Generator Annual Report 09-10

Page 02

Page 03

Page 04 Foreword

Page 06 Chairs Report

Page 08 Strategic Interventions

Page 09 Business Support

Page 12 Case Study — The Know How

Page 13 Case Study — Demolition Records

Page 14 Musician Support

Page 17 Case Study — MC Mental

Page 18 Case Study — Let’s Buy Happiness

Page 19 New Platforms

Page 20 Case Study — Jimmy & The Sounds

Page 21 Expanding Resources, Expanding Horizons

Page 24 Case Study — Higher Rhythm

Page 25 National Outlook

Page 26 Resources

Page 28 Information and Communications

Page 31 Future and Way Forward

Page 32 The Generator Family

Page 33 Activity

Page 34 Summary of Accounts

This brochure can be made availablein a range of formats.email [email protected]

Additional copies can be downloaded fromwww.generator.org.uk/annualreport

www.generator.org.uk

Page 04

Generator has come a long way in the last 18 months, expanding in every way. We have added more staff, increasing capacity, and while we focus on music development throughout the UK we have extended our remit to include music businesses as well as artists in the North East, our home region. We have built numerous partnerships and consolidated support from new and existing funding streams. In the testing times ahead the direction Generator is taking will lead to even greater productivity for artists and businesses around the UK.

In December 2009 we were awarded £822,000 from the European Regional Development Fund after almost two years of planning with One North East. This gives Generator a full remit to prepare and support businesses starting and expanding in the North East. Alongside this development we continue to offer support for artists at all levels building further commercial opportunities for the unprecedented levels of talent in our corner of the country.

Generator’s role has spread throughout the North during the last 12 months, winning a contract to create a Yorkshire music network in partnership with Higher Rhythm. This has given us a platform to outline support packages for other regions and demonstrate Generator’s physical and digital support infrastructure to funders, which allows us to offer real value for money and avoid duplication in delivery.

Recently we have completed a Northern Net project with partners in the North West and are looking at further strategic partnerships, with Generator providing lead focus for a pan Northern outlook.

Nationwide, Generator has led on the reformation of the Music Development Association which has representation from almost all regions and nations of the UK. This body supplies one voice for issues affecting the development sector of the music industry. At present, as opportunities to start a music business anywhere in the UK are improved, this will become a welcome addition for the health of music.

Music is our future, let it be yours.

Generator | Foreword

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We must now increase our focus and achieve growth in the wider commercial creative industries within the North East and beyond. While music remains our base, we must exercise influence throughout the creative sector. Through our experience of changing cultural landscapes we have learned many lessons not least in embracing the digital marketplace and creating multifaceted businesses capable of survival and growth. By ensuring that we are ahead of developments and providing guidance on the future, while working constructively with those supporting other creative disciplines, we will increase influence across creative sectors and help secure a future in which these industries can thrive.

Most of all we intend to capitalise on our extended reach, influence and leadership of the development sector in joining a growing number of partners, who like us are intent on making the UK’s music industry the strongest in the world.

Jim MawdsleyChief Executive OfficerGenerator

Generator’s increased range of unique services can make a real difference for our partners around the UK. As this is being written have just received accreditation for our bespoke Managing a Music Business Enterprise course with NCFE. Following support from UK Music and the Creative and Cultural Sector Skills Council this will be the only qualification concentrating on building small music businesses and will give unprecedented access to key information and guidance.

With models such as the Business Collaboration Networks recognised as best practice by music industry leaders, and with guidance from a growing knowledge base we are able to provide a menu of services for a whole range of organisations.

By preparing for growing commercialisation Generator will go from strength to strength consolidating its position as the UK’s leading Music Development Agency.

Generator’s increased range of unique services can make a real difference for our partners around the UK.

Generator | Foreword


Page 06

I am pleased to report another year of growth in the scope and reach of Generator’s activities. In this period of uncertainty and upheaval in both the music industry and the broader economy it has been more important than ever that we, as a development agency for the whole sector, have been able to launch more new programmes, become more active in new geographies and reach more sectors of the creative community in the North East and beyond than we have ever done before.

This has been achieved with the continuing commitment of everyone within Generator and the support of key partners such as Arts Council England, PRS for Music Foundation, Youth Music and Northern Rock Foundation alongside others such as Working Neighbourhood Funds (in both Newcastle and Middlesbrough), YPF2 and Heritage Lottery Fund, new partners following a successful application to the European Regional Development Fund and growing engagement with major industry bodies such as UK Music, the British Phonographic Industry (whose Chairman I am delighted to say now sits on our Board), the Association of Independent Music, and the Musicians Union.

Our expanding reach can be seen in the new programmes launched in the last year: the Urban Music Training Academy with its three core strands PLAY, BEATS and VOX aimed at a youth demographic, and the extensive Building the Business of Music initiative with its broad menu of interventions and support aimed at SMEs looking to grow within the music sector. If one adds in the development of significant industry acknowledged education content accessible via the Qualifications Credit Framework then we can see that Generator’s reach is across an ever broader demographic of our community.

Despite these many positives there remain fundamental challenges yet to be addressed in our sector. As an industry we still await recognition for the full extent of our impact on the UK economy. Whilst the contribution of music to “quality of place” and the cultural agenda is widely recognised, it remains less well known that, to quote UK Music’s Liberating Creativity document, the music sector “provides employment for more than 100,000 people…contributes nearly £5 billion to the UK economy” and “is second only to North America as a global source of repertoire”.

Generator | Chair’s Report

Expanding our reach.

Page 07

At Generator we are busy playing our partin raising awareness of the music industry and the importance of helping people and businesses to take those first tentative steps into the sector.

At Generator we are busy playing our part in raising awareness of the music industry and, by extrapolation, the importance of helping people and businesses to take those first tentative steps into the sector. We are proud to be acknowledged across the industry as providing best in class support, training and tailored programmes. We are already working with other regions as they develop similar scale and infrastructure to ensure that such support will become universal across the UK regardless of postcode. We look forward to working closely with the major companies in the sector, music industry bodies, government and our local authorities and communities to bring that goal of a truly consistent UK wide music development network to fruition.

Until then I would just like to close by thanking the many people, artists, institutions and partners who have been indispensable to our shared successes in the last 12 months. We welcome the opportunity to work further with you this coming year and to continuing the growth of the UK’s vibrant and dynamic music industry at all levels.

Graham ThrowerChairGenerator

Generator | Chair’s Report


Our musical assets must be protected and promoted. With this commitment, Generator made its bid to ERDF for support to provide the correct framework for music business to flourish, increasing opportunities for our artists.

Although the sector faces much upheaval, the approval of this bid allows Generator to prepare it for future growth and to complete its ambition of having a full remit for musician and music business support for the region with resources in place to ensure robust programme delivery.

Generator | Strategic Interventions

At Home: The North East Region

StrategicInterventions

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Well supported enterprise benefits all artists and makes a vital contribution to the region’s economic growth, bolstering the sector in general. With our much expanded business support programme, we are able to maximise opportunities for growth, increasing competitiveness and raising awareness of new markets, including those offered by emerging technologies.

Building the Business of Music, the business support element of Generator’s programme, successfully drew down ERDF support and began delivery in April 2010 with a sliding scale of entry. Business of Music seminars inspire people to start a music business whilst informing artists and existing businesses of national and global issues facing the music industry. Music Clinics exist as a bespoke business planning and legal advice service for emerging business.

The next tier, MB2MB (Music Business to Music Business) educates newly established businesses on the inner workings of the music industry and where they fit in a complex supply chain, through a ten week seminar programme.

Finally the BCN (Business Collaboration Networks) are aimed at established business taking a collective approach to new revenue streams and ways of working that will increase efficiency and profitability.

Generator | Business Support

Business Support


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Business of Music seminars

Generator’s annual programme of seminars delivers across the region and reacts to shifting trends in the music industry.

Each seminar has a distinct focus – such as music synchronisation;the changing face of broadcast media; music, mobile and the internet; and new models for the recording industry.

Panellists are experts in their field, giving opinion on a key topic. Our unparalleled range and quality of content has prompted partners to approach Generator to deliver new sessions.

24 Business of Music seminars took place in the last 12 months

Middlesbrough Council approached Generator to develop a programme aimed at artists to ensure that they can build profile, access new revenue streams, work collaboratively, arrange tours and perform live. This led to the development of SPEAR:TALK.

Our commitment to the artist is central and alongside Business Support, artists are supplied with the best advice, relevant support and have all the right tools at their disposal.

This year Generator has taken part in panel sessions in Brighton, Bristol, Norwich and Sheffield.

Music Clinics

Music Clinics are hour long, one-to-one sessions in which businesses and artists receive advice froma mentor.

Before taking part it is important that we assess the needs of the individual or business to ensure that they get the correct mentor.

Services that are often largely London-based, legal and marketing for example, can be brought in and delivered to a client base made of existing and start-up music businesses.


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MB2MBMusic Businessto Music Business

MB2MB is a programme of day-long seminars held over 10 weeks aimed at new and existing music businesses, guiding them through the processes, intricacies and complex supply chains essential to establishing and sustaining a successful enterprise. Since April we have seen 28 music businesses progress through MB2MB.

MB2MB can be delivered as an accredited training course, and offered on either a commercial or non-commercial basis with potential to create revenue.

Over the past two years we have been working closely with the accreditation body, NCFE, whilst lobbying for support from Creative and Cultural Sector Skills Council and UK Music to ensure this qualification attains Qualification Credit Framework status.

Now this has been achieved, this course will become the bespoke qualification for music SMEs in the UK. We can now deliver our accredited Managing a Music Business Enterprise course with partners including music organisations, development agencies and education establishments throughout the British Isles.

BCNBusinessCollaborationNetworks

This key aspect of our programme adds value to businesses already turning profit and employing others, by focusing on areas of operation and interaction with the music industry where performance can be improved.

Since April 2010,22 businesses haveparticipated in BCN

We can offer assistance in areas such as: digital marketing strategies, synchronisation and live music promoting (particularly in event planning and larger scale concert promoting). Networks are made up of six to eight like-minded businesses that can benefit each other by sharing good practice, working with a group consultant who can advise on improvements while offering individual coaching.

Leading industry strategists and experts are invited to lead the networks and their input has delivered extremely positive outcomes. Over the next 12 months, we will expand the variety of areas covered by these networks and will build opportunities to roll this unique product out nationally.

Plugged InNE Music Industry Network

This network was formed in order to strengthen links between the region’s businesses and to ensure access for peer support and collaboration.

With little criteria to join except running or working for a North East music business, members of this network enjoy a range of services provided by the new web based management system, including a forum for discussion and collaboration, regionally relevant music industry news delivered direct to the desktop and notification of new support programmes, particularly collaboration networks.

Members get together at quarterly events where special guests address the group in interactive sessions. These may focus on formulating strategies with experts advising on the pit falls and successful methods of operation that could be applied to business practice.

While as an agency we work towards assisting businesses become investment ready and attract venture capital to grow in the future, it is vital that we continue to improve on these types of intervention to ensure maximum productivity.



Page 12

The Know How, which was held at the Tyneside Cinema in 2010, is a good example of seminars which help provide a bridge between the business and musician support programmes.

Capacity audiences turned out to attend four consecutive nights of talks from leading industry figures and chart-topping musicians.

Richard Russell of XL Recordings explained to Tony Wadsworth, Chair of BPI, the philosophy and punk spirit which drives the label forwards - this theme was continued in a discussion between Ross Millard of The Futureheads, Alison Wenham CEO of Association of Independent Music and Jon Webster, CEO of the Music Managers Forum.

The week had started with a discussion on new platforms for music with representatives from Gigulate and Amazing Radio and ended with a lively discussion about reliance on media outlets with Wall of Sound artists Jon McClure of Reverend and The Makers, musician and broadcaster Christian Bragg of Kids on Bridges, Lukas Wooller of Maxïmo Park and Steven Hill from Warp Records.

Generator | Case Study

The Know How

“ While the seminars that we set-upand deliver largely have a business focus,

there are occasions where we widenthe appeal to include musicians ”

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Generator assisted Demolition Records over the last year, helping the rock label to bring the legendary New York Dolls to the North East to record a new album.

Demolition have also benefited from a number of seminars and events hosted by Generator.

“Plugged In events are always thought provoking for me and cover the topics that we as a label have a particular interest in, such as retail and digital marketing.

It’s a real eye opener when you can hear from retailers such as HMV discussing their place in the online marketplace and get to challenge and question those approaches while learning about how they affect our business.

We’re working with Orchard Music ourselves, but I still have an interest in the support around digital marketing that Generator provides which has lead to Demolition sending staff to Music Clinics and participating in ongoing mentoring.

One area which Generator is really pushing forward is in games, arranging networking events with convergent businesses. This is something that we have a real interest in and wish that the games industry had the same drive behind it to do business that Generator is creating in music businesses.”

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Demolition Records



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It is vital that we continue to improve new ways of working, including helping to build businesses that are sufficiently equipped to develop the region’s inherent talent. In fact, Generator has felt proud to invite guests identified through our Business Support programme to the North East where the culture of music is still so strong and undefeated by the radical overhaul the industry has recently undergone.

With our Musician Support programme we have also imposed a sliding scale of entry so that artists at different points in their career can access appropriate support. As outlined on page 12, artists can access The Know How, attend SPEAR:TALK or book an appointment for aone-to-one session with our resident advisor in The Bigger Beat.

The artist is of course, the lifeblood of this entire industry – our commitment is to ensure that they are best equipped to deal with the opportunities that will invariably arise through the re-strengthened regional industry. These opportunities are not confined to

the region, and as illustrated below, our regional artists continue to attract national interest, and Generator can provide the guidance, support and mentorship to ensure these are maximised. Elements of this work along with our integral Live Support offer can be found in our national conference presence at The Great Escape, and Liverpool Sound City who have increasingly recognised our ability as a key partner in these events.

Closer to home is UMT, SPEAR:LIVE, Evolution Emerging and the UMT:Emerging stage at the Evolution festival.

Generator | Musician Support

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EvolutionEmergingFast becoming a flagship annual event for Generator. We work alongside our media partner NARC. and six venues across the Ouseburn to produce a large-scale event which sees 25 bands and six DJs perform in one night. Due to its link to Evolution, this event generates significant interest and we further capitalised on this by programming a stage at the festival that gave exposure to the wide range of artists the agency works with, including the region’s urban artists.

UMT:Emerging

For the first time, the agency took over a stage at Evolution; taking the opportunity to create a bill which served as an accurate reflection of the region’s talent.

It matched the agency’s objective to create a number of different learning opportunities from one event or activity. Artists that played benefited from the growing profile of the festival, new audiences, and professional large-event production. We also used the event as an opportunity to provide valuable work experiences for people keen to develop their knowledge about event production, stage management and artist liaison.

These events have a huge impact and have associated status for the artists who are selected to play: As we create different entry points for artists it’s important that we have a regular event that has easy access.

SPEAR:LIVE

SPEAR:LIVE takes place each month at The Crypt in Middlesbrough and features emerging acts from the North East. Though attention invariably rests on Newcastle, the agency recognises that our talent emerges region-wide and we are committed to developing the same kind of opportunity in other areas. Establishing the right partners is crucial for this to happen: for example, as NARC. magazine was due to launch on Teesside, we devised a Maxïmo Park special (including an exclusive Maxïmo Park remix covermount CD) and combined an ‘In Conversation with’ SPEAR:TALK and DJ sets from the band with live appearances from The Chapman Family and Mammal Club.

Our partnership with Ten Feet Tall, the promotions company who produce Middlesbrough Music Live is also vital to the success of this programme.


Live Support

Because of the experience, skills and background of Generator’s staff, its partnerships and the additional expertise we can access, Generator has long been associated with professionally produced events with corresponding high quality marketing campaigns. The national attentionour work receives and the performance opportunities available through our programme are widely coveted by emerging artists.


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Bigger BeatThese sessions have a pathfinder function for people wishing to clarify their career/musical objectives and provide an excellent entry point for new users who can then progress through to other strands. They also provide street-level access to our service users and help us find out directly about people’s needs or knowledge gaps.

Generator also offers a bespoke package of support for a small number of artists which this year included Let’s Buy Happiness. With this work, we look to draw on and test the experience, knowledge and influence of the Generator team, working to secure festival appearances, support slots and regular national airplay.

Working in this way, the agency and the artist benefit from a developed relationship over a prolonged period and artists are well positioned and prepared to deal with any leads and expressions of interest.

UMT:Urban Music Training

It has long been an ambition of the agency to expand our artist development work but we were clear about needing to make these opportunities available to the full range of talent in the region, including urban artists. In developing this work we have found new ways of reaching young people who can feel marginalised and experience some isolation from mainstream society. This led to the development of the UMT: Academy which houses these training programmes.

An award from YPF2 (Big Lottery) with an additional capital grant from Newcastle City Council in September 2009 meant that we could begin to realise this ambition by developing both a studio and new programme that reflected the increased capabilities of the agency ingeneral.

We created UMT (Urban Music Training) which is split into three strands PLAY, for musicians and bands, BEATS, for DJs and producers and VOX for vocalists and rappers.

A young person’s steering group (ROOTS) was created towards the end of 2008 and their influence with UMT has been significant. A large proportion of this work advances musical and artistic skill, but as with all our work, we build in personal and/or professional development where appropriate so that the experience can essentially becomea multi-layered one.

While our UMT:BEATS programme takes a holistic approach to musical and personal development, we also introduced BEATS:ADVANCED where we worked with a smaller number of producers who we identified on the basis of their artistic and commercial potential. These producers underwent intensive training and were led towards the release of their own music. Six producers received this training in 2009/10.


Artist Development WorkThere are many ways in which an artist can develop musically

and professionally, Generator builds the strands of its artist

development programme around this and in response to demand

and gaps in skills, we identify needs through various feedback

sources and through our Bigger Beat surgeries.

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“I took part in UMT:VOX and received a lot of really useful support from my mentor Danny. If there was anything that I didn’t understand Danny was able to tell me a different way.

Through this course I learned a lot about the importance of collaboration for artists. Working with new people and trying out new styles of music helped me to develop and was a great way of testing myself.

UMT:VOX was great for me, I learned so much in just 12 weeks and I’d encourage anyone who is thinking of getting involved with Generatorand UMT to go for it.”


MC Mental


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“When we started out as a band we just wanted to play our music, but Generator contacted us just as we were starting to take things more seriously and helped us to understand the industry. From this we were then able to get funding to travel more for gigs and they helped us with our single release and taking time to plan things out.

Joe from Generator gave us great advice on meeting industry contacts and helped us to apply ourselves more.

Over the last year we’ve developed ourselves as both artists and as a business. We hadn’t imagined that we’d be releasing singles and playing for the BBC at Maida Vale and appearing at Glastonbury. It’s all helped us to grow a lot and progress, always writing better music.

This year we’ve had national radio play, played live at two Channel 4 events, played at Great Escape, supported The Temper Trap and Idlewild and recorded music to release on our own label. The highlight for us was playing with The Futureheads for Channel 4’s Topman CTRL Student Tour in Newcastle.

Our approach to the music industry has changed dramatically. Working with Generator has made us totally up our game and realise we’re not just a band, we’re also a business. We’re still quite young, and each day we do things that we think that a lot of adults may struggle with.

Generator has helped us so much and we’re really grateful of the work and support that Joe and Generator have provided for us.”


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Generator encourages partnerships across varying media, and is aware of the learning potential of new experiences by producing groundbreaking programmes. With convergence exercising a greater influence on traditional business models and setting the tone for developing cultural enterprise Generator has embarked on a number of programmes in convergent areas.

Sound & Vision is an example of our collaboration with key partners; in this case Northern Film & Media. This project was developed in 2007 on the premise that artistic and professional development can occur when artists are exposed to new ways of producing music in a different context. In the project’s early years, we looked at the soundtrack in the understanding that too often it remains low priority for film-makers. It produced excellent results and continues to do so this year, though the project components are different.

It is essential that the project continues to develop and this year we looked at how we could further refine the creative process for both the artist and the film-maker. This year, producers were invited to submit remixes of a track selected by poll; the successful producer is currently working with the artist and a film-maker (selected through interview) with dedicated mentor support from esteemed film-maker Dick Carruthers (Oasis, The Killers, The Who) to produce an industry standard music video.

The framework of the project ensures that all the artists involved are exposed to a new creative process and learn more about this industry which is increasingly multi-faceted.

Plugged In seminars have looked at the ways in which music businesses and graphic designers have collaborated in the past and new demands on design from the industry. While special networking sessions hosted with Game Horizon have examined opportunities for developers and music businesses to collaborate and explore new markets.

The ongoing Transmission programme, which traces the history of music broadcasting in the region, its impact and a future dominated by new technologies and applications, will further bolster Generator’s work across the creative industries, developing understanding of interdependent disciplines and sectors.

Generator | New Platforms

New Platforms


“We had known about Generator for a little while before we got involved in Sound & Vision and had already been involved in SPEAR:LIVE and UMT:Emerging. We followed Generator updates on Facebook and The Gen and it was there that we found out about Sound & Vision. It was quite last minute when we entered but we’re glad we did.

The benefits of working with other artists are huge, we’ve made amazing contacts, from Northern Film & Media to Dick Carruthers and all the crew that helped make the video. We’ve made a lot of new friends that we would be honoured to work with in the future. The exposure we’re gaining is really impressive, everyone involved is highly regarded in their respective fields and because of this our name has been passed around way more than we could ever do on our own.

I think one of the best benefits is the experience we gained. Not many people can look back and think: ‘Woah, we were part of that’. Sound & Vision is going to massively increase our profile in the area and nationwide.

We have a European tour that will follow on from the release and the publicity will help with that and to boost interest for our second single ‘Heart for Rent’.”


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Expanding Resources, Expanding Horizons

In the current economic climate, it

is essential to take stock and look at

where value for money decisions

can be made that add strength to

a sector rather than weaken or

remove interventions.

By developing effective partnerships

and producing programmes that

can be applied across the UK we

can build a collective strategic

approach to the industry that aligns

with boundaries set by funding and

delivery agencies while meeting

the needs of musicians and music

businesses throughout the British

Isles.

Key to this in the last 12 months at Generator has been ensuring that partnerships have been drawn upon to ensure that our programmes and products are best practice and at the heart of the developments in the wider national music industry for the artist right through to the organisations that represent the leading UK music companies. This has been instrumental in building a platform for Generator to lead the field within the UK’s music development sector.

The best example of this is how Generator have turned the Music Business to Music Business programme (see page 11) into an in demand accredited programme.

This has been a long (two and a half year) process that has involved key partnerships and support along the way. In developing the original concept and content we received support from both Arts Council England and Business Link (to ensure that the investment for consultants to develop the framework were in place), Creative and Cultural Skills Council (who ensured that at the second stage the course was mapped to National Occupational Standards and at the final stage ensured it was adopted by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency to be placed on the Qualification Credit Framework) and all the major partners at UK Music (most particularly the BPI, AIM, Music Managers Forum, Musicians Union and Music Publishers Association) who insured that the final delivery content was the most up to date and industry prescribed available.

The result, a Level 3 Diploma titled Managing a Music Business Enterprise, added to the principle of delivery being made by experts currently operating in their individual field offering direct guidance to beneficiaries taking part on the course now means that Generator has developed the UK’s most up to date, bespoke, credible training programme for anyone who hope to start or expand their own small music business.

Generator | Expanding Resources / Expanding Horizons


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As we’ve established

throughout this

document, Generator

has enjoyed a real year

of expansion in both

reach and activity.

However, it has taken

the development

and implementation

of another physical

resource to enable

the agency’s growth

in confidence and to

complete the set of

resources necessary

to fully underpin and

support the UK music

development sector.

In October 2009, with our partners

Orange Bus, we completed work

on our new business management

system. This web based, multi

functional tool has been vital

when developing funding bids,

support mechanisms, our Managing

a Music Business Enterprise

course, managing partnerships

and providing the increased level

of support available to our ever

expanding client group.

Sharing…Having taken key information from our previous site we built on the content to ensure that the new Generator web portal would be the most informed website covering the workings of the UK music industry. It contains information relevant to a full spectrum of clients, ranging from entry level musicians right through to the UK’s leading music industry companies and organisations. The new website brings together all of Generator’s programmes and events with varying access levels to zones and forums allowing discussion and collaboration.

Monitoring…While preparing to receive ERDF investment and still wanting to show the music industry where our funds were reinvested and the results of this investment we built an intricate and extremely robust Client Management System. This allows us to record data and history from a full range of clients and produce reports for an ever increasing public and private funding mix. It also provides the ability for our music development partners, past and future to have access to a shared monitoring system without the need to build one for themselves, while providing a value for money solution for any authority, enterprise partnership or funding body looking to invest in music development.

Learning…To support the roll out of the Managing a Music Business Enterprise qualification we developed an online Learning Zone. Password protected, with a variety of access levels, this provides the means to disseminate course notes, guidance and general information to anyone registered on the course. It also allows students to upload assignments which assessors and facilitators can view from anywhere in the world. This enables full course administration by any number of people in any number of different geographical locations. In addition, as we increase the Generator offer nationally to include shorter compact courses and regionally to underpin our UMT related awards we will see much greater use of these features.

Communicating…With an ever expanding client base it was important to improve our database and broadcast channels in order for us to communicate effectively and efficiently. This element gave us the tools to ensure we could send an increasing amount of information regarding our programmes and developments to anyone registered for this information while collating information from a number of other news sources. It also gave us the confidence to reshape The Gen into a web based publication that grew into 26 (fortnightly) issues per year and ensure that we were becoming more environmentally efficient by using digital marketing strategies over traditional paper based materials.

The backup plan…

This system has four key functions…

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Generator was awarded a contract by Screen Yorkshire to establish a Yorkshire Music Network after a full tendering process which completed in February 2010. The main thrust of Generator’s tender for the Yorkshire Music Network contract was two-fold. Firstly, that support mechanisms with proven demand and success were established in a sister region. Secondly, that this was supported by the Business Management System built by Generator which includes facilities for client management and a web portal containing relevant resources for the artist and the businesses. In summary, the core message of the application was that there was no need to reinvent the wheel. The key to this is that while more artists and music businesses will grow from the regions, the system does not operate on a regional level. It is a resource that can be used by multi platform partners and clients with little need for further investment.

In addition, Generator’s approach to the production and servicing of a regional network in Yorkshire was to establish one key partnership to act as the network coordinator within the region (Higher Rhythm) but also relied on the identification of key partners and the establishment of an advisory group. This group not only invited key funding bodies (ACE, Yorkshire Forward and Screen Yorkshire) but also stakeholders from existing projects, conference organisers, local authorities and music businesses. The role of the advisory group was to ensure that whatever and wherever Generator was prescribing activity is appropriate for the members of the Network.

Our move toYorkshire...


In November we were presented with an opportunity to testhow this additional resource may influence our ability to expand...


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The music industry in Yorkshire requires a number of interventions. The main metropolitan areas such as Leeds, Sheffield and Hull are split from each other and need to be linked together, raising awareness of services within the region to generate new business and retain income.

Isolated areas such as parts of North Yorkshire can become cut off and lack links into the wider music sector. The Plugged In Yorkshire network addresses this issue, and by using new technology such as Northern

Net to broadcast to locations across the region we can widen the audience for Plugged In Yorkshire, provide greater opportunity for all and establish vital industry links.

Having Generator as a partner and taking advantage of their excellent contacts has allowed us to bring in a higher calibre of speaker to events which has also helped to boost the credibility and awareness of Higher Rhythm. This greater profile now places us as the key music sector support organisation for Yorkshire.

We can see this partnership growing and continuing to flourish, allowing us to deliver more of the programmes Generator has successfully delivered in the North East here in Yorkshire. This should also help us to fulfil our personal goals of delivering a live music festival and conference to bring the regional music industry together.


Plugged In Yorkshire

Frank Wilkes, Higher Rhythm

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Music Development AssociationIn early 2010, following research conducted with over 80 different music organisations and associations who are concerned with music development throughout the UK, Generator instigated and led the formation of the Music Development Association (MDA). This forum provides a fantastic opportunity for those operating in the field of music development in the UK membership of a shared community that can provide one voice to various levels of the music industry, funding bodies at both regional and national level and Government itself.

The definition agreed by the membership is as follows - An overarching body made up of national and regional music development organisations which hold a remit from an elected Governmental body, statutory body or other agency, and which offer support to those who wish to advance their artistic careers and / or business growth within the UK music sector.

Information flows two ways, and while the MDA has the ability to provide a clear voice there is an additional communication function. We see the MDA becoming the body that can act as a one stop point for all organisations and the media seeking information, opinions and strategies. The MDA would also become a portal for local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships simply requiring knowledge of how the music industry works, in order to provide local level support programmes.

We intend to continue to strengthen the influence of this important body and exert its influence in the UK music industry. In turn Generator and the MDA can increase its availability for research, opinion and representation for any leading body needing first hand up to date information on our vital sector of this vibrant industry.

Generator | National Outlook

National Outlook


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Generator | Resources

2009/10 was a transformative year for Generator and these changes corresponded with a huge overhaul within the recorded music industry which continues to shrink in size. Despite this contraction, other areas of the industry grew,

including live, and in general, the opportunitiesfor enterprise and the artist multiplied.

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It was crucial that the agency adapt and respond to these changes, and the resource development which took place alongside our bid to ONE for ERDF support brought us to the point where we could equip ourselves, the industry and the sector, for the change that lay ahead. Generator’s resource development was not confined to finance; the agency’s strategy ensured that we applied for funds in a consistent and collaborative way, consolidating our dual commitment to the artist and the business. Support from a range of funders allowed us to implement strategy for an expanded Musician Support programme, integral to justify the framework for Business Support.

This financial support has not only enabled us to build a team who have developed and implemented these new programmes, but provide access to our clients to expertise from in and outside of the region. The artist and the business need to learn about the types of cross sector opportunities that exist within the creative industries and attendees have benefitted from numerous valuable networking sessions coordinated over the last year.

Our new larger team is supported by a governing board of industry and related experts, a host of coordinators providing ongoing specialist skills and a widening pool of industry experts that Generator increasingly draw upon to coach, mentor and consult both artists and music businesses alike.

As Generator’s resources have multiplied our range of provision has widened; this has been evidenced in a greater take-up in our programmes alongside strong positive feedback from our clients. The value chain changes in the industry have reshaped the balance of power and Generator is now best positioned to see that the artists and business benefit from these new opportunities. As our own network expands, new markets emerge for our clients – with our increased resource they are better equipped to exploit these markets.

“The artist and the business need to learn about the types ofcross sectoropportunities that exist within the creative industries

”

Resources

Generator | Resources


Generator | Information and Communications

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Website and CRM systemGenerator’s website ties together delivery of a fortnightly newsletter, with updates via the website’s blog, a support centre, contacts directory and industry news feeds straight to client’s desktops.

This is backed up by a state of the art client relationship management system tracking people who come into contact with Generator through various stages of development and access with the agency.

In developing the CRM, Generator’s staff designed a system which tracks numerous outputs and is capable of producing funder reports measuring the impacts of its activities on all clients who access Generator’s support.

Generator’s partners and funders can also benefit from the resulting data. When delivering courses for partners we are able to track their clients and produce a report on attendance, assistance received and complete case notes.

This major development work need not be replicated for work outside the North East. A scalable system built to meet partners needs can be delivered for partners containing all the features of Generator’s in-house CRM accessed through a single portal.

The Gen

Generator’s e-newsletter, The Gen, has switched to a purely digital format and remains a vital link between the organisation and its audience, with event attendees placing email communication as their number one source of event info.

The Gen, now delivered fortnightly, has already established itself as a reliable mouthpiece for music in the North East and with a planned increase in readership nationwide, will reach every region in the UK.

As a communication tool, The Gen reaches every level of the industry from the ground upwards, delivering a unified voice from the industry outside of the capital.

When offered as a service to Generator’s partners, the editorial team can deliver the latest info on the developments that affect music both nationally and throughout the regions to an established industry audience.

By targeting students as subscribers the enewsletter can reach the next generation of people working in the industry.

Changes to the format of The Gen will make content shareable and commentable to grow the conversation, involve readers and encourage debate.

The Gen is a valuable service for its readers, a digest of industry news and what’s happening in the music industry both at home and elsewhere across Britain. To Generator’s partners it’s a direct line to music businesses, musicians and the higher reaches of the industry.

Subscribe to The Gen atwww.generator.org.uk

Information andcommunications



Website areas and ‘zones’The website contains password protected zones for Plugged In and Plugged In Yorkshire members and for the Music Development Association, driving recruitment, tracking member activity and encouraging online collaboration.

Zones are easily adaptable for other regions and industry organisations, populated with relevant information for that specific region or sector.

The Plugged In zones contain essential information for regional music businesses including access to finance and forums for members.

— DailyNewsFeedsandUpdates We study the top music industry news (including Music Week, Drowned in Sound, CMU Daily, Billboard etc) and top music technology feeds and filter them to members.

— AccesstoFinance We bring the latest investment and funding opportunities to music businesses and offer help in ensuring that the regional music industry receives a fair slice of the cake.

— Members Forum In addition to the networking events we programme for Plugged In, we have a member’s forum which gives members the opportunity to debate issues, make contact and look towards other members for advice on progressing a particular element of their business.

— DirectoryofContacts While this already contains nearly 20,000 music industry contacts throughout the UK it is vital that we work with regional partners to ensure it is as up to date as possible.

Learning Zone

The site also has a password protected Learning Zone capacity with several functions for any one taking part on a Generator produced training course.

Including:

— Course notes

— Tutor contact

— Online coursework submission and management

— Reporting

This provides a facility for delivering courses remotely, tracking students progress and guiding them through our educational content.

When delivering courses for a third party this can operate as a standalone system accessed by Generator and its partners for easy administration.

Project Planning

An essential part of the CRM is its project planning and task management capabilities.

This includes: calendars, document storage and task assignment by project, event or programme, linking seamlessly into client tracking and reporting by event type, support given and client progression.

Projects can be assigned user groups, and private areas that can feed into an overall event calendar and system. All updates can be tracked and alerts sent out accordingly.Like other web based services developed by Generator this package is scalable and can be offered to partners.


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Generator | Future and Way Forward

Future and Way Forward In many ways Generator has reached a watershed in its recent developments. Having restructured and appointed a new board in 2008, we have completed the movement into full support mechanisms for both Musicians and Music Businesses and since the receipt of the ERDF grant and additional three year funding streams, we have shaped a strong and experienced team that can prepare and build for the future.

Page 31www.generator.org.uk

Despite this position, we are under no illusions that impending spending cuts will not affect us as they will everyone else in the commercial creative and arts sector. This is why it is so important to look towards where we can adopt a variety of our support mechanisms into products and services that may be made available in a commercial market place both regionally and nationally. As you can see from the example below we have developed a bespoke Music Business accredited course and have unearthed additional ways this could be funded throughout England and Wales.

The next step is to offer this to our partners throughout the UK and deliver to their clients. However we have already begun working on other ‘products and services’ while building the partnerships to deliver these. Our ‘Business Collaboration Networks, although only five months into existence are already attracting much attention as a strong initiative and a model that should be replicated. In recent years we have moved from simple DJ training into producer training and this again could become a saleable product.

We believe that over the next two years Generator will grow into a commercially recognised Music Business Support provider working throughout the UK with a widening partnership base. We will continue to strive for resources to offer Musician Support while becoming a central hub for this support nationally.

The Commercial Creative Industries in general are a real growth area for the UK and Generator, alongside our partners in Film, Games and Digital Interactive Media must ensure that we are supporting this expanding sector wherever possible. We need to be looking towards shared services, effective campaigning for resources and above all - joint thinking. As the digital world converges Generator has a real opportunity to yet again prove that we are one step ahead and ensure that we are in the best position possible to support a growing client group both musically and beyond.

Over the last 2 – 3 years we have earned the reputation as the leading music development agency in the UK. Based on our vast experience and expertise we are looked upon as the organisation that supplies not only best practice but also leadership of the development sector in the music industry. We continue to be extremely innovative in all our approaches and believe that in a shrinking environment for support for the creative industries we have much already in place that can be shared, not just by music organisations but those who work with games, film and the wider digital media. The challenge now is to ensure that whatever changes take place within the Commercial Creative Industries Generator is placed at the forefront of a converging development sector. We believe that as the landscape changes we will be increasingly looked towards to rise to whatever challenges are placed before us. For this we must be ready.

Educational Content

Generator have developed MB2MB into the Level 3 diploma qualification ‘Managing a music business enterprise’ in partnership with awarding body NCFE. CC Skills and UK Music have both supported the development of this qualification and they see it as being important to the sector. The training course now includes music synchronisation and digital music business models and marketing units.

This is about developing music business enterprise and not just about working in the music industry which makes the content and product offer distinct. Our target clients for this are pre-start and expanding music businesses, self employed and freelance practitioners and those employed in small businesses looking to diversify. The qualification has now been approved by OFQUAL in September 2010 and each of its units will be placed on the QCF. This will allow CC Skills to recommend the course to the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) as eligible for funding throughout England and Wales.

This will allow Generator to deliver fully accredited programmes nationally and potentially draw down funding to support this into multiple regions.

Generator | The Generator Family

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GENERATORScreen Yorkshire

Bristol Music FoundationThe Great Escape

Sound Investment Circuit RecordsHigher Rhythm

Liverpool Sound CityNorthern Net

SensoriaTimeless Music Project

Woodwork MusicMusic Ally

Studio LobsterCaptains Of Industry

Russ ConwayOrange BusPaul Reed

Daryl RobinsonSteve Duncan HR

WorldbeatersGrooverooms

Tees Music Alliance The Bunker

Ten Feet TallTransmit

UK MusicAIMAIF

Music Development AssociationArts Council England

Musicians UnionBPI

CC SkillsNCFE DCMSUKTI

ERDFArts Council England

Big LotteryNorthern Rock Foundation

Youth MusicGeneration 2012

Newcastle City CouncilWorking Neighbourhoods Fund

Heritage Lottery FundPRSF

Northern Film & MediaNARC.

Business LinkOne North East

CodeworksGames Horizon

Gateshead College Evolution Festival

The Crypt, MiddlesbroughTyneside Cinema

Northern Stage

INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS NATIONAL PARTNERS

RE

GIO

NA

LL

PAR

TN

ERS

NORTH EAST PARTNERS

FUN

DE

RS

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Musicians Participating

Generator Emerging 1131Sound & Vision 380North East Beat Unsigned 320SPEAR:LIVE 157UMT:PLAY 80UMT:BEATS 48The Great Escape 33UMT:VOX 6

Total 2155

Audience

Generator Emerging 15000SPEAR:LIVE 550The Great Escape 500UMT:BEATS 400North East Beat Unsigned 340UMT:PLAY 160UMT:VOX 140

Total 17090

Seminar Sessions held

UMT:BEATS 96UMT:VOX 25UMT:PLAY 20MB2MB 16SPEAR:TALK 5The Know How 4Plugged In 3Business Collaboration 3NetworksMusic Clinics 3Plugged In Yorkshire 1

Total 176

Seminar Attendees

SPEAR:TALK 350The Know How 415Bigger Beat 210Plugged In 148UMT:PLAY 80UMT:BEATS 48Plugged In Yorkshire 44MB2MB 28Business Collaboration 22NetworksMusic Clinics 15UMT:VOX 6

Total 1366

Live Music Events

SPEAR:LIVE 10Evolution Emerging 6The Great Escape 3UMT:Emerging 2UMT:PLAY 2UMT:BEATS 2UMT:VOX 1North East Beat Unsigned 1

Total 27

Generator | Activity


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Balance Sheet 2010 2009

£ £ £ £Fixed assets 34,841 15,490

Current assetsStocks 500 500Cash at bank and in hand:Unrestricted 36,902 53,003Restricted — 28,000 37,402 81,503

Creditors: amounts due (34,035) (65,349)within 1 year

Net current assets 3,367 16,154

Total assets less current 38,208 31,644liabilities Net assets £38,208 £31,644

Capital&ReservesRestricted — 28,000Unrestricted 38,208 3,644Shareholders funds £38,208 £31,644

Income&ExpenditureIncome 411,979 341,193Administrative expenses (405,406) (334,499)Excess income over 6,573 6,694expenditureTaxation (9) (151)Retained reserves for the year £6,564 £6,543

StatementOfRetainedEarningsRetained reserves brought 31,644 25,101forwardRetained reserves for the year 6,564 6,543Retained reserves carried £38,208 £31,644forward

Notes

Accounting policies The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008).

Turnover Turnover represents Grants, Fundraising and Management Fees, excluding VAT.

Depreciation Depreciation has been provided at the following rates Project equipment — 15% reducing balance Furniture and fittings — 15% reducing balance Office equipment — 15% reducing balanceStatus The Company is a non-profit making Company and is Limited by Guarantee, by having no Share Capital.

Tangible fixed assets Net Book Value at 31st May 2010 — £34,841 Net Book Value at 31st May 2009 — £15,490

Generator | Summary of Accounts

Summary of Accounts

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StaffJim Mawdsley — Chief Executive Officer

Jo Thornton — Director – Resources

Damian Baetens — Director – Business Development

Alastair Smith — Marketing and Communications Manager

Martin McAloon — Information Manager

Peter Matthews — Administration Manager

Mike McClure — Monitoring Officer

Joe Frankland — Musician Support Manager

Bob Allan — Programme Assistant – Musician Support

Jonny Gray — Programme Assistant – Business Support

Wayne C. McDonald — Consultant

Funders

Generator North East LimitedExtracts from accounts for theyear ending 31 May 2010.

Director’s ReportThe company’s principal activity during the year continued to be that of an agency for music development.The company’s retained reserves will be used for the continued development of the agency.

The Directors in office in theyear were:

Mr G. Thrower

Ms M. Shee

Mr J. Mawdsley

Mr D. Cross

Mr R. White

Mr A. Wadsworth

Ms C. Dupree

Ms S. Goulding(resigned 01/11/09)

Ms J. Thornton

Mr D. Baetens(appointed 01/03/10

Accountant’s ReportWe consider that the company is exempt from an audit for the year ended 31 May 2010. We have acknowledged, on the balance sheet, our responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. These responsibilities include preparing accounts that give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company at the end of the financial year and of its profit and loss for the financial year.


GeneratorCluny Annex, 36 Lime Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2PQ

0191 231 4016 [email protected] www.generator.org.uk

Documents

Generator Annual Report 09-10