SA Midem Pavilion a success

January saw the second South African Pavilion at Midem, the world’s biggest music market – and it proved to be an unqualified success for all those taking part in this exciting initiative.

The South African Pavilion at Midem is a project of the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) with the support of Moshito Conference and Exhibition and 2006 saw the numbers of independent music companies using the Pavilion as their business base double from 14 to 36. Among those companies taking part were Gallo Music, Bula Music, Electromode, Ghetto Ruff, Next Music, and many more. Several newcomers to Midem, including Johannesburg’s Outrageous Records, and Cape Town’s Mama Dance Records, were financially assisted by the DAC and Moshito.

"We are buoyed by the response to the South African Pavillion that was shown last year and are thrilled that so many of our artists and songwriters, through their record companies and publishers are represented at the 2006 event", says Director General in the DAC, Professor Itumeleng Masala.

"We know that we have great creative talent in South Africa but the real challenge facing the music industry is penetrating international markets to create the broadest possible economic base to sustain that very creativity," Prof. Masala added.

Said Nick Motsatse, Chairperson of Moshito, and CEO-designate of SAMRO, "There is no doubt that last year’s Pavillion enabled independent, smaller companies in the music industry to make the contacts vital to earning artists and songwriters deals internationally, and begin building the foundations of ongoing relationships with international partners. It is in this that Midem is so important – making those connections between South Africans and global players and giving individuals working in the industry an excellent view of the international music industry. We are positive that within a short space of time we will see the results of this interaction through increasing international deals for performers and songwriters."

South Africa’s presence at Midem is also an important project of the South African Music Export Council (SAMEC), a registered section 21 company that is on the fast-track to mirror the success of other national music export councils, in particular in countries like France. Membership in SAMEC is made up of organisations that have a collective interest in furthering the interests of South African music abroad. A strong feature of the South African Pavilion was the emphasis on independent music companies taking part with Irfaan Gillan, interim co-chairman of the Association of Independent Records Companies (AIRCO) and CEO - Chissa Entertainment Group being one of the speakers in the high-profile International Indie Summit at the music market.

Harvey Roberts of Bula Records (which had the biggest selling South African release in 2005 in Shwi Nomtekhala’s Wangisiza Baba) described the South African Pavilion as benefiting the SA music industry. "Last year was a year of incredible growth for Bula and we are very pleased that the government has expanded the commitment it made at last year’s Midem in staging the Pavilion and is continuing to assist independent record companies because it can only benefit the domestic industry."

Mama Dance’s Craig McGahey was showcasing artists Vidima and Blue African Skies and was as upbeat about the Pavilion’s success: "I am very grateful to be invited by the DAC to Midem. It’s a great initiative that will definitely pay dividends for the SA music industry. It’s great that we are finely been legitimised as a profitable export industry."

Back