18 January 2002

A New Zealand delegation to the Midem 2002 trade fair, which starts tomorrow in Cannes, marks the first time in two decades that New Zealand has had a co-ordinated presence at the world's biggest music market, says Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard.

The New Zealand music stand at Midem was initiated by the New Zealand Music Industry Commission, with assistance from Trade New Zealand. A delegation of six music companies and two music industry assocations aims to attract overseas buyers and distributors for New Zealand music.

"I'm delighted that the Music Industry Commission has co-ordinated a New Zealand presence at Midem. It's one of the most important international trading markets for music, and a focus on export opportunities is a key part of the Commission's work," says Judith Tizard.

"The Music Industry Commission was set up with money from the Cultural Recovery Package to encourage growth in the contemporary popular New Zealand music industry. The Labour-Alliance Government recognises the huge economic returns to be made from New Zealand's creative industries. Music is one of our best exportable cultural products."

>From tomorrow until January 24 more than 10,000 people in the music business are expected to attend Midem, which features 320 trade stands, 20 seminars and over 40 concerts.

"Feedback about the conference from all over the world confirms that it is the most important annual opportunity to conduct business with music players in the world marketplace over five days under one roof," says Judith Tizard.

"Midem is an important one-stop business shop for New Zealand labels, producers and promoters, since it can be geographically and financially difficult to make numerous overseas trips throughout the year."

New Zealand's presence at Midem includes record labels Kog Transmissions, Ode Records, Loop Recordings and Arch Hill Records, distributors King Exports and Global Routes, and the Independent Music New Zealand Association and Recording Industry Association of New Zealand.

They represent and/or distribute a wide range of popular New Zealand music across the pop, rock, reggae, electronica and pasifika genres.

"It is possible for New Zealand music to do well overseas. OMC's 'How Bizarre' is one of the most successful examples of just how well we can do. It's a matter of finding the best markets for our vast range of popular music," says Judith Tizard.

"For example, Auckland electronica label Kog Transmissions know that Europe is a good market for their catalogue. One of their acts, Pitch Black, recently had a successful tour that included France, Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris and London, and Kog Transmissions' Midem representatives will continue on to Paris and London to further investigate European distribution for their catalogue."

Last November, Trade New Zealand funded a Maori Music Export Network delegation, headed by online Maori music promoters Maorimusic.com, to the Womex World Music Trade Exhibition in Rotterdam last November. This led to successful negotiations with a range of agents and distributors.

"The Labour-Alliance Government believes that successful strategic partnerships are the key to getting the maximum potential from our creative industries. Trade New Zealand's commitment to these music export initiatives is fantastic," says Judith Tizard.

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