work in our industry are diverse, highly-skilled and have under their belts a wide range of practical experience.

“The skills audit is a first step to achieving this goal. To take a snapshot of where the industry is in 2010, and where we need to go in the next decade. I know the members of UK Music are fully behind this, and I urge all those from freelancers to CEOs to take ten minutes to complete this survey.”

The initiative has already attracted support from across the industry.

Alison Wenham, Chief Executive & Chairman of AIM and Trustee of Creative & Cultural Skills:

“Changes across the industry have meant that everyone’s roles have been altered to one extent or another, plus new skills are needed in the digital age. If we can guarantee that all those working in the business receive the level of training they need and deserve, we can guarantee the future success of the industry.”

Ged Doherty, Chairman Sony Music Entertainment UK & Ireland:

“The most valuable asset of any company is its people. We hope this audit will inform a clear skills agenda and help identify areas where we can work together to champion and support further skills development throughout our industry.”

Jim Thomas, Longhouse Management and MMF Educational Committee:

“Developing people is fundamental to building a successful business. The skills audit is an essential tool in helping the music industry to ensure the we have the right people, in the right jobs, at the right time; helping us to maximise the opportunities the digital age offers the whole music industry.”

Mark Anders, Managing Director/ President of International, Bug Music:

“It is essential that we, working in a creative industry have the best people with the right training to help us build their careers and our businesses. We fully support the skills audit to help ensure that our industry provides the best possible relevant training, particularly at a time of great change.”

Please click here to complete the survey -  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DQC6RJ6