Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove and Intellectual Property Adviser to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, is amongst the first speakers to be announced for the 2014 Great Escape Convention, the UK’s leading music business conference. He will headline a half-day strand focused on the music rights sector, and will reveal current thinking in Westminster and Whitehall regards the ongoing fight against online piracy. 

Elsewhere in the music rights strand – which is supported by PPL and PRS for Music - CMU Business Editor and TGE Convention Programmer Chris Cooke will review how artists, record companies and music publishers are going about monetising their copyrights in 2014, and the efforts being made by the industry to hone and simplify the licensing process. 

Representatives from PPL, Kobalt and the Featured Artists Coalition will then provide insights on the increasingly important area of neighbouring rights, which provide extra royalty income for artists and producers, while key execs from leading labels and digital platforms will explain how rights owners are now combatting the unlicensed distribution of their recordings online. 

Maximising Music Rights is one of six key strands that will form the core of The Great Escape Convention next May. Adopting a fresh new approach, TGE will present more in-depth sessions in 2014, giving delegates the opportunity to delve deeper into the key areas affecting the business of music. Details of the other five exciting strands will be announced early next year. 

Mike Weatherley MP said: “It is a huge honour to welcome The Great Escape to Brighton & Hove once again. It’s a fantastic event filling our music venues and debating halls with all things music related. As the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Intellectual Property Rights, it is especially gratifying for me to see support for our creative industries raised to such a high level by all those involved – organisers, artists and supporters. Thank you”. 

Peter Leathem, CEO, PPL said: “PPL is very pleased to be supporting The Great Escape once again this year and we are looking forward to participating in the Maximising Music Rights strand and especially the panel on 'neighbouring rights'. This is an increasingly important revenue stream for our performer members. We will be sharing tips and advice on how artists and producers should be capitalising on it and will be happy to answer any questions that come from the floor." 

Robert Ashcroft, Chief Executive at PRS for Music, continued: “This debate couldn’t be more timely. PRS for Music is licensing new online services every day, all of which are vastly changing the music industry landscape we’ve been accustomed to. Some of these new business models are becoming leading platforms for music discovery but are creating an increasingly complex digital landscape. The Great Escape’s Maximising Music Rights strand will provide vital insight to those wanting to tackle the new issues surrounding intellectual property. We are also delighted to be involved alongside new IP adviser, Mike Weatherly MP. Mike is a music lover as well as politician and has always been a great champion of copyright.” 

The Great Escape’s Festival Director Kat Morris said: “We’re delighted to be announcing the first installment of our convention programme and are privileged for Mike Weatherley MP to be leading our music rights strand. The Great Escape convention will break with the norm next year by offering six more in-depth strands. Delegates will still be able to dip in and out as they wish, but, by having more time dedicated to each topic, we’ll be able to cover each more thoroughly. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Brighton for the ninth Great Escape, which will be our biggest and best festival to date. Roll on May.” 

THE GREAT ESCAPE BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX, UK 8-10 MAY 2014  

3 DAY EARLY BIRD DELGATE PASS 2014                                    £145 (limited availability)

3 DAY HOTEL ROOM & DELGATE PASS PACKAGE 2014     from £450 (limited availability)

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