Lancashire Music Association launched to help develop Lancashire’s professional music industry

Creating clear career pathways into the music industry was on the agenda for the 200 delegates who attended the launch of the Lancashire Music Association during the county’s first ever music summit.

Hosted by the University of Central Lancashire and held within its 53 Degrees venue on Thursday 3 October, delegates at the summit talked about the future of the county’s music industry, how to develop it, and how to enhance Lancashire’s profile as a place for music.

Tony Rigg, who set up the MA Music Industry Management Programme at the University of Central Lancashire, was instrumental in organising the summit which needed to be moved to a larger venue than originally planned due to high demand from local music makers and educators.

“Lancashire is a fantastic place for music but we need to make sure people know just how good it is,” said Mr Rigg.

 “The Lancashire Music Association will bring the people together to work on doing what is needed to support the development of the county’s music industry.

 “It is difficult when you are first starting out to know what to do. Working with our strategic partners such as Lancashire Music Service and Arts Lancashire, the Lancashire Music Association will be there to offer support and advice on how to move things forward.”

 Tim Rogers, head of Lancashire Music Service added: “We work with Lancashire's young music makers on a daily basis, so we get to see first-hand the amazing musical talent in the county.

 “It's great for Lancashire to have a summit like this that brings into sharp focus the prospect of real music related careers in the county.”

 The summit also featured other industry luminaries such as Partner at Level Law, music lawyer Ann Harrison who is the author of ‘Music: The Business’, and people from national industry organisations such as PRS for Music, the Nighttime Industries Association (NTIA), the Music Venue Trust (MVT), Skiddle, plus a number of music experts and entrepreneurs.

 Anyone interested in finding out more about the Lancashire Music Association can contact Tony Rigg at [email protected] or visit www.lancashiremusic.org where you can express an interest in joining the association