By John Owoo
In Madrid – Spain
Courtesy – Goethe-Institut Ghana
An international workshop that focused on music, business and entrepreneurship that included participants from Ghana, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom ended last week in the Spanish capital Madrid.
Dubbed Buzz Meets Biz, the programme which focused on young musicians, promoters, PR personnel and managers – took off in the German capital Berlin in October – and is scheduled to end in November with a ten-day workshop on creativity at the Alliance Française in Accra.
Topics discussed at the workshop, which was opened by Vorge Peralta, Head of Department for Cultural Activities at the Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministry, include “Small and Large Scale Festivals”, “Role of Big Players in the Recording Industry”, “Concert Promoters” and “Live Music Industry”.
Others are “Management of Publishing Rights”, “New Media”, “DIY”, “Distribution and Funding”, “Marketing and Fundraising”, “Intellectual Property Rights”, “Collective Management in Spain”, “Pedagogical Innovation in the Performing Arts” and “Entrepreneurs in New Media Management”.
Speakers include Tali Carreto (Festival Director), Georgia Taglietti (PR / Communication Expert), Mercedes Ferrer (Artist), Noemi Planas / Javier Olmedo (Gerente Distribution), Julio Marti (Sgae) and Carlos Garcia Doval (Planning / Development Director).
“The workshops were highly enlightening and exposed us to diverse opportunities available to artists while gaining a deep insight into the music landscape in Spain and other European countries”, said Nii Quaye Aryee, a music promoter in Accra.
“I have been encouraged to be creative, fearless, bold and non-apologetic. Indeed, this is how most of the speakers started their careers and succeeded in their endeavors”, said Bettina Ntimpirangeza, a participant from Germany.
Buzz Meets Biz is co funded by the EU’s Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, Fundacion Sgae, Coopearació Espanõna, Goethe-Institut Ghana and the Alliance Française in Accra.
