What is the FMC Regional Development Plan?
The FMC Regional Development Plan has been set up to investigate and establish what musicians all around Ireland want and need to advance their careers and to deliver those supports and professional development workshops at a local level.
The secondary aim of the initiative is to help Arts Offices around Ireland assess the needs of popular musicians in their area & develop a support plan to support musicians at local level.
The project was initiated as a pilot scheme by First Music Contact in Summer 2021 in conjunction with arts officers in Cavan, Cork County, Leitrim and Mayo and has continued with a roll out to Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford.
In 2023 we expanded to Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary, with more counties planned for later in 2023.
FMC Regional Development Workshops
March 27th, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Clare County Council
Panel about publishing and music supervision.
Speakers: Dina Coughlan (Tremolo Music) & Nick Robinson (East City Management)
March 28th, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Kerry County Council
Panel about DIY
Speakers: Constance Keane (Tulle Collective), GodKnows (Narolane Records) & Mark Lipmann (Scruff of the Neck)
March 29th, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Limerick County Council
Panel about Funding
Speakers: Ciarán Walsh (Culture Ireland), Pippa Little (Limerick City Arts Officer) & Tara Bolger (Music and Opera)
March 30th, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Tipperary County Council
“Developing as an artist: A perspective”
Speaker: May Kay
February 20th, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Clare County Council
Panel about online marketing.
Speakers: Darren Hemmings (Motive Unknown), Ceri Dixon (Redlight Management) & Nathan Sauramba (Waverton Corp)
February 21st, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Kerry County Council
Panel about gigging outside of Ireland.
Speakers: Adam Ryan (Booker, The Great Escape), Matt Covey (Tamizdat) & Claire Courtney (Earth Agency)
February 22nd, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Limerick County Council
Panel about management.
Speakers: Aoife Woodlock (Colm Mac Con Iomaire), Ben Skerritt (The World) & Conor Cusack (ie:music)
February 23rd, 2023 5pm - 7pm in association with Tipperary County Council
Panel about approaching media.
Speakers: Claire Beck (Today FM), Liza Geddes (Recode Publicity) & Niall Byrne (Nialler9)
December 1, 2022 5pm - 7pm in association with Carlow County Council
Panel: Music and the Law
Speakers: Tom Ryan (Bray and Krais), Grace Sheridan (XXVII Arts) & Eileen O’Gorman (Gleeson, McGrath, Baldwin)
November 30th, 2022 5pm - 7pm in association with Waterford County Council
Panel: An Artist’s Practice
Paul Noonan (BellX1, House Plants)
November 29th, 2022 5pm - 7pm in association with Kilkenny County Council
Panel: Funding
Speakers: Tara Bolger (Support Manager for Music & Opera, The Arts Council), Ciarán Walsh (Showcase Manager, Culture Ireland) & Mary Butler (Kilkenny Arts Office)
November 28th, 2022 5pm - 7pm in association with Wexford County Council
Panel: Approaching Media
Speakers: Niall Byrne (Nialler9), Michelle Whitehead (Music PR) & Tracy Clifford (Presenter, RTÉ 2FM)
October 20th, 2022 5pm - 7pm
Panel: Exporting Your Music
Speakers: Valerie Behan (Culture Ireland), Dev Sherlock (SXSW), Matt Covey (Tamizdat) & Ben Buchanan (CAA)
October 19th, 2022 6pm
Panel: Developing Audiences & Online Marketing
Speakers: Ceri Dixon (Red Light) & Darren Hemmings (Motive Unknown)
October 18th, 2022 6pm
Panel: Publishing
Speakers: Michael Roe (Faction Publishing), Dina Coughlan (Tremolo), Nick Robinson (Publishing Consultant) & Andrea Madden (Music Supervisor, Made in Chelsea)
October 17th, 2022 6pm
Panel: Management
Speakers: Conor Cusack (ie:music), Maya Cullen Petroviç (Jawdropper) & Barry O’Donoghue (CMAT)
Cavan
March 30, 2022 5pm - 7pm in association with Cavan County Council
In conversation with Daithí on Songwriting and Studio Work
Stage 2 of the initiative will continue Wednesday March 30th from 5pm to 7pm where we will be hosting a second professional development workshop based on your selections from our initial questionnaire which in the case of Cavan respondents was to find out more about song writing and the practicalities and tips for working in a studio.
Choice-nominated artist Daithí (House Plants), will chat about his songwriting process and as a studio owner will also talk though the ins and outs of studio work.
Daithí is an electronic music producer obsessed by the culture of Ireland. The two time choice award nominee combines nature recordings, old Irish samples and analog synths to create a unique type of house music that’s soaked in Irish culture. A mainstay in the Irish gigging scene, his live show is an improvised performance, creating on the spot dance music using synths, drum machines and live fiddle. Last year, Daithí found a forgotten recording of his grandmother, where she talked about how she met her husband, and what it was like living in the west of Ireland for the past 90 years. Daithí sampled this recording to create ‘Mary Keane’s Introduction’, a track which captured the imagination of millions of Irish people across the world, and became one of the most successful Irish singles that year, staying no. 1 in the Spotify viral charts for 6 weeks. It proved Daithi’s mantra on music: Every sample should have a back story, and every song should be personal. https://www.strangebrew.ie/daithi
This programme is strategically funded by Cavan County Council in partnership with the Arts Council with support from Creative Ireland. First Music Contact is funded by the Arts Council.
Cork
Wednesday February 9th from 5pm to 7pm in association with Cork County Council Library and Arts Service
FMC Regional Development Workshop February 9th 2022
Panel: Management
Speakers: Kate Cudbertson (Manager FKJ, The Sundrop Garden, Monjola & more), Ken Allen (Faction Records) & Tara Richardson (Q Prime Management)
Stage 2 of the initiative will continue on Wednesday February 9th from 5pm to 7pm where we will be hosting a second professional development workshop based on your selections from our initial questionnaire which in the case of Cork respondents was to find out more about Management how a manager can help build your team and what stage you should be looking.
The second hour, we will host a conversation between you, the Artist and the local Arts Office to assess the needs of musicians in your county and how we can all work together to deliver for these needs.
Mayo
Wednesday February 2nd from 5pm to 7pm in association with Mayo County Council Arts Service
Speakers: Eleanor McGuinness (PlayBook Artists) Brian Hand (Singular Artists) & Sarah Casey, (United Talent Agency (UTA))
Stage 2 of the Regional Development Initiative kicked off Wednesday February 2nd from 5pm to 7pm with a second professional development workshop based on selections from our initial questionnaire which in the case of Mayo respondents was to find out more about Live, how to build an audience through live and how to get an agent at home and abroad.
During the second hour, we hosted a conversation between our attendees, the artists and the local Arts Office to assess the needs of musicians in your county and how we can all work together to deliver for these needs. We asked attendees to fill out a short survey to help us prepare.