BELFAST'S annual music events Output and AVA have joined forces to create the Output Belfast & AVA Music Conference, which will debut at The MAC and Oh Yeah Music Centre on Thursday June 1.
It will be providing a plethora of free-to-attend workshops, masterclasses, panels and guest speakers addressing issues across all aspects of the music industry, with a focus on creative and business skills.
“AVA, under Sarah McBriar’s leadership, has been instrumental since 2015 in amplifying the extraordinary talent and skills in Northern Ireland’s thriving electronic music scene," says Mark Gordon, founder of Output Belfast.
"It’s brilliant for me personally that, having been a part of their conferences in Belfast, London, and as far away as India - that we now get to bring their expertise, networks and skills to what has now become Ireland’s leading music conference.
"This promises to be by some considerable distance the most important music conferencing day Belfast or Ireland will ever have seen, and I’m delighted with our partnership.”
Sarah McBriar, Founder of AVA says: “Mark Gordon and I have worked together since AVA began in 2015. We understand the great potential of the music industry across the island of Ireland, and we believe that bringing our two conferences together will further boost what’s possible for the event, the conference content, and its ability to inspire and elevate both artists and the industry.
"We plan to instigate greater education, greater support, and greater attention to what is creatively possible.”
"Music is so important to Belfast," says John Walsh, chief executive of Belfast City Council.
"We’re only the third UK city to become a UNESCO City of Music – and the very first city on the island of Ireland to receive this prestigious accolade. This new partnership between Output and AVA is very welcome indeed, providing much needed practical support to artists to bring their work to the next level.
"Our Council Members recently approved a £100k boost for Belfast’s music industry, investing in venues, a new digital music support service and marketing platform, and industry mentoring as part of our ‘Music Matters: A Roadmap for Belfast’. So we’re delighted to be investing in this conference as part of our support for the creative industries and look forward to seeing the new partnerships and projects which will undoubtedly result from it.”
Further information about Output Belfast & AVA Music Conference can be found at outputbelfast.com/2023-sign-up.
