Talent, ambition, drive: they’re all important factors in your career as a musician, artist, filmmaker, or any kind of worker in the creative sector. But they’re definitely not the only factors at play. Creative people have got to hone their craft, build their skill set and expand their networks. Vivid Ideas is the thinking part of Vivid Sydney: it’s our annual chance to get together to talk about the business, strategy and skills you need to survive and thrive in the creative economy. There are over 150 great events on from May 22 – June 8, so there’s something for you whether you’re a maker or a lover of creative content. Here are my picks for a music-loving audience.
1.IN CONVERSATION: GREAT AUSTRALIAN SONGWRITERS
Studios 301, Tuesday June 2
This is your chance to hear from, and talk to, some of Australia’s finest songwriters over the past 20 years, sharing the process and art behind crafting a song. Megan Washington, Dave Faulkner from the Hoodoo Gurus, Mick Harvey from The Birthday Party and Bad Seeds, Davey Lane from You Am I: they’re a diverse and interesting bunch, and I know moderator Zan Rowe from triple j will get them to spill their secrets!
2.SOCIETY OF TASTEMAKERS & ELEGANT PEOPLE (STEP)
Goodgod Small Club, Wednesday June 3
I’m sold on the basis of the name alone! But there’s depth to the flattery here: STEP is a relaxed and engaging way to learn from other people in the music industry, to share practical knowledge and perspectives on the way the industry works now, and could or should work in the future. The hour-long talkfest is followed by a couple of live performances.
3.THE FUTURE OF MUSIC?
Seymour Centre, Tuesday May 26
Spotify, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Rdio, iTunes, Tidal… yes, we’ve all heard the conversations about how we access and pay for music today. Yes, these platforms and our new habits as music lovers are changing the nature of the music business. But have we had the conversation about how these platforms have changed the nature of music itself? Have our expectations of how we interact with music and musicians also changed fundamentally as well? This is a great event that brings together musicians and digital designers as part of a whole program at the Seymour Centre.
4.AURAL VISUAL: THE ART OF THE MUSIC VIDEO and LOCKED OUT
Freda’s, Tuesday June 2 / Tuesday May 26
I’m sneaking in two events here as they’re both part of the special program that Freda’s is presenting for us this year: one is an exploration of the art of the music video, transforming one sense into another, with artists of different types collaborating to create surprising outcomes. The other discussion is a bit more serious, but vital: what impact have the lockout laws had on Sydney’s nightlife, music culture and economy? Definitely a conversation we need to have.
5.GAME | ON
Australian Technology Park, Friday May 22 – Sunday May 24
This is going to be a hands-on, thrilling weekend, playing with the latest in interactive technology, games and e-sports and more. There’s also a big component drawing together some of the stars of the online video world, people who have managed to build original content and enormous communities of fans through their channels.
Vivid IDEAS occurs at various locations around Sydney, as part of Vivid Sydney 2015, running May 22 – June 8.
