Global Music Match Unites 96 Artists From 14 Countries Around The World

Folk Alliance International has announced its partnership with 13 music export organizations from around the world for an industry "first" nine-week program, Global Music Match (GMM).

Envisioned by Sounds Australia, Showcase Scotland Expo, and Canada's East Coast Music Association (ECMA), Global Music Match is a pilot initiative created to continue raising the profile of local artists in international music markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Breaking artists into a new territory or country is a challenging process at the best of times, so the GMM program is designed as a unique response to the limitations imposed on the live music sector at this time, and makes use of social media and peer-to-peer collaboration to increase networks and exposure for export-ready artists internationally, providing a groundwork for future international touring development. The program will also support participating artists to upskill their social media and interviewing activity, as well as encourage cross-border collaboration by connecting musicians from around the world.

Working with an industry coach, artists are grouped into teams of six with musicians from different cultures and countries. Each week, musicians from each country introduce another artist from their team to their social media followers to cross-promote each other's music and careers to their respective audiences, until all the artists have been presented.

Six FAI alumni artists based in the U.S. have been selected and placed on different global teams including Sean Ardoin, Calvin Arsenia, Gina Chavez, Charly Lowry, Crys Matthews, and SaulPaul.

Global Music Match is supported by the following export organizations: Catalan Arts (Spain), ECMA (Canada), English Folk Expo, FOCUS Wales, Folk Alliance International (USA), Iceland Music, LUCfest Taiwan, Music Estonia, Music Finland, Music Norway, Puglia Sounds (Italy), Showcase Scotland Expo, Sounds Australia, and Spectacle vivant Bretagne (Brittany, France).

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