After launching last night at SXSW, new Manchester music conference and festival Beyond The Music has revealed new details and ticketing information.
The brand new event received a high profile launch with New Order performing at SXSW in Austin, Texas, supported by The Orielles and Loose Articles. Specially commissioned visual artworks by students at Manchester’s School of Digital Arts are now lighting up Austin in support of the event.
First wave tickets for the first edition of Beyond The Music are available from today, at an exclusive price for a limited time at £30 per day / £90 for 3 days for festival goers, and £200 for conference & festival delegate passes.
At the heart of Beyond The Music will be four days of live music by the most exciting new and established artists from around the world, alongside a series of conferences exploring The Past, The Present, The Future and The Summit, identifying everything from the entrepreneurs who have aided in defining Manchester’s music DNA to the new wave, the right to sustainability, ownership and equality within the industry, and how to find music’s place within the new cultural economy of tech, gaming, branding and film & TV.
Speaking about some of the challenges facing the music industry and opportunities, Beyond The Music’s co-founder Sarah Pearson said, “The industry has seen a decline from £5.8 billion in 2019 to £3.1 billion in 2021. The economy of the music business has been severely challenged by the pandemic, exit from the European Union and the development of new technology, and coupled with the evolution of the cultural economy it is forcing us to examine current infrastructure and models that have existed in the industry for years – are they fit for purpose for now?
“It is incumbent on us to look at the ethical practices of the business, which need root and branch reform. We need to change the very nature of how we live and breathe as an industry, putting artists and musicians first. Beyond The Music is a response to a need for evolution and innovation.
“We haven’t scratched the surface of the true value of this cultural powerhouse. Music is the most shared art form in the world, it’s how we communicate across borders, how we build relationships, it’s democratic and it’s egalitarian. Music defines people’s lives, gives pleasure and eases pain. It’s important to all of us, so the very foundation upon which it’s built should be too.”
Announcements for the huge conference and festival include:
- The Skyline Series – three unique live music shows from the rooftops of Manchester
- Curated – a string of exclusive performances from established music names across 10 key venues in the Northern Quarter and City Centre
- Beyond The Music Discovered – the opportunity for new artists and bands to submit their music to a panel of music industry experts for the chance to perform at one of the festival’s music venues
- Social initiatives including BTM Legacy to fund and support young people into careers in music; Live Live to increase diverse music audiences, footfall and income with support for grassroots venues; and Access All Areas, an education programme working with Manchester schools, colleges, universities and arts organisations to boost interest in music based careers.
Beyond The Music runs from 11-14 October 2023.
More information including ticketing and submissions is available via the Beyond The Music website.
