ANNOUNCING UN-CONVENTION MANCHESTER 2022
We are delighted to announce that this year’s Un-Convention Manchester will take place on the 7th and 8th July at Band on the Wall.
Our 108th music conference and showcase event will once again bring together hundreds of pioneering artists, managers, venues, labels, and promoters, alongside a host of key industry champions from across the UK and Europe to develop new ideas and opportunities for the independent sector.
Over two days and nights, we will explore ideas for building sustainable careers in music, effective release and live strategies, the challenges for artists and organisations in the modern era, developing regional scenes, music as a tool for social change, and a host of other key issues in the current industry.
The event will also showcase some of the finest new music from across the country.
For the last fourteen years Un-Convention has been providing a platform for the makers and champions of independent music to build networks, share ideas, and develop new ways of working. If you're involved in the sector, then we do hope you can join us in Manchester this summer.
Please be aware that Un-Convention Manchester ordinarily sells out in advance, so we do recommend securing tickets as soon as possible. A limited number of discounted early bird tickets are currently available.
Un-Convention Manchester 2022 is supported by PRS Foundation’s Open Fund for Organisations.
We've announced the first wave of speakers here and will be announcing the showcasing artists and full conference programme in the coming weeks.
In the meantime you can WATCH AGAIN some of last year's panels and conversations that took place at our 2021 Manchester event
ABOUT UN-CONVENTION
Founded in 2008, Un-Convention is a series of music conferences, showcases and events that have brought together thousands of artists and music professionals, both nationally and internationally over the course of 107 events on 5 continents, to share ideas and discuss the future of the Independent music sector.
THE MUSICIANS' VIEW
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presented in association with the Musicians’ Union
For this session we hear from a range of musicians about their experiences of working in music. What are the skills, traits and breaks that helped them to succeed, and what lessons have they learned that they would pass on to fellow artists? We also consider if the career prospects for musicians have changed over the years and whether the industry is becoming more or less artist friendly.
with
Steve Lawson — Moderator
Chloe Foy
Rowetta
Elisabeth Elektra
Cariss Auburn
IN CONVERSATION WITH FRANK TURNER
Frank’s career as an artist has spanned two decades. Renowned for his prolific touring he has played nearly two and half thousands shows around the world. He is also a true champion of independent music and is a key supporter of the Music Venue Trust’s ‘Save Our Venues Campaign’. Through a series of livestream events, he has helped to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to support grassroots venues around the country. In this session Frank will talk about his career and his work to support the sector.
with
Steve Lawson – Moderator
Frank Turner (Artist)
IN CONVERSATION WITH ED O'BRIEN
Ed is a founding member of Radiohead. Formed in 1985, the band have sold more than 30 million records worldwide. They have achieved 7 top ten hits in the UK, won 6 Grammy Awards, are the most nominated band in Mercury Prize history, and in 2019 were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Ed has recorded 9 studio albums with Radiohead, and in 2020 released his first solo record ‘Earth’ on Capitol Records, under the name EOB.
As well as his work as a musician Ed is a founding member of the Featured Artist Coalition, set up to protect the rights of featured musical artists. In this session Ed will discuss his career and his wider work to support music creators.
with
John Robb - Moderator
Ed O’Brien (Radiohead)
DEVELOPING REGIONAL MUSIC SCENES
A discussion on the current challenges of music scenes around the UK. The
Regional Music Scenes Network has been set up to help share ideas and best practice between those championing independent music across the country, from large cities to towns and rural areas. The purpose of the network is to identify what is and isn’t working in various scenes with a view to developing strategies to help support music making in the future. This session will reflect on the impact the pandemic has had on different music scenes across the country, look at best practice that has developed over this period, and explore ideas of how we can ensure music scenes can restart, grow and continue to play a vital role in their local communities.
with
Jez Collins (Birmingham Music Archive) - Moderator
Rose Goodship (Cornwall Music Network)
Adam Daly (Hastings Fat Tuesday)
Yasin El Ashrafi (HQ Familia. Leicester)
Jay Landman (Pillar Artists, Newcastle)
Chris Sherrington (The Fulford Arms, York)
THE STATE OF THE NATION
This discussion covers the current state of the independent music sector in the UK. From the perspective of artists and managers, venues, publishers and festivals, how do we stand, and where are things going? What are the key challenges we face in recovering, growing and sustaining a prosperous and equitable industry?
with
Gordon Masson (IQ Magazine) — Moderator
Lucie Caswell (Music Publishers Association)
Paul Reed (Association of Independent Festivals)
Beverley Whitrick (Music Venue Trust)
Annabella Coldrick (Music Managers Forum)