• ‘an absolute smorgasbord of musical delights’

    Under The Radar Magazine

    • CONFERENCE

    Shaping the music industry of the future, in Wales. Join the conversation at the FOCUS Wales Conference 8th – 10th May 2025

    FOCUS Wales hosts an interactive music conference over the duration of the festival, featuring panels, seminars and discussions from experts from across the globe. Offering in depth music industry insight, expertise and real-world experiences from all music industry sectors.

    FOCUS WALES 2024 Conference

    Buy Passes for FOCUS Wales 2024 here

    The FOCUS Wales conference can be accessed with all* festival wristbands. 

    * Some networking events are only available to holders of Delegate or Artist passes.

    Do you have an idea for a panel topic, workshop, or conference event? Submit your ideas here. 

    If you would like any further information, have access requirements, or feel there is a barrier to you being able to access the conference, please email sarah@focuswales.com to see how we can help.

    2024 DELEGATES

    View FOCUS Wales 2024 Delegates confirmed so far…

    View the 2024 Delegates

    2024 Timetable

    Thursday 9th May

    11:00 am - 11:50 am
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    MMF Presents: Building your grassroots community business at home and away

    Join MMF UK and MMF Canada as they host this panel exploring the current challenges of gigging and touring, and new opportunities in creative collaboration and audience development for grassroots talent. The panel will probe questions about who is investing in grassroots, how changes at the top could have massive impacts for growing, as well as innovative ways people are getting music to audiences.  

    01:00 pm - 01:50 pm
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    Shifting Paradigms: Navigating the Future of Music Journalism

    This panel delves into the evolving landscape of music journalism, exploring its present challenges and potential futures. We dissect the impact of technological shifts and app-driven changes in consumer behaviour, questioning whether the symbiotic relationship between major publications and A-list stars perpetuates a flattery death-spiral, and whether hobbyism is the only viable option in an era of shrinking revenues. Central to our discussion is the pivotal query: Does traditional press still break artists, or has the paradigm fully shifted to digital marketing and content? As we examine these dynamics, we contemplate whether music journalism has melded into the ambiguous contours of publicity, pondering its future role and relevance in the industry.

    02:15 pm - 03:05 pm
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    PPL Presents: What are the strategies behind signing new artists and what are indie record labels  looking for in 2024? 

    How this differs at home, in Europe and beyond...

    Friday 10th may

    10:00 am - 10:50 am
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    PRS for Music and  PPL Presents: Get played get paid

    PPL collects and distributes money on behalf of performers and recording rightsholders (e.g. record companies and self-releasing artists) for the use of their recorded music when it is broadcast or played in public. Similarly, PRS for Music collect and distribute money on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers, for the use of their musical compositions and lyrics. Join us to hear about how you can make money from your music.

    + More Speakers TBA
    11:00 am - 11:50 am
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    POWER UP Presents: Survive, Thrive, Prevail: Sustaining A Career as a Black Creative or Professional in the Music Industry

    01:00 pm - 01:50 pm
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    LIVE Presents: Meet the Bookers 

    Find out what promoters, venues and festivals are looking for when booking their line-ups for today, tomorrow, and beyond.

    02:15 pm - 03:05 pm
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    PRS for Music Presents: Balancing Parenthood and Music

    Find out from our panellists the opportunities and challenges and how we can shape a better future for balancing parenthood with music.

    Speakers

    Tumi Williams (Starving Artists)
    03:15 pm - 04:05 pm
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    LIVE Presents: Meet the Agents

    Hear first-hand from some of the UK’s most exciting booking agents about the forever-changing landscape of touring inside and outside of the UK, and what this could look like for future agents, artists, and audiences.

    Speakers

    Tumi Williams (Starving Artists)

    Saturday 11th May

    10:00 am - 10:50 am
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    Cardiff University Presents: Pūtahitanga: Music, identity, and language in Cymru and Aotearoa

    Since May 2023, academics from Prifysgol Caerdydd (Cardiff University) have been speaking to artists from Cymru (Wales) and Aotearoa (New Zealand) who use Cymraeg (Welsh) and te reo Māori (the Māori language) in their work. They have found points of connection between their experiences, particularly around the ways in which their use of language affects their sense of identity and their opportunities for collaboration within their home countries and beyond. In this panel, Elen Ifan and Joe O'Connell from Prifysgol Caerdydd will present some of their research findings and artists who have been involved with the project, including Katie Hall (CHROMA), will discuss how these issues affect their creativity and career. 

    + More Speakers TBA
    11:00 am - 11:50 am
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    Beacons Presents: Reel Revolution: Did TikTok kill the video star?

    In an era dominated by the short, snappy allure of TikTok, the music industry is facing a momentous question: Do artists still need traditional music videos, or should they be investing in bite-sized, attention-grabbing reel content? 

    Join us for a marketing talk that delves into the shifting landscape of music promotion, for the next wave of young creatives. Explore whether the future of music marketing lies in the swift allure of reels, promising a fresh way for artists to connect with their fans and catapult their careers in this age of viral sensations.

    Whether you’re an artist looking to connect to a new audience, a manager/label looking for the best return for your artist or a videographer trying to give the best possible value for your client; then this talk is for you.

    01:00 pm - 01:50 pm
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    British Council Presents: Global Mobility. Talking about sharing culture, importing and exporting music in an uncertain world.

    + More Speakers TBA
    02:00 pm - 02:50 pm
    Tŷ Pawb - Performance Space

    MU and BECTU Presents: Feeling Good? Mental health and wellbeing in the creative industries.

    We know that there are issues with mental health and wellbeing across the creative industries, as identified in recent work by the Senedd Culture Committee, Bectu, and the Musicians’ Census project, among others. CULT Cymru has been offering training and support to creative workers across Wales since 2008, with a particular focus over the past few years on projects developing wellbeing facilitators and mental health first aid training. This panel will explore those issues and projects, with practical advice on how people working in the creative industries can stay healthy and the support that unions, charities, and employers can offer.

    Speakers TBA