IEBA (International Entertainment Buyers Association), the leading trade organization for live entertainment industry professionals, will hold its 44th annual conference September 27 – 30 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Nashville.
Fifty acts, including nine Grammy-winning artists, will grace IEBA stages during this year’s conference. “Just as important are the nine acts you’ve probably never seen before,” states WME Vice President Barry Jeffrey. “An act has to get in front of talent buyers to get offers and to book dates. IEBA offers buyers the opportunity to see what’s fresh and new for the upcoming touring season. And that puts the buyers at IEBA ahead of the curve. In many cases, this is the first time a buyer is seeing an act perform live. Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Zac Brown Band, and Miranda Lambert all showcased at IEBA early in their careers. There is no denying their success today and I strongly believe IEBA was an important step in the development of their careers because they were introduced to important buyers early on. And now these same artists are adding other young talent to their tours – talent currently showcasing at IEBA. ‘The buying starts here’ is more than a slogan. It’s what happens at IEBA’s annual conference.”
In addition to incredible live entertainment, IEBA’s annual conference provides targeted programming for the talent buying industry. The preeminent conference will feature diverse and uniquely crafted informational panels with some of the industry’s leading decision makers and trendsetters. The conference addresses specific areas of the live entertainment business including arena tours, clubs & colleges, the casino business, corporate & private events, fairs, and all types of festivals. The conference is more than a state-of-the-industry consortium; programming remains focused on buying and selling talent and addresses the specialized ways business is done in particular areas.
“As Artists and Managers continue to financially focus on income from touring, the pressure increases on Agents and Buyers,” states AEG Live/TMG Senior Vice President Ali Harnell, an IEBA Board Member and a nominee for IEBA’s 2014 Promoter of the Year. “Our segment of the music business is multi-faceted but it’s very clear – we buy talent and promote live entertainment events. Plans made by agents and managers only become tours when the buyers get on board. Acts move from one level of touring to another when buyers and promoters are willing to take that risk with them.”
IEBA Membership has increased 45% over the past year. This fact speaks to the importance of the organization to the industry and the importance of the touring business to the entertainment industry as a whole. “Ours is a business based on relationships,” states IEBA Executive Director Pam Matthews. “And trade organizations build relationships within their industries.”
IEBA’s annual conference provides an atmosphere that fosters networking and collaboration through roundtable discussions, intimate panels and IEBA’s well-known Agents Alley, a time for entertainment buyers and agents to discuss the specifics of the upcoming touring season. New to the conference this year is Promoters Alley, a meet and greet of the same style where promoters will spend quality time with their valued partners.
The annual conference will culminate with the Tuesday, September 30th Honors and Awards Ceremony where fourteen industry honors will be awarded and The Doobie Brothers, Jim Halsey and Bob and Peggy Kaltenbach of Klein’s Entertainment will be inducted into IEBA’s Hall of Fame.
To reserve your spot and for more information about the conference, please visit IEBA.
About IEBA:
International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) is a non-profit trade organization for live entertainment industry professionals. Founded in 1970, IEBA and its annual conference stand alone in the entertainment industry by showcasing the most current and diverse entertainment options for buyers, and providing unparalleled networking and informational opportunities to its members. Representing over $1 billion in buying power, IEBA is an intimate organization that makes a huge impact.
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