NME will return for a third year to support the Featured Artists Coalition’s annual AGM, with a panel of artists looking back on 2023 and what challenges and opportunities lie in the year ahead.
The FAC’s 2023 End of Year Party and AGM, in association with PPL, will take place at Signature Brew in Walthamstow on Wednesday, November 29. Following on from 2021 and 2022, NME will return to support the event with News Editor Andrew Trendell leading an artist-led ‘Year in Music’ panel discussion featuring FAC board member Joff Oddie of Wolf Alice, Murray Matravers of the band formerly known as Easy Life, LVRA and Cherise.
LVRA and Cherise have both been recipients of the FAC’s Step Up Fund powered by Amazon Music, while TBFKA easy life will be recognised for their outspoken advocacy at the upcoming Artist & Manager Awards last night (November 23).
The FAC’s Artist in Residence, Blur drummer Dave Rowntree will also deliver an opening statement.
Much of the event will focus on the major issues that the FAC continues to tackle, such as streaming reform, the application of AI in music, the 100 Per Cent Venues campaign to end punitive commissions on merchandise sales, and the #LetTheMusicMove campaign to encourage friction-free international touring.
“With 2023 coming to a close, I’m really proud of what the FAC team has accomplished, and particularly our campaigning work with 100 Per Cent Venues, #LetTheMusicMove and continuing push to reform the economics of streaming,” said FAC CEO David Martin.
“Our end of year party is a perfect opportunity to hear the views and perspectives of artists on all these issues, to find out about the work we do, and for our community to come together in unison. I’m incredibly grateful for the support from PPL, and looked forward to catching up with friends and colleagues on November 29.”
Last month saw Easy Life play their final show under that name, having conceded defeat in a legal battle over the moniker against easyGroup (the brand owner of easyJet airlines).
“Sadly, it seems that justice is only available to those who can afford it,” said the band in a statement. “We simply don’t have the funds to access a fair trial in the high court.”