Solo artists and bands wanted for Kirklees Year of Music 2023 showcase event

‘Platform’, hosted as part of a two-day programme on Wednesday, April 26 and Thursday, April 27, at Huddersfield’s Lawrence Batley Theatre, will give eight local artists and bands an opportunity for exposure and access to industry professionals.

The call closes at midnight on Sunday, February 5, and is open to artists who write and perform their own original material. Entries will then be selected by a high-profile panel of representatives made up of local, regional and Northern based music industry professionals.

Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for musicians and bands in the Kirklees region. It will also enable us to put our music offer on the map internationally.

“Working with a world-leading organisation like Music Cities will create opportunities and build relationships with the global music industry that will benefit Kirklees not just during the Year of Music, but well into the future.”

Part of KYOM23’s Music Industry strand, Platform will provide an opportunity for the selected talent to perform to music industry professionals at the showcase event, which will also be recorded and broadcast to influential international buyers including festival, tour and concert organisers, record label managers and artist managers.

These buyers will be specially chosen as a good fit with the selected Kirklees artists. Artists and buyers will then be able to meet up virtually via a digital forum hosted and facilitated by Music Cities Events.

This exchange will support musicians in securing festival and concert bookings or to sign international record label and management deals.

Councillor Will Simpson, Cabinet Member for Culture at Kirklees Council, said: “Here in Kirklees we've got a wealth of creative talent, and our Year of Music will shine a light on the brilliant artists right on our doorstep.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for local musicians to come face to face with top international figures from the music industry, develop career-defining partnerships and continue to put Kirklees on the cultural map.”

Day one of the event, The Artist and Music Business Exchange Showcase, will consist of two music industry panel seminars: one on music publishing which will cover copyright, royalties, income generation and the functions of a music publisher; and one focussed on development and artist management which will cover the role of artist managers and how they work alongside talent to develop their careers in the industry.

The second day will feature the public showcase where each selected act will have a 20-minute live session held in front of an invited audience of music industry representatives and fans, which will also be recorded and uploaded digitally, available on demand for international buyers.