Summary ? 

I remember the day this magazine started. Sherezade, my assistant, whom I have lost because of the pandemic (she is alive and well, I spoke to her this morning, but she is working in a fully online company and we miss each other), was here. It was summer, I was coming back from some festival and I thought “why not put together all the calls of interest to our community, in a monthly newsletter? And add some more relevant information”. It would help us to keep up to date and could be useful for our network of colleagues and other professionals in this difficult sector. And a public commitment was born: to keep a monthly communication with the purpuse to provide value… and, I hope, some joy too.

The idea of giving a voice to agents of interest in our community came very soon. Those people who don’t appear in the music magazines, who don’t go on stage, but who pull the strings of this little world.

We are a community, disseminated all over the world. We are very diverse but we share some values. We are a community, possibly disorganised, but a community. In these three years I have seen how initiatives such as European Folk Network (its roots are earlier, but the legal constitution is in January 2019) or AGIMA have emerged. Not to mention countless conferences and fairs that have grown or been born and even strengthened in the context of the pandemic. Little by little, we are becoming more and more organised. And we need it. Our community is very aware of the challenges of the environment, of social integration,… and I believe that a profound reflection on our role towards society and how to provide more and better service, identifying new ways of adding value, new experiences, new frames… will be a key issue from now on.

Incredibly, many of the delicate structures that make up this community have managed to survive a year and 3 months of nightmare. Are we crazy or do we have nothing else to do? No, I think neither. What do you think?

This time I’ve gone a bit longer than usual in this opening and got a little bit transcendental. I think the occasion deserves it. Enjoy the rest of the content. I am very happy to share the words of my friend David Sierra in a little interview. Find also good news and other informations with different protagonists. And feel free to share this.

I’ve known David Sierra for a handful of years. He is one of the people who best knows the reality of my country in terms of booking artists in the styles we work with, and I believe that, to a large extent, our struggles are shared.

It is a pleasure to dedicate this space to a colleague I feel so close to. He is from Castile-La Mancha by birth. I adopted Castile-La Mancha as my business legal place and day by day my ties with this land become strengthened. So not only are we both Spanish, but our professional environment at the regional level also coincides.

I think that in this global community of those of us who work, from one point of view or another, with the music of the people, companionship and generosity stand out, and David is an example of all this.

David has more than 15 years of experience in this sector and I am sure that many of the readers of these letters know him, as he has toured stages on three continents and is in touch with clients in America and Oceania where some of his artists have played.

Apart from his work in booking, David co-produces, together with his artist Ana Alcaide, the World Music Festival of Toledo.

Mapamundi Música – Which is your background, what made you become an agent for world music artists? 

David Sierra – Since I was a child, my interest in Art and Culture was always present in my daily life. Music was no exception, as it always accompanied me in each of these stages. Dance, and especially traditional dances (and therefore contact with traditional music) occupied part of my youth and as the years went by, I knew that in one way or another I was going to be linked to these heritage. After university, where I graduated in Humanities and, later on, I also began to study Art History, I had the opportunity to work for a company focused on artistic management and the production of musical programmes for television. I worked there for about 6 years, until 2011, when I started a solo career in the booking and management of different national and international bands, until today.

MM – From your training, education, previous experiences, which ones of the skills or knowledge you got have been the most useful for your career as an agent of musicians? 

DS – Be constantly learning, never stop training and investigating other areas beyond your work as an agent. Be curious, explore the possibilities offered by the use of technology. In an increasingly globalised and connected world, I think we cannot afford to ignore this reality. Therefore, I would say that continuous training in different skills has been the key over the years.

MM – Apart from that or those skills, which other do you think are essential to succeed in this field of work? 

DS – Without a doubt, perseverance and patience. Knowing how to accept the ‘no’ but also setting goals and objectives. Insisting, betting and believing in the projects that one defends, until the end.

MM – Any particular advice for a fellow newcomer or someone who wants to get started in this field?

DS – Are you sure this is your world? If the answer is yes, put faith and don’t give up. Educate yourself and ask for help and advice from other professionals. If you have the possibility, attend talks and learn from their experience but, above all, be brave and be patient because this is a long-term career. Nothing happens by chance and success comes after a lot of effort.

MM – And now, for the artists. I’m sure you get requests from artists every day to be their manager. I am sure because it happens to me too, and many colleagues tell me the same thing. Do you have any recommendations for the artists, so that they can improve the way they communicate when they do it for this purpose?

DS – My recommendation is: “have you had a look at what I do and seen the profile of the artists on my roster? If not, please do so.” It’s very important so that both parties don’t waste time. It may sound like rude advice, with a certain tinge of haughtiness, but deep down it will be very useful to you. I am sure, dear Araceli, that it has also happened to you to receive proposals for theatre, circus, dance or other musical styles that have little or nothing to do with what you do. Therefore, the most important thing when you want an agent to pay attention to what you do, is to ‘study him/her’ and find out if you are both on the same wavelength. In this case, having good artistic material prepared is the key: bio, press reviews, active social networks, updated rider. In my point of view, without this it is very difficult to get the attention of an agent.

MM – Do you think it makes sense for the artists to try to find an agent? Have you ever started a stable collaboration with a band or artist that approached you in their search of an agent? 

DS – Absolutely. An agent has the necessary resources and knowledge to be able to position your musical project without guaranteeing anything, as there are a series of external factors that don’t depend solely on the agent.

With regard to the second question, there are several artists who didn’t have an agent or manager and found support in me. With many of them I still maintain this working relationship, from the beginning of their careers, if not in their artistic careers, yes in their professional careers.

MM – I think there will be still, at least for many years, a lot of artists and a much smaller number of agents, that is the current situation. This makes me think that we are not in a very interesting business, otherwise there would be many more agents working in world music. Nevertheless, it seems the artists require us. Something seems to be wrong, what is it?

DS – In relation to this question, there are indeed a large number of people trying to make a name for themselves in the music industry. Another very interesting question we could discuss is whether we are really talking about artistic projects, that is, a project with its own entity, serious and of quality. In this case, I think the number would be considerably reduced, as there are fewer proposals that have that different, magical, special touch? In this sense, we could turn the question around and comment that there are also many other people who want to act as bookers or managers of these bands (friends or relatives of these artists, for example), who have little or nothing to do with the cultural industries.

MM – Especially in the last year, many of us, independent agents or micro-companies, have felt a bit alone and misunderstood. I have heard claims from colleagues from different countries arguing they have not been considered in the support for the arts after the ravages of the pandemic. With this in mind, I have a question. We are required by the artists but, at the same time, it seems we are a bit invisible. Do you feel that? 

DS –  In my case in particular, I have not received any financial assistance during the pandemic, mainly because, as you mention in the wording of your question, this has depended very much on political decisions at the regional level. In this line we have also been invisible to them, to the politicians I mean, who have shown that they have cared little or nothing about Culture, which, as we know, has been one of the most affected sectors. I believe that it is a role that we have quite assumed at the moment that we position ourselves on this ‘other side of the stage’. I have sometimes heard that the success of an artist lies largely in the technical staff that accompanies him, in the production that they do in the studio or in the sound of his live performance. And I would add: and in the agent, who for me is 50% of this binomial.

MM – My last question. Explain in one or two sentences, to the wider culture community, the reasons to book musicians from around the world that give a relevant presence to their roots. 

DS – Because we need to reclaim our roots. Because we need to open our eyes to other cultures, sometimes silenced by history and political interests. Because there is life far beyond the mainstream, the charts and the power of massmedia.

Credits:

A few days ago I read in Miriam’s Facebook wall that she is the “new Business Director of festival Dias Latinos in #Amersfoort!”. The truth is that I understood her joy and asked her if I could share the news in this bulletin. She agreed and sent me on my request this lovely picture.

In her post she also explained that she is not the programmer (that role will be done by Lucas van Merwijk). She will work on the vision for the next years. She also explained that she will continue working with artists and planning events for Utrech.

Do you have a call of interest for our community that you want to share? Let me know asap

For individual musicians. “This year, Making Tracks will select eight Fellows to take part in a UK residency and tour, held over one month from mid-October.” “Musicians from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply” “Our focus is on young professionals. This typically means that applicants should be between 19 and 35 years old (although we occasionally make exceptions).” Note that: “Due to uncertainties around COVID-19, we are only open to applicants based in the UK and other European countries.” The deadline for applications is 19th July. For more info and applications, here.

“A virtual international showcase opportunity to convey the cultural and aesthetic plurality of American life to domestic and international audiences.”. “Applications are open to music, dance, and theatre artists/ensembles with a demonstrated capacity to tour internationally. PAD encourages artists who self-identify as BIPOC/LGBTQ+ to apply.” For more info and applications, here. Application Close: June 25, 2021, 5:00PM PST. The Arts Midwest’s Online Conference will take place from 17th to 22nd of September and it will be online. 

.

• Afro Pepites arts market opens the call for artists until 31st of September (Already present in the previous edition of the newsletter)

• European Folk Network Spring Forward series of three meetings ended

• Check below in the next section of “Meet me at” because those are also relevant events! 

Right now, at Global Toronto. The beginning of the conferences started yesterday, Monday 14th June and it was an intense day. I was able to greet some friends from all over the world and listened to some deep and fresh ideas.

?If you missed it, read the interview with Mercedes Caxaj about Global Toronto 2021, in this previous edition.

I am still waiting for the date for my vaccination. My age group is already being vaccinated so I’m due any day now. I’m checking my mobile phone every 15 minutes to see if I have an SMS! So I have some plans to travel abroad, after so long. My plane is gathering dust in the hangar! ✈️

---