p>More than just a conference, it’s two jam-packed days of discussion on issues ranging from the economics of cultural production to healthcare, from emerging business models to artists making a difference in their communities and beyond. And the lineup just keeps getting better! We’ve added rapper Dessa of the Doomtree collective, Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins to our already amazing list of speakers and presenters. 

Additionally, we’ve just launched day rates for the event; you can now attend either Monday, October 28 Tuesday, October 29& for the special rate of $149/day. If work, a gig or other commitment means you can’t join us for the whole shebang, day rates are a perfect solution! And general admission for the full event  is still available for $249. A limited number of scholarships for working musicians are available, but act quickly to reserve your place!

This year, our Summit also features three brand new, exciting events! These exclusive happenings will sell out, so be sure to reserve your spot at the hottest shows in town.

Future of Music Coalition Honors

Monday October 28th 7 pm | The Hamilton

Our first ever FMC Honors recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the music community as voices of change, advocacy and policy. There are a very limited number of general admission tickets available for the benefit - for more information on buying tables or individual tickets, fill out this short form and we will be in touch directly.  Honorees include:

• For their ongoing leadership in protecting and expanding community radio through the Local Community Radio Act: Senator John McCain, Representative Mike Doyle, Senator Maria Cantwell & Representative Lee Terry
• For his groundbreaking work with the incarcerated through the nonprofit Jail Guitar Doors: Wayne Kramer
• For their longstanding and persistent work in protecting the rights of musicians in an industry transformed: Hal Ponder, Trish Polach, Ann Chaitovitz & John Simson.​

Jail Guitar Doors Benefit Show

Monday, October 28th 10 pm | The Hamilton

Directly following the inaugural FMC Honors event, we’ll be turning the room over to the rock & rollers. With a house band anchored by Wayne Kramer with Brendan Canty of punk pioneers Fugazi, the Jail Guitar Doors benefit show will celebrate music, activism and rocking hard every damn day (even on Monday nights). Wayne will be joined by Raul Pacheco of Ozomatli, Brer Rabbit of the Flobots, Erin McKeown, Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Jill Sobule and other special guests.

All Songs Considered Listening Party

Tuesday, October 29th 7:30 pm | Gibson Guitar Showroom

NPR Music Listening Parties bring together a diverse audience of music fans, critics, artists and journalists to discuss new releases, listen to live performances and socialize. As part of the 2013 Future of Music Summit, NPR and FMC have teamed up to present a special edition All Songs Considered Listening Party at the Gibson Guitar Showroom. Join host Bob Boilen and special guests for this rare opportunity to flex your music-nerd muscles.

This summer, FMC worked with the Artists’ Health Insurance Research Center (AHIRC) to conduct an online survey of musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists, writers, and filmmakers about access to health insurance. The survey found that of the 3,402 respondents, 43 percent do not currently have health insurance. Of uninsured respondents, the vast majority (88%) say that the principle reason they lack insurance is that they can’t afford it.

You can read our full report to learn more about the structural factors that make it harder for artists to obtain coverage, see how new findings compare to our earlier research, and learn what changes artists expect as health care reform is instituted.

Meanwhile, with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act now underway, many artists have questions about how the new system will impact them. That’s why we’ve worked with a task-force of artist organizations to put together a collection of artist-friendly resources to help artists navigate these changes and obtain coverage. Artists are invited to visit health.futureofmusic.org to find answers to frequently asked questions, learn about artist-focused educational events and seminars happening around the nation, and find links to informational videos, online calculators, and Q&As. There’s even a free hotline, if you have more questions!

On September 30, Representative Mel Watt introduced H.R. 3219, the Free Market Royalty Act, which would obligate AM/FM radio stations to compensate performers for the use of their music just as satellite and internet radio do. This marks the first attempt since 2009 at recognizing a “performance right” for radio, as nearly all other industrialized nations currently do.  

The debate about this bill is just beginning to heat up, and we’ll be watching it closely in the coming months. For now you can read our statement on the bill, and you can learn more from subcommittee member Representative John Conyers’ keynote presentation at our Summit.

On October 1, due to the government shutdown, all “nonessential” functions at most federal agencies were suddenly halted. This included the FCC, which regulates all things related to radio broadcasting. For supporters of community-centric music and broadcasting, this comes at an inconvenient time, as the long-awaited filing window for new Low Power FM stations was supposed to be open from October 15-29. Luckily, our friends at Prometheus Radio Project have put together a page that will provide up-to-date information about how the shutdown will impact this filing and what community groups should be prepared for.

FutureBlog is your destination for analysis of the latest news in music/tech/policy; here’s a selection of our most popular recent posts:

Congress examines the Role of Voluntary Agreements in IP Protection

As part of an ongoing comprehensive examination of copyright law, a recent House Subcommittee hearing examined a range of voluntary industry agreements designed to help protect intellectual property—including copyrighted music. Check out our detailed recap of the hearing, and read our written testimony.

NEA Releases Public Participation Survey Highlights

The National Endowment for the arts periodically conducts research to measure how americans consume, produce, and participate in art. In this post, we explain why the latest iteration of this survey represents a big step forward toward understanding the full diversity of creative expression in the US.

Court Says Hotfile on the Hook for Copyright Infringement

If you’re an internet service provider and you want to enjoy the safe harbor protections of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, you’ve got to play by the rules, according to a recent court ruling.

Copyright Office Recommends Creation of Voluntary Small Claims Tribunal

What do you do when someone makes unauthorized use of your creative work, but you don’t have the resources to pursue costly federal litigation? The US Copyright office wants to give you a new option, which could even allow for adjudicators to help settle copyright disputes over the phone!

You can always contact us at suggestions [at] futureofmusic [dot] org if you have any questions or feedback.