Intersessions Conference to Return To St. Louis In Advance Of Music At The Intersection Festival

Music at the Intersection is revealing the details of its second annual Intersessions conference, Thursday and Friday, September 7-8, immediately ahead of its two-day outdoor music festival. Taking place at .ZACK (3224 Locust St.) in St. Louis and presented in collaboration with The Recording Academy and Webster University School of Communications, Intersessions - which is once again free to attend for 2023 - will focus on the nexus of art, music, technology and entrepreneurship.

"Intersessions was born out of a call to action from various St. Louis groups for more professional development tools in order to build capacity and attract industry," said Chris Hansen, Executive Director of Kranzberg Arts Foundation. "We designed the conference with a long term vision, as something we can expand on immensely and grow in scale. Year two will be open to more (500) attendees, have two full days of programming, activate multiple spaces within .ZACK and feature thought leaders from even more industries, including the restaurant and start-up worlds. We're providing resources to artists, creating a space for innovative discussion and drawing in heavy-hitting thought leaders - both from St. Louis and beyond - who, after the conference, get to stay and experience the best of St. Louis' art and music scene in action at the festival."

On Thursday, September 7, Webster University School of Communications will host a series of artist development workshops specifically targeted toward emerging musicians and those pursuing (or interested in pursuing) a career in the music industry.

On Friday, September 8., creatives, professionals and entrepreneurs of all industries (music, art, tech) are encouraged to attend the professional development portion of Intersessions, which will feature a heavy-hitting roster of influencers from the worlds of music, art, technology, and business participating in a highly curated schedule of panel discussions and presentations.

Those interested in attending Intersessions can RSVP at www.musicattheintersection.org/intersessions or directly at www.MetroTix.com (or by phone at 314-534-1111). Attending the conference is FREE. However, there will be a small ticket processing fee at sign-up.

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT:

On Thursday, September 7, Intersessions' Webster University Workshops will dive into topics relevant to musicians and those pursuing (or interested in pursuing) a career in the music industry. Discussions will be led by faculty, friends and alumni of Webster University School of Communications, including Chair of the Audio Aesthetics & Technology Department (and Grammy nominated music producer), Carl Nappa.

Intersessions' Webster University Workshops will cover the topics of:

• Merchandising and sales
• Marketing and publicity for artists
• Mastering and deliverables for uploading your music online
• Music business education

"During last year's workshops, we were able to offer music industry insights to artists who were just starting or in the beginning part of their career," said Nappa. "Typically they'd have to self-educate or wade through a ton of information online. However, we were able to surround them with real-world experts and, in a single day, get them further along their chosen paths. These workshops are all about sharing resources and capacity building for the St. Louis music scene. For 2023, the topics are different, so we hope to see returning attendees, as well as new faces."

ST. LOUIS' MUSIC ECONOMY:

Also on Thursday, September 7 at Intersessions, Kranzberg Arts Foundation and the Regional Arts Commission will host a special event to discuss the results of a multi-year St. Louis "music audit." Conducted in collaboration with Sound Diplomacy, a global organization specializing in understanding a city's unique music economy, the study assesses the impact of music on the St. Louis region (economic output, job creation, tourism interest). It also aims to identify opportunities to further enhance St. Louis' position as a thriving music city through industry advancements and policy changes.

During the event, members of Sound Diplomacy, as well as local music industry leaders and artists, will discuss the study's findings and focus on how best to utilize the research to drive future growth and development of the St. Louis music scene.

Prior to Intersessions, the findings of Sound Diplomacy's comprehensive study will be made available to the public.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

On Friday, September 8., creatives, professionals and entrepreneurs of all industries (music, art, tech) are encouraged to participate in the professional development portion of Intersessions, featuring a variety of national and St Louis-based industry leaders.

"When Chris Hansen and I came up with the concept of Intersessions, we knew the community would devour the content," said Sam Foxman, President of Evntiv. "After the 2022 event, we took time to gather feedback from attendees, panelists and community members. That feedback helped shape the 2023 lineup with more diversity, more focus on entrepreneurship and more engagement with the local creative community."

Intersessions' professional development panels and presentations will cover the topics of:

• Arch Grants presents "SHECONOMY," women founders
• Connecting in the music industry
• A.I. in the arts. What's next?
• Creative factories: killer work from the top marketing shops
• How to make money as a creative entrepreneur
• Examining freedom of speech in the arts
• Recording Academy panel
• Content creators roundtable: leveraging podcasts, TikTok and Instagram to build your brand
• Building an empire of TASTE: top chefs and restaurateurs

Participating panelists are a diverse cohort of musicians, entrepreneurs, activists and community leaders including:

• Mvstermind - Musician, performer and Director of Musical Experience for St. Louis SC
• Cbabi Bayoc - Visual Artist, speaker and activist
• Ben Poremba - Owner of Bengelina Hospitality Group
• Cheree Berry - Founder, CEO and Creative Director at Cheree Berry Paper
• David Steward II - CEO at Lionforge
• Dr. Donald Suggs - Publisher and Executive Editor of St. Louis American
• Gabe Angieri - Executive Director of Arch Grants
• Katie Collier - Co-Owner and Executive Chef of Katie's Pizza and Pasta
• Carlos Zamora - Owner and Chief Creative Officer at CARTEL Agency
• Tef Poe - Rapper, musician and activist
• Mike Spakowski - Partner and Creative Director at Atomic Dust
• Allyson Mace - Publisher and Founder of Sauce Magazine
• Tom Pernikoff - CEO and Co-Founder at Tunespeak
• Reid Wick - Membership and Industry Relations at The Recording Academy
• Matt Hall - Co-Founder and President at Hill Investment Group, author and content creator
• Samantha Rudolph - Co-Founder and CEO of Babyation
• John Launius - VP of Nitrous Effect
• Ayesha Mubarak Ali - Co-Founder of Metavisionaries
• Mike Franklin - Executive Creative Director at FUSE Marketing
• Jeff Insco - Co-Founder, President and Executive Creative Director at UPBrand Agency
• Whitney Gregory - Founder and CEO of Eemerg
• Erica Barnell - Co-Founder and CSO of Geneoscopy
• Ed Morissey - Founder of Integrity
• Sam Foxman - President and Co-Founder of Evntiv
• David Kirkland - Owner and Chef at Turn
• Loryn Nalic - Owner and Chef at Balkan Treat Box

"Tunespeak started in St. Louis, utilizing the city's close knit and supportive music community as a proof of concept and eventual springboard to create what is now an international company working with major labels and music's biggest names," said Tom Pernikoff. CEO and Co-Founder at Tunespeak, a fan engagement platform. "There were definite benefits to starting in St. Louis, and Tunespeak is proud to still be based here, now adding to the city's music and tech industries. What we learned, and continue to learn, along the way are now insights to give back and share at Intersessions with burgeoning artists and entrepreneurs."

"Our membership in St. Louis has tripled over the past several years, and we have more board members from Missouri than ever before," said Reid Wick, New Orleans-based Sr. Membership and Industry Relations Manager for The Recording Academy. "The city is producing leaders who are in turn sparking its music economy, and it's being noticed. St. Louis is an important market to The Recording Academy and a place we're excited to offer our resources, including professional development, networking, music advocacy and musician wellness - all of which will be showcased as part of Intersessions."

Intersessions is sponsored by Kranzberg Arts Foundation, The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis and Eventiv, with support from The Recording Academy and Webster University School of Communications.

AFTER Intersessions: More About The Festival Weekend

Music at the Intersection (September 9-10) will feature more than 50 national, regional and local acts across four stages throughout Grand Center Arts District's outdoor festival footprint - a mix of urban streets and green spaces, stretching across Washington Avenue, just east of Grand Blvd. Festival grounds open at 12 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and performances will take place until well after sunset.

Headliners include St. Louis rapper Smino, 2x Grammy winning hip-hop / jazz artist Thundercat, Jamaican-American singer and saxophonist Masego and 5x Grammy winning jazz fusion group Snarky Puppy. Continuing its tradition of booking foundational music royalty, the festival's lineup also features legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, 3x Grammy winning blues guitarist Taj Mahal and St. Louis R&B singer / songwriter Angela Winbush.

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and its influence on contemporary music, art, fashion, and culture, Music at the Intersection also features artists spanning from the 1970s South Bronx to current day - including DJ and hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash, NYC funk group Cameo, Atlanta's 2x Grammy winning Arrested Development, new school NYC hip-hop act Phony Ppl, and a wide array of St. Louis-based hip-hop artists and DJs.

Tickets are currently on sale at www.musicattheintersection.org/tickets or directly at www.MetroTix.com (or by phone at 314-534-1111). Tier 1 tickets are sold out. Tier 2 prices start at $179 for all-weekend access or $99 for a day-pass. Limited GA+ and VIP tickets are also available. GA+ ($325 weekend or $175 single day) includes speed lane festival entry, private bar access in Sophie's Artist Lounge, dedicated indoor restrooms at 3333 Washington and access to exclusive programming in Sophie's Artist Lounge. VIP ($650 weekend or $350 single day) includes all the GA+ perks as well as dedicated VIP viewing areas at all stages (with dedicated restroom and bar), a food truck VIP speed pass, VIP bar line and a special merch package.

In addition to music, the festival will also put special emphasis on art and culture. As part of Elemental (a year-long, community-facing event series celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, presented by Music at the Intersection and The Walls off Washington), there will be activations paying homage to the four elements of hip-hop. In addition to DJing and MCing (rapping) - which will be taking place across Music at the Intersection's four stages - the festival will feature breakdancing (B-Boying/B-Girling) demonstrations and graffiti art.

Central to the festival's footprint, "Mural Market" at The Walls off Washington will be home to local artisan vendors, as well as live, immersive street art activations. Food trucks will also be available for attendees, curated by Sauce Magazine.

Music at the Intersection is presented by Kranzberg Arts Foundation in partnership with Steward Family Foundation and The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis.

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