Tuesday, April 10, 12:30 pm
Berkman Center, 23 Everett Street, Second Floor
This should be a glorious time for independent musicians. Technologies like digital music stores, streaming services and webcasting stations have greatly reduced the cost barriers to the distribution and sale of music, and a vast array of new platforms and services — from blogs to Bandcamp to Twitter feeds — now help musicians route around middlemen and connect directly with fans.
While they’re more in control than ever, newly empowered musicians now find themselves juggling dozens of career-related responsibilities, from booking their own shows to composing witty tweets. How are today’s musicians balancing it all and, even more critical, how have these changes impacted their earning capacity?
On April 10, join Future of Music Coalition's Kristin Thomson and Berkman Fellow Erin McKeown as they discuss the changing landscape for musicians and music fans. Drawing on data collected through FMC’s groundbreaking Artist Revenue Streams project, a multi-method, cross-genre examination of musicians' and composers' revenue streams in the US, the talk will focus on how musicians are managing their assets, building teams and allocating their time in this increasingly networked world.
About
Kristin Thomson is a community organizer, social policy researcher, entrepreneur and musician. She is co-owner of Simple Machines, an independent record label, which released over seventy records and CDs from 1991-1998. She also played guitar in the band Tsunami, which released four albums from 1991-1997 and toured extensively. In 2001, Kristin graduated with a Masters in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware. She has been with the Future of Music Coalition since 2001 and has overseen project management, research and event programming, including Future of Music Policy Summits from 2002-2007. She currently lives near Philadelphia with her husband Bryan Dilworth, a concert promoter, and their son, where she also plays guitar in the lady-powered band, Ken.
Erin McKeown is an internationally known musician, writer, and producer. With 7 full length albums, 2 EPs, and numerous soundtracks to her credit, she has spent the last 10 years crafting a reputation as an original musical voice and compelling live performer. Lately, she has added mentor and activist to her list of accomplishments. At Berkman, she will work to connect the worlds of policy, art,and technology while considering questions about how to make a creative life a viable vocation.