Aspiring artists have the chance to tap into the rapidly developing music scene in South Korea thanks to a new competition being run by Liverpool Sound City.
Backed by Arts Council England and The British Council, artists are invited to apply to perform at Zandari Festival and MU:CON later this year, exposing their music to over 20,000 people.
Taking place from 30 September – 3 October, Zandari Festival and its conference focuses on the live and independent sector, with 200 emerging artists performing in 22 venues to 3,000 industry delegates and 15,000 music festival attendees. MU:CON takes place from 6 – 8 October, showcasing 150 artists to an industry audience of 3,000 people at its conference.
South Korea is a rapidly developing territory for music, with a thriving live music sector and a music subscription model which generates $139.6 million of revenue per year, accounting for 92.3% of all digital revenue and 53% of total trade revenue, according to the IFPI.
Last year, Sound City supported six artists to go to South Korea including The Tea Street Band, Hyde & Beast, Natalie McCool, Johnny Sands, Fizzy Blood and Chelou. The artists are expected to generate £55,000 from the trip over the next two years.
Alison Clark, Arts Council England combined arts and Manchester director, says: “We have supported Sound City through our International Showcasing fund which helps English musicians find new markets and audiences, and gain valuable experience through performing in South Korea.
“Sound City’s work has had a huge impact on the careers of the six artists who took part in the first year of the programme and I look forward to seeing how it develops in the second year.”
David Pichilingi, Sound City CEO, adds: ‘South Korea is an incredibly exciting emerging music market and we’re delighted to continue expanding the reach for our brand as well as for the artists and businesses we work with in Korea.”
