The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has released the programme for 2024’s AIM Connected.
AIM Connected is the trade body’s flagship conference and networking event for entrepreneurs, strategists and senior execs across the independent music sector and beyond.
Taking place at London’s Barbican Centre on Thursday, September 12, the conference will feature a keynote interview with Transgressive Records, the independent label, publisher and management company known for its work with artists such as Arlo Parks, Foals and Sophie.
With the label celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, co-founders Tim Dellow and Toby L will be joined by The Waeve’s Rose Elinor Dougall and Graham Coxon for an interview with journalist and broadcaster Pete Paphides. They will reflect on Transgressive’s past two decades of discovering and nurturing new talent, and its vision for the future.
Other highlights will include expert panels on combating digital piracy and fraud, making the best use of AI in music, fairness and best practice in artist deals, investment and legacy business-building, the Music Climate Pact’s ongoing roll-out and next steps, and the impact of the Employment Rights Bill on music businesses.
Among the leading execs to be added to this year’s line-up are Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) CEO Kim Bayley, Beggars Group director of live licensing and AIM Chair Ruth Barlow, Secretly Group VP operations Chloé van Bergen, Blue Raincoat general manager Aine Markey, Fuga SVP EMEA Liz Northeast, Too Young founder and MD Fred Schindler, freelance lawyer and angel investor Jane Clemetson, and Domino head of digital partnerships & analytics Rachel Buswell.
Other panellists include Beatbread head of Europe Mark Terry, Domino Recordings head of legal and business affairs Frances Pollitzer, EarthPercent co-executive director Cathy Runciman, Metropolis Studios partnerships director Gavin Newman, Muso CEO Andy Chatterly, IDOL UK general manager Roo Currier, and Snapper Music MD Frederick Jude.
AIM Connected is the UK’s key forum dedicated to the realities of operating an independent music business
Gee Davy
The event will also feature AIM Connected’s trademark TED-style ‘Strong Opinion’ keynotes on key topics for the modern music business. Leading figures at PPL, Vevo, Amazon Music, Meta and Curve will lead in-depth sessions, in addition to a fireside chat between Merlin COO Charlie Lexton and AIM’s interim CEO Gee Davy.
One-on-one networking sessions will run throughout the day, which attendees will be able to book onto online. Open networking will run throughout lunch and the end-of-day drinks reception.
Subsidised entry is available to all members of AIM, as well as various UK trade and community organisations. For the first time, AIM is offering an additional discount on tickets to its non-London based rights-holder and distributor members in recognition of the additional costs of attending a conference in London for those in other regions and nations of the UK.
AIM’s interim CEO Gee Davy said: “AIM Connected is the UK’s key forum dedicated to the realities of operating an independent music business, with best practice and knowledge sharing at its core. As always, we have focussed on making sure the event is packed full of valuable insights, while ensuring it is also cost-effective to attend. This year we are building on that accessibility by offering additionally subsidised tickets for members based outside London. We hope this will help business leaders and business builders from across all regions and nations of the UK to come together for this 2024 edition. It will be an unmissable event with the chance to hear from a wide variety of the industry’s leading thinkers.”
AIM’s event partners and sponsors are Amazon Music, AudioSalad, beatBread, Merlin, Meta, PPL and Vevo.
You can find full information and buy tickets here. To inquire about subsidised tickets, please contact info@aim.org.uk.
PHOTO: (L-R) Transgressive’s Toby L, Lilas Bourboulon and Tim Dellow