Music as a Creative Industry
Tuesday, 9th November – 2 PM
Music is a multi million dollar industry the world over, with artists selling out arenas such as the T-Mobile, O2, and MGM Grand on a regular basis – events that hundreds of thousands attend to let loose, dance with friends, and just have a good time. In Pakistan, this phenomenon seems to have slowly been pushed out of the mainstream over the years. This webinar aims to initiate a discussion on the potential of music as a driver of joy, shaper of culture, and catalyst for socioeconomic prosperity – and to debunk myths surrounding the topic, including the notion that those who engage are fools, misfits, heretics, incompetents, etc. Music has historically served crucial purposes, including as a tool for challenging the status quo, for bringing definition to societal values and norms, and for creating a platform upon which a variety of arts – including theater, film, and storytelling – can all come together to captivate audiences that can forget about their troubles for a while. How can Pakistan facilitate its musicians, especially in a time of disruptive digital media technologies that are reshaping the landscape?
Agenda:
- Introductions and background: what/who inspired you to take up music as a career?
- What is the state of Pakistan’s music industry, and how has it changed over the years?
- Venues and infrastructure: where do performances take place and what does the event planning/management process look like – both in terms of reaching out to artists and revenue division?
- Audiences: how have the tastes and preferences for different kinds of music evolved in Pakistan?
- Culture: do we have a penchant for music – or is the environment restrictive? And why?
- Emerging artists: what are the struggles and pitfalls faced by those entering the fray?
- What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a musical artist?
- Opportunities: what are some of the avenues available to artists for gaining exposure?
- What are some of the salient revenue streams available to artists – how have new media technologies reshaped the landscape?
- Coke Studio, Nescafe Basement, Pepsi Battle of the Bands – steps in the right direction or corporatization of the process?
- How has COVID-19 disrupted the industry?
- How can a sustainable business model for artists be conceived?
- How can artists be facilitated by government agencies and think tanks like PIDE?
