On January 29th, Summerfolk will present the first in a series of monthly business workshops for musicians and performers of all genres. Dubbed the 'Music Biz Tune-Up', the eight part series will bring industry experts to Owen Sound to teach local performers the business skills they need to succeed. The topics will range across all aspects of the music business including booking, touring, performance, promotion, and publishing. The workshops will run on one Sunday afternoon each month, culminating in a two day conference in early September.

Grey Bruce has a fertile arts scene with remarkable performers.These workshops will help local musicians develop and strengthen the skills they need to have successful and sustainable careers without thinking that they have to move to the city to do it.

Although Summerfolk is sponsoring the workshops, Artistic Director James Keelaghan stresses that these are workshops for all musicians, not just folkies.

"The business skills musicians need are the same whether you play blues, rock and roll, country or traditional music," Keelaghan said. "What might be viable artistic careers often never reach their potential because of a lack of business expertise. The problem is compounded if an artist lives in a remote or rural area, where the challenge is not how to increase the number of performances in their home area, but how to move their careers beyond the local".

Keelaghan added that giving the musical community the tools and knowledge they need to self-manage, book, and navigate an increasingly complex rights landscape is essential. "I know that it's possible to build a thriving community that exports its work, not its people", Keelaghan stressed.

The first workshop will take place on Sunday January 29th from 1-3 pm at the Suite Spots in downtown Owen Sound. James Keelaghan and in-demand Canadian fiddler Rosalyn Dennet (formerly of Oh My Darling) will present the Musician's Checklist, touching on the skills and strategies of successful working musicians and outlining the topics to be explored throughout the series. All musicians and performers are welcome to register.

Summerfolk is offering each workshop at a cost of $20 but the first workshop will be free. Performers who register for the entire series will receive a 25% discount.

For a complete list of workshop dates and topics visit www.summerfolk.org/musicbiztuneup.
Source: Press Release