For women, trans, and nonbinary people, if you’re looking to unlock the value of your music, UK nonprofit Saffron is working with music publisher Cavendish to share opportunities. A three-month series of online workshops, accessible worldwide, starts later this month.
Not only are these workshops accessible online, but they’re also affordable. They’re included with the Members’ Club (US$5.20 – $22.80/mo), £8.30 (just over $10) individually, or if cost is a barrier, Saffron has a direct contact for free access.
Cavendish Music, the UK’s largest independent production music publisher, joins in on a partner for this series. They’ve worked on huge projects like Planet Earth, I, Tonya; Doctor Who, The Crown, plus ads for the likes of Gucci and Audi. (Minus those advertisers, I think I’m part of the rare overlap audience for everything just listed!) Here’s what’s coming up:
- 17 September – An Intro to Sync with Joanna Gregory, Head of Strategy and Operations and Cavendish – to help folks “develop sustainability in their careers by placing their tracks in adverts and other visual media.”
- 28 October – Writing for Sync: Music Briefs with Amy McKnight features a top composer (Stella McCartney, Big Brother, FIFA for a … trio!) talking about working for clients, dealing with deadlines, and protecting creative integrity.
- 27 November – A&R Feedback with Róisín Doyle-Bakare and Tammy Tinawi, both from Cavendish, addressing how to present your work with “everything from creating standout tracks to the nuances of navigating the production music landscape.:
Industry Insights – Online Music Sync Workshops
If you’re part of the target audience, don’t miss the other resources Saffron has available on their site. On the higher subscription level, you can access the Saffron Studios online Ableton course, plus an archive of zones of workshop videos with hosts like Octo Octa, Shanti Celeste, Lorraine James, and others. I also appreciate that this organization is focusing on female, trans, and non-binary educators, not just providing opportunities to those groups hosted by more cis men.
I’ve written in the past about what Saffron is doing and why it matters – see below. But it’s worth reproducing this statement from their event news:
The gender imbalance in the music technology industry is well-recognised. While we are absolutely not ‘anti-men’, we see that a shorter-term solution is to provide fellowship and learning environments that are not dominated by the cisgender male perspective. Therefore, these workshops are intended for women, non-binary, trans and gender non-conforming people to attend. While we do not ban cisgender men from attending, we hope that they will respect that this event is not intended for them.
Note the term “shorter-term.” I believe that the more we address inequity and injustice in music, the better for longer-term solutions and sustainability.
Thanks for helping share this with anyone who might benefit. And if you take part, feel free to share your experiences and what you hope to see in the future!
Previously on CDM:
