Reach Records is proud to sponsor the all-new Black Independent Music Accelerator, created by the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade organization representing nearly 700 independent music labels. The Black Independent Music Accelerator is a grant initiative designed to amplify Black voices in the independent music community.
Reach Records Senior Vice President of Marketing Marcus Hollinger will serve on the program’s inaugural Advisory Board.
“Being a part of this program is a significant accomplishment for Reach Records,” says Hollinger. “We believe the gospel compels us to seek the spiritual and material well-being of others. Sponsoring this program is just one way we felt we could leverage our platform to help other Black-owned businesses get started in the independent music industry.”
The initiative will provide a platform for Black-owned businesses in the music industry, offering greater visibility, networking opportunities and mentorship for burgeoning business owners. Because financial barriers often pose significant obstacles for minority-owned independent music businesses, BIMA offers subsidized annual membership fees to A2IM, as well as complimentary tickets to annual events such as Indie Week, a four-day international conference and networking event aimed at maximizing the global impact of independent music.
Additionally, fellowship benefits include label-to-label mentorship within the A2IM community as well as an opportunity to build relationships with participating streaming platforms. BIMA will include meetings with A2IM staff and board, as well as mentoring sessions led by A2IM members. Fellows will be invited to legal roundtables, sessions with SoundExchange, meetings with DSPs including Spotify and Amazon Music to discuss available marketing benefits, and additional meetings and programs to be announced soon.
The BIMA Advisory Board will provide guidance and oversight to the project. Joining Hollinger on the board will be Troy Carter, Founder and CEO of Q&A; Fotemah Mba, Head of A&R, General Market at Cinq Music Group; Taryn Brown, Founding Director of Taryn Brown + Company; and Chrissy Nkemere, Senior Director of Streaming Marketing at Concord and Global Co-Chair of Diversity and Inclusion/Board Member of Women in Music.
For independent music to thrive and continue to be at the forefront of innovation, A2IM believes it is essential for the music community to be diverse. As such, A2IM has worked to identify opportunities to drive and showcase diversity in the independent industry, including among its own members. The 2020 A2IM Board of Directors is more diverse than ever and BIMA will invest in the long-term growth of Black-owned music businesses and their leaders.
BIMA is presented in partnership with a long list of sponsors including Spotify, Amazon Music, ADA, Made in Memphis Entertainment, Songtrust, Reach Records, Taryn Brown + Company, Tunecore, Materia Collective, AdRev, Symphonic Distribution, Soundexchange and Vydia.
The 2021 BIMA application process begins on January 19, 2021 and closes on February 1, 2021. To apply or learn more, please visit www.a2im.org/bima.
Author: Herb Longs (Herb Longs)
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