BEACONS SUMMIT:
The Music Industry Conference For Young People, By Young People
I’m Alex and I’m here to tell you about SUMMIT – a Welsh music industry conference that has been created by young people like me to help other young people in Wales to get insight into working in the musical and creative industries.
SUMMIT is a free online event which takes place from 9th-11th April 2021! Read on to find out more….
It’s all good and well hearing the same gatekeepers talk at online seminars but we thought it would be more effective to showcase young talent who currently work in the Welsh creative industry and haven’t necessarily had the platform to talk about their role before. Sure, you’ll see some familiar faces, but there will definitely be a portion of the lineup that you have never heard of. I’ll give a fiver to anyone who knows everyone on the line-up!
My involvement with Beacons goes back to Summer last year. I was approached to take part in focus groups in the early development stages of the project and I worked with a group of young Welsh creatives involved with the industry. I now work for Beacons as a Project Officer and I still can’t believe it!
At the focus groups, we discussed our experiences as young people in the modern music industry and the barriers that we face. We spoke about the need for equal representation of all kinds of people, no matter what their gender, ethnicity, social class, background etc. We identified a disconnect throughout each area of Wales and thought about how we could bridge those gaps.
We then explored how we could make engaging, accessible and relevant material for young people who may wish to have a career in the music or creative industries.
Because of the C word, face to face workshops, talks and events were obviously off the cards so we came to the conclusion that the first endeavour of Beacons is Summit. An online event created by young people, for young people. It’s worth noting that there is so much more in the pipeline for what Beacons has to offer after Summit. This is the first taster – the prawn cocktail starter, if you will.
You always hear people say “I was in the right place at the right time” or “I knew someone who could get my foot in the door”. Why should opportunities be based on who you know? I don’t think that’s fair. Let’s level the playing field.
I don’t have enough fingers to count the amount of times I’ve been told that I need to move to London in order to get a good industry job. I say, let’s build upon a thriving music industry in Wales and create our own industry jobs, because we definitely have the talent for it.
Let’s face it – online conferences can be boring as anything. That’s why with Summit we’ve spent a lot of time talking about how that can be avoided. We’ve made the site as interactive as possible without becoming Club Penguin. We’ve included some comedy sketches and we have a forum where people can promote themselves and network. We’ve even got virtual toilets, how weird is that?
What I’m trying to say is, the event is totally worth having a look at if you have an interest in the musical or creative industries. There’s something for everyone. We’ve got short and snappy DIY videos, longer panel videos, rapid fire interviews as well as some amazing visual art created by nine females living in Wales. It was a pleasure working with such amazing creatives and I can’t wait for you all to see it.
Some of the Summit content includes: graphic design in the music industry, songwriting workshops, how to start a record label, issues that the LGBTQ+ community face, how to get into PR and so many more. There are so many golden nuggets of advice and information in there – trust me.
With the world metaphorically on fire around us, it’s safe to say that we need to maintain our wellbeing. Within the ‘COMMUNITY’ area at Summit, we’ve got some helpful resources and good techniques for looking after yourself. We’ve even had our own meditation track crafted for us by the amazing Jac Kelshaw of Yasmine and the Euphoria!
This event is so important. It’s the first of its kind. I’m not saying that we are the first people to hold an industry conference. However I am saying that we are the first interactive, youth created, government funded and Welsh focused music industry conference. We’re making Welsh music history and you should totally come along for the ride. It could crash and burn – why not have front row seats!
So, how can you sign up? It’s simple, sign up for free on the Beacons website at https://www.beacons.cymru and fill out some basic information on the form. It would be really cool to see you there.
You can also follow us on Instagram and Twitter @beaconscymru for the latest information and announcements.
Thank you very much for reading.. Over and out!
Alexandra
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Ps. If you have any queries, would like to raise a topic, would like to get involved in future projects, or would just like to say hello, email alexandra@beacons.cymru