After the overwhelming success of last year, Indie-Con Australia will once again be held in conjunction with this year’s AIR Awards in Australia’s UNESCO City of Music thanks to support from the South Australian Government.

The 2018 Indie-Con Australia conference will take place at The Hindley, Adelaide on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 of July. Focusing on issues that are specifically relevant to the independent music sector, Indie-Con Australia offers opportunities for advancement in professional and business development skills, one-on-one networking potential with key industry stakeholders and insights into the latest innovations and technological advancements in products, services and strategies.

The 2018 Indie-Con Australia line-up will bring together the best and brightest of the world’s independent music industry, discussing everything from partnerships in the music industry to smart marketing, streaming and indie repertoire, neighbouring and reciprocal rights, independent industry action and State of the Nations: what’s happening here and what’s happening elsewhere?

It’s your chance to get up close and personal with pioneering indie legend Molly Neuman, who was not only a founding member of Riot Grrrl band Bratmobile and co-founder of the zine Girl Germs, but also draws from extensive experience working at eMusic, Kickstarter, Lookout Records, A2IM and currently heads up Global Business Development at Songtrust.

Justin West will share his inspiring story speaking from Secret City Records, which is a revelation in how to take control over your global rights as a small indie label. Whilst Head of International Marketing PIAS – Vincent Fenice will talk about what’s in the Australian water that made them want to buy Inertia, and making the world a better place, putting music, labels and artists at the heart of everything they do.

Recognised by Billboard in the 2018 list of the 100 most influential people in the music business, Aussie expat Charles Caldas will return this year in honour of Merlin’s 10 year anniversary, offering a keynote outlining where the next new frontiers are for the indie sector, along withA2IM CEO Richard James Burgess and Kill Rock Starts/The Future of What’s Portia Sabin alsoback by popular demand.

Further highlights include Director of Legal and Commercial Affairs WIN – Charlie Phillips, OpenPlay Co-Founder – Edward Ginis, and from Entertainment Intelligence Greg Delaney and Erik Gilbert.

Australian speaker highlights include closing keynote from Hoodoo Gurus’ Dave Faulkner and long time manager Michael McMartin, Dom Alessio speaking from his new found home at Sounds Australia, Victoria’s new Music Development Office GM and Artist Manager – Bonnie Dalton, Spotify’s Tom Mee and Alicia Sbrugnera, and Andy Mak and Adalita teaming up with their Publishers Matt Tanner and Linda Bosidis.

Conference programmer Stu Watters comments “We’re really excited to deliver a program that ups the ante on the Australian independent label sector. We have one of the strongest most vibrant indie sectors in the world and gatherings like Indie-Con are designed to help make our sector and the industry more broadly a better place to do business, putting our artists at the centre of the conversation.”

Bordering the 2018 AIR Awards ceremony and official after-party, the conference will tie in with Adelaide’s Umbrella: Winter City Sounds and Scouted.

AIR members will receive invitations to attend the 2018 Indie-Con Australia conference, with a limited number of tickets available via moshtix to non-members from 9amJune 28, bit.ly/moshtix2018IndieConAus- book early to avoid disappointment!

Thanks to The Appointment Group AIR members and attendees can also take advantage of special travel offers when booking directly with the Appointment Group. For more on this email: airtravel@appointmentgroup.com

Click here for full conference program.

2018 INDIE-CON AUSTRALIA SPEAKERS: Molly Neuman(Songtrust), Charles Caldas (Merlin), Charlie Phillips (WIN), Edward Ginis (OpenPlay), Eric Gilber t(Entertainment Intelligence), Greg Delaney (Entertainment Intelligence), Justin West (Secret City Records), Portia Sabin (Kill Rock Stars), Richard Burgess (A2IM), Vincent Fenice (PIAS), Adalita (Artist), Alex Zaccaria (Bolster), Alicia Sbrugnera (Spotify), Amanda Vitartas (Hysterical Records), Andy Mak(Writer/Producer), Anthony Zaccaria (Bolster), Ben O’Connor (Chapter Music), Blake Rayner (The Orchard), Bonnie Dalton (Custom Made), Chris Bosma (Poolside Records/The Smith Street Band), Chris O’Neill (APRA AMCOS), Damian Rinaldi (Sonic Lawyers), Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus), Dean Ormston (APRAAMCOS), Deb Suckling (Sugar Rush Records), Dom Alessio (Sounds Australia), Ellen Kirk (Barely Dressed Records), Emma Bosworth (Green Music Australia), Gerry McKenna (Whitesky), Glenn Dickie (Sounds Australia), Grace Kindellan (Hysterical Records), Greg Carey (Grow Yourself Up), Guy Blackman (Chapter Music), Harvey Saward (Remote Control Records), Henry Compton (The Orchard), Jane Slingo (Young Strangers), Jay Mogis (QUT), Leanne de Souza (AAM), Linda Bosidis (Mushroom Publishing), Lisa Bishop (Music SA), Lynne Small (PPCA), Mardi Caught (Annex), Matt Tanner (Native Tongue Publishing), Matthew Lymbury(Nightlife Music), Matthew Rogers (Unified Music Group), Merida Sussex (Resonate/Stolen Recordings), Michael McMartin (Melody Management), Millie Millgate (Sounds Australia), Paddy McHugh (Artist), Paige X. Cho (Bolster), Phil Brown (Nightlife Music), Rachel Kelly (Downtown Publishing), Steve Cross (Remote Control Records), Susan Cotchin (IRR Music), Tom Mee (Spotify) and more to be announced.