33rd Annual Winter Music Conference Announces 2018 Dates and Programming

The Winter Music Conference (WMC), a dance music industry staple spanning four decades, returns for its 2018 program. This year’s event takes place March 20-22 in the spectacular Faena District located in the heart of Miami Beach.   
 
Instrumental throughout the years as the launching pad for dance music’s biggest songs, WMC also provides a forum for discussion of the most important topics facing the industry. This year’s panels will be broken down into six distinct categories which focus on artists, agents and promoters, publicity, sync & licensing, A&R and radio and streaming.
 
Running concurrently with WMC are the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA). The IDMAs generate over two million votes annually from music enthusiasts in 209 countries and territories to recognize and honor exceptional achievements in various award categories. Cast your votes now by visiting wintermusicconference.com          
 
“We’re thrilled to have the breathtaking Faena Forum as the backdrop for this year’s Winter Music Conference,”
explained Bill Kelly, WMC Co-Founder.
 
2018 is the start of a renaissance for WMC. A major announcement about WMC’s future will be made at this year’s conference that will once again put it at the very top of must-attend events for the entire international dance music community.   
 
Delegate badges for this year’s conference are now available, and registration is open exclusively at wintermusicconference.com  
 
###########################
 
WMC 2018 PANEL TOPICS
 
•The Artist Panel — Electronic Music’s Top Stars Huddle Up to Talk Shop
 
New devices and channels offer DJ's, Producers, and Artists more choices than ever to interact with their fans and build their brand. By adopting modern tools, you have endless opportunities to create proactive commerce across every touchpoint. Other key points discussed at this panel are strategies to further your career from marketing to publishing, creating sales demand, cross-promotion, and various other revenue streams. Come meet these heavyweight champions as they give us insight into their world.  
 
•Agent & Promoter — Learn How Deals for Artist Performances Take Shape
 
This panel explores the relationship between an agent and promoter. The main duty of the promoter is to publicize and promote a show, from DJ Gigs to Live performances.  The agent’s responsibilities are to book shows, negotiate contracts and work with promoters to assure that all goes smoothly when planning your show or a full tour. Allow our panel of experts help you navigate the symbiotic relationship between Agent and Promoter to assure everything goes off without a hitch and gives your fans an experience they won’t soon forget.
 
•Publicity 101 — Social Media, The Blogosphere, Music News, and More
 
Whether your intentions are to drive sales, foster brand awareness or increase your fan base, social media is a vital but potentially daunting task.  In an era of slippery music economy and constantly evolving new music economy this panel will focus on utilizing social media, tastemaker blogs, and even your website to steer you through the proper channels and take your career from the Blogosphere to the Stratosphere!
 
•Sync and Licensing — Getting Your Music in Front of New Audiences
 
With music sales both physically and digitally in a steady decline over the years, one of the most lucrative and successful new revenue streams has been the rise of music licensing.  From movies to TV commercials and video games, let your music work for you. Licensing your work to commercials, film and video games introduces your music to new audiences, create sustainability, as well as being a great source of income to help pay the rent. Let these expert panelists steer you in the right direction to increase revenue and get your music in front of new audiences.
 
•A&R — How the Best in the Business Find New Talent
 
Artist and Repertoire (or more commonly know as an A&R) representatives are the people who scout talent for record labels. A great A&R person is expected to understand the current tastes of the market and find artists and help guide their path to commercial success. Once signed, the A&R will act as the artist’s main point of contact with the record label including navigating deals with the label and the development of their artists which can include finding songwriters and producers. This panel of key industry players has the insight and wisdom you will need to help you make the best decisions for your career!
 
•Radio and Streaming — New Revenue Sources and Metrics for Success
 
Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and future streaming services are rapidly changing how we as the consumer get our music. Sharing your streaming profile across your artist properties and socials will drive fans to follow you and allow you to engage in conversations with your fans. From creating quality playlists to tracking your metrics, this panel from Radio and Streaming leaders will teach you how all of these best practices can grow your streams and increase revenue.
 
ABOUT FAENA FORUM
 
Faena Forum is a pioneering public venue dedicated to presenting and showcasing the ambitious, the innovative and the groundbreaking in fields ranging from art and entertainment to business and beyond.  Faena Forum, evocative of the ancient civic and architectural concept of a forum, aims to offer Miami a dynamic setting, allowing for ongoing programming under the direction of Faena Art, as well as use by private companies, institutions and individuals.
 
Alan Faena worked closely with OMA, the firm founded by Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu, partner at OMA and Director of the New York office, who served as the lead architect for the three buildings, to ensure the 43,000 square-foot Forum is designed for ultimate flexibility. The space accommodates everything from a temporary culinary pop up to an acoustically optimal concert.  Two volumes, a cylinder and a cube that are similar in size, can be combined or subdivided to support any type of production, from projects and commissions to performances, exhibitions and events. The building has two main levels. The lobby amphitheater features pink marble floors and technical capabilities for surround projections. The upper floor assembly hall features a 40-foot-high dome with a central glazed oculus and a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Indian Creek.  A walkway that spirals up the interior wall of the Forum from street level to the top of the dome which provides visitors with a range of perspectives on the space.
 
ABOUT FAENA DISTRICT
 
Miami is a city that has experienced the transformative power of the arts. With this conviction in mind, Alan Faena and Len Blavatnik debuted Faena Hotel Miami Beach in December 2015, marking the first phase of openings in the Faena District Miami Beach. A new neighborhood rooted in the arts, Faena District will help catalyze a cultural renaissance in Miami and further enhance its reputation as a vital link between North and South.
 
Located in the heart of Miami Beach, Faena District stretches north from 32nd Street to 36th Street, between the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Creek. Every single one of its elements defies convention while promoting cultural inclusiveness that will benefit the entire community.
 
Faena District is the result of a collaboration between some of the most talented and creative minds who continue to challenge existing concepts of culture, entertainment and community. By integrating art, architecture, nature and technology, Faena District has changed the physical and cultural landscape of Miami Beach forever.
 
For more information about WMC please visit www.wintermusicconference.com