COURSE OVERVIEW

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The Artist Development course is part of ICMP’s range of Music Industry courses.

Whether you’re new to releasing music or an old hand, this three-month course will guide and empower you to reach your next level of success as an emerging artist. From developing your music and artistry, to managing your release campaigns, you’ll learn the essential skills to successfully create, release and monetise your music in today’s ever-changing music industry.

Through a blend of informative lectures, in-class discussions, songwriting, and music production workshops, you’ll gain a firm understanding of key artist development topics in the context of your own artist project. You’ll learn by doing as you navigate the challenges and opportunities faced by independent artists striving to succeed the music industry.

 Across the course’s foundational weeks, you’ll explore your musical and sonic identity, goals and visions, while discovering how artistic voice relates to cultivating a fanbase. You’ll concentrate on the music you make and the creation of your own body of work, to support your growth as an artist.

 Next, you’ll gain a clear understanding of the music copyrights you create and own. Whether you release music independently, or through a distributor or label , you’ll learn how royalties are generated and collected. The key elements of contracts and music agreements are also discussed.

 As the course continues, you’ll discover crucial brand development skills to grow your artist project, including brand building, finding your audience and relevant industry contacts, and creating content. Along the way, your expert ICMP tutors will support you to create a host of marketing assets, such as press shots, biographies, press releases and more.

The final part of the course focuses on your release campaign strategy. As the core way to grow your music profile, you’ll learn how to identify who you need to collaborate with for a successful release ­– from distributors and labels, to radio, blogs and playlists. At the end of your three months with us, you’ll have the confidence and skills to develop highly effective strategies for your artist project, as well as the knowledge to manage a series of successful release campaigns.

 OFFICIAL COURSE PARTNER 

byta logo

This course is officially partnered with BYTA, students will receive a free solo account subscription, class visits from the BYTA team and access to their online seminars. 

 ADDED EXTRAS 

Students studying this course also benefit from exclusive freebies and sizable discounts from the following SampleSound, along with class visits from management companies Big Life and Blue Raincoat Music.

artist development course partners

Module details

Artist Identity

Music is the foundation of all artist success stories. During this module, you’ll learn to understand and realise your artistic voice and discover how to create and use your sonic identity – a vital stage of artistic development. You’ll also examine professional strategies to develop your artistry and music, building an audience and career momentum as you go.

Creating a Body of Work

Across this module, you’ll explore how to develop a coherent body of work that supports your artistry and identity and the best strategies for selecting and releasing singles. You will develop your songwriting skills, including co-writing and writing to brief, and understand how to develop your personal style and your own song portfolio. In music production workshops you will gain a solid understanding of the entire production process including demos, producing, mixing, and mastering. You’ll learn how to record your own demos and arrangements, explore your sonic identity, and become capable and confident to get the best from your future productions.

Branding for Artists

During this module, you’ll gain a deep understanding of how to develop your brand, as you work on your music and artist project. You’ll use this to strategically promote and pitch your music, and we’ll show you how to seek out and find relevant industry contacts. Exploring your artistic community and discovering your audience is also covered.

Asset Creation

If you’ve ever wondered how the music industry uses marketing assets for promotion, fanbase building and artist growth, this module will see you discover the strategy behind a successful music release campaign. From press shots, artist biographies and press releases, to electronic press kits, videos, websites and social media, you’ll learn how to create these marketing tools and use them to promote your own brand and artistic voice.

Release Strategy

In this module, you’ll examine the strategic concepts and logistics involved in creating your own release strategy, as you plan a series of ongoing release campaigns. You’ll begin by exploring the music release options of distributors and labels, delving into how they operate and the main deals and contractual terms all independent artists need to know. You’ll also learn about spreading the word through third-party services such as plugging, PR and playlist pitching, plus how to ensure your campaigns are both on time and on budget.

Promotion and Marketing

Taking everything you’ve learned across the course to date,  you will next learn to execute your own release campaign! You’ll explore effective pre-release and post-release promotional activities and campaign management, and digest the logistics and timings involved. Your tutors will guide you in the ‘how’, ‘who’ and ‘when’ of pitching, and you’ll cover both effective communication skills and relationship-building tips. At the end, you’ll be in an ideal position to release and promote your own music, and amplify your artist project far and wide.

Course details

  • Start dates: View here
  • Duration: 3 months
  • Day/Time: Tuesdays & Thursdays (7pm - 10pm)
  • Where: ICMP's Kilburn and Queen's Park campuses

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Payment Plan

Course cost: £1,500

Pay upfront: £1,350 with 10% discount
A discount of 10% is applied if you pay the full course fee upfront. This means you pay a total of £1,350.

Payment plan: £1,500
Instalment payments: 3 x monthly payments of £500 of which £150 will form a non-refundable registration fee, making the total payment £1,500. The first payment is payable prior to course commencement. A direct debit will be set up to take the second and third payments following the course start date.

Intensive Two-Week Version
We are also running a two-week intensive version of this course - view full details

NEW: Attend a free taster workshop for our Music Industry Courses, explore them here .

Industry Course Terms & Conditions

Open to International StudentsInternational Students
We welcome students from outside of the UK to join this specialist course. Depending on where you are coming from, you may require a standard visitor visa to attend this course. Please be aware that ICMP is a recognised accredited UK institution. Should you require this visa; the cost will depend on where you are travelling from. To check if you require a UK visa head to gov.uk.

YOUR TUTOR: SEAN Mcdermott

sean_mcdermott_artist_guides_photo.jpg

Sean is the co-founder and Director of artist management company Amour Music and has managed a roster of artists, songwriters, and producers who have achieved millions of plays on streaming services, performed live in theatres and arenas around the world, released numerous singles, EPs and albums, and written and produced tracks for an array of acts.

Sean is also the co-founder of The Artist Guides, providing artist development and education for independent music artists, and specialises in career coaching, artist management, music business, artist development, performance, and musicianship.

Collectively, they have worked with thousands of music professionals and a variety of artists including APRE, Matt Maltese, Bear’s Den, Natalie Lindi, Charlotte Clark, Laura Welsh, Elena Tonra, Remi Aguilella and Igor Haefeli (Daughter & Ex:Re), Richard Fairlie, scott is okay, Louisa Allen (Foxes), Arni Arnason (The Vaccines), Stealth, Mike Dignam, and many others.

 

Is this course for me?

The Artist Development course is perfect for you if...

  • Your are an emerging artist looking at the next level of success
  • You want to understand more about release campaigns and building a fan base
  • You want to develop your own music 
  • You want to learn more about branding yourself as an independent artist
  • You learn more about the current industry and how to monetise your music

 

Course Progression

This course is a solid introduction to becoming or building your artistry. The knowledge you’ll have gained after 3 months will put you in an ideal position to progress to ICMP’s degree or CertHE courses. 

Other ICMP  courses you might like to consider include: 

  • BA Hons Creative Musicianship: This creative programme explores composition, performance and production in a collaborative environment. It will develop your artistic identity and help establish yourself as music professional.
  • BA Hons Songwriting: This degree will help you develop your expertise and creative identity as a songwriter, while equipping you with the industry knowledge and professional skillsets you need for a successful songwriting career.
  • CertHE Courses: an intensive one-year introductory course covering a range of subjects in different instruments, music production, songwriting, creative musicianship.

Key facts

  • Start dates: View here
  • Intensive 3-month part-time course.
  • Explore your unique ‘sonic identity’ and learn how to use it.
  • Create songs and productions using industry-standard strategies.
  • Develop confidence in your artistic voice.
  • Get to grips with copyright, contracts and music agreements
  • Discover how to create your own brand
  • Develop key marketing assets.
  • Build and execute a music release campaign
  • Hone your communication and pitching skills
  • Collaborate with industry professionals and fellow artists in a supportive environment
  • Grow your fanbase and networking contacts.
  • International students welcome (eligibility criteria will apply)
  • Payment plans available.
  • NEW: Attend a free taster workshop for our Music Industry Courses

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

No previous experience is required to take this course, a desire to grow as an independent artist or understand the music industry further  is recommended. 

HOW TO APPLY

To start your application, simply get in touch with us or submit your details via the 'Enquire Here' button below. 

Our Recruitment Advisor will contact you to discuss the course in more detail, advise potential start dates, and outline the payment options available to you.



By phone:
020 7328 0222

By email:
enquiries@icmp.ac.uk

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