Midem 2015 will play host to the first ever Midem Artist Accelerator – a new artist incubation strategy created to help emerging acts make a splash on the world stage.
The Midem Artist Accelerator will highlight 10-15 promising acts at the event, all of which will be selected by a committee made up of expert artists, managers, festival executives, promoters and agents.
These artists will play live on the Midem Festival open-air stage, and will be able to take part in a tailored professional programme onsite, with entry to selected conferences, coaching sessions with industry mentors and networking opportunities with key players of the Midem community. Streaming service Deezer is one of the sponsors of the initiative, and will provide the artists with the recording of a ‘Deezer Session’.
Midem 2015 will take place in Cannes, France, from June 5-8 – a move away from the industry event’s traditional late January fixture.
Said Bruno Crolot (pictured), director of music markets, Reed MIDEM: “Midem is actively working to support artists. It is essential for us to accompany our Midem Artist Accelerator participants as they connect the different dots of the music ecosystem. Who better than Midem to help up-and-coming stars grow their profiles globally, meet the right people, and learn from the most talented mentors? I am delighted to launch this first edition at Midem 2015 and particularly excited that Pepsi and Deezer are bringing their expertise and support to the project.”
Delphine Ferré, VP international artist marketing at Deezer, said: “New artist development and championing new talent has always been at the heart of our business, with music discovery and recommendation in our DNA. With the Midem Artist Accelerator, we’re extremely excited to be part of this first in the industry, and wish all participants the best of luck as they begin what will no doubt be an incredible journey from the stage at Cannes.”
Midem Artist Accelerator’s call for entries is now open for all artists, managers, publishers, labels, agents and promoters from around the world who would like to submit an artist or a band. The artists involved must be over 18 years old, already have “some initial proof of recognition,” and present an international career development strategy. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 10 February 2015.Music Business Worldwide