silo
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2001
- Messages
- 1,890
1. Brief Outline
2. The FMC and ThingsYou'reMissing
3. FMC 'trial run classes'; Accountancy
4. Conclusions
1. Brief Outline
The Federation of Music Collectives is an Arts Council-funded organisation that exists as an umbrella body for music collectives around Ireland. Billy got in contact with them in order to find out more about them and in order to ascertain whether it would be a good idea to become affiliated with them.
The original idea was that Billy, Joss and I (Tom) would go to meet Angela Dorgan at the FMC in order to have a talk about various things related to affiliation, and to generally get to know each other. In the end, Billy was in work and Joss was in Belfast, so I went. I also went along in order to participate in one of the 'trial runs' of classes that the FMC are planning to set up in various subjects related to music.
2. The FMC and ThingsYou'reMissing
Angela Dorgan outlined the idea of the FMC and some plans for the future. The FMC itself was set up 7 years ago in order to be an umbrella body for music collectives and in order to function as a lobby group for their interests.
They don't organise collectives themselves (as this requires a large amount of effort and often will not have lasting results) but rather they become involved with collectives that have developed organically. Part of the background of the organisation is in Northern Ireland, from punk-era collectives that were organised then (partly in reaction to political problems at the time).
In the past they have been involved with various aspects of organising and providing services to collectives. They have arranged for internships at IMRO and other organisations for members, and have provided music-industry-related information and advice.
Their efforts at the moment are mainly concerned with 'professionalizing' musicians and other people involved in music and developing their knowledge and skills, with a bias towards those involved in independent music. Some of the ways they are doing this are:
- Through provision of fact sheets and information about relevant subjects on their website
- Through the 'Metaproject' search engine on their site; this will hopefully become an editable record of information.
- Through giving specific advice and information straight to particular bands and people
- Through running seminars and giving public talks.
One of the core areas of involvement for the FMC is education. They have produced a handbook for schools (in conjunction with other organisations) giving information on courses and other relevant information. They also have a National Instrument Lending plan, which has been a great success.
There are numerous plans for the future, including a plan to supply 'clinics' to various parts of the country on various subjects, and a new website with a database backend in order to gain and use information from site visitors (the site gets 10,000 hits a month; roughly a third from Ireland, a third from North America and a third from Europe). The database would then be used in order to provide relevant information to and from (and between) all site users.
The practicalities of ThingsYou'reMissing affiliating with the FMC are that we'll have to fill out some forms (I'll bring them to the next meeting) and talk about the issues involved. We will have to provide some definitions and generally put some structure on things.
3. FMC 'trial run classes'; Accountancy
The 'trial run' classes are being organised in order to gauge support amongst FMC-affiliated collectives for the idea of having classes in music-related subjects.
If there is enough support to make the classes viable, the plan is to have them regularly and split the cost between the participants. The one that I was at was an introduction to accounting, given by John Connolly. From the practical point of view of running my own label, it was very helpful in running through the basics of bookkeeping and accounting. I have a set of notes from the class, so if anyone wants to have a look at them I'll bring them to the next meeting. John Connolly will probably be giving more of these classes if they get going on a regular basis, but I think you've all missed the freebies.
4. Conclusions
- If ThingsYou'reMissing is going to affiliate to the FMC, we will have to come up with some working definitions of the various aspects of the organisation. They don't have to be precise, and they can change, but they will help, even if it's just for filling out forms. (As a quick related point, there is a danger in giving 'negative' definitions - i.e. defining what it is we aren't - in that it fosters an image of cliquishness).
- The FMC website is doing a lot of the same things as the ThingsYou'reMissing website. However, the FMC information is being provided as an objective, widely usable information source; our stuff is more specifically related to the nuts and bolts of recording/producing/distributing etc.
- Affiliating to the FMC would possibly require some changes within ThingsYou'reMissing. This is where I have my own doubts, as I think TYM is quite an organically-structured mutual-aid group. Our general underlying philosophy is in some ways antithetical to the idea of having any sort of official structure, even to the point of being reluctant to describe ourselves as a 'collective', per se. However, we can discuss it further.
- We'll have to have a talk also about the forms and other general questions about affiliating.
2. The FMC and ThingsYou'reMissing
3. FMC 'trial run classes'; Accountancy
4. Conclusions
1. Brief Outline
The Federation of Music Collectives is an Arts Council-funded organisation that exists as an umbrella body for music collectives around Ireland. Billy got in contact with them in order to find out more about them and in order to ascertain whether it would be a good idea to become affiliated with them.
The original idea was that Billy, Joss and I (Tom) would go to meet Angela Dorgan at the FMC in order to have a talk about various things related to affiliation, and to generally get to know each other. In the end, Billy was in work and Joss was in Belfast, so I went. I also went along in order to participate in one of the 'trial runs' of classes that the FMC are planning to set up in various subjects related to music.
2. The FMC and ThingsYou'reMissing
Angela Dorgan outlined the idea of the FMC and some plans for the future. The FMC itself was set up 7 years ago in order to be an umbrella body for music collectives and in order to function as a lobby group for their interests.
They don't organise collectives themselves (as this requires a large amount of effort and often will not have lasting results) but rather they become involved with collectives that have developed organically. Part of the background of the organisation is in Northern Ireland, from punk-era collectives that were organised then (partly in reaction to political problems at the time).
In the past they have been involved with various aspects of organising and providing services to collectives. They have arranged for internships at IMRO and other organisations for members, and have provided music-industry-related information and advice.
Their efforts at the moment are mainly concerned with 'professionalizing' musicians and other people involved in music and developing their knowledge and skills, with a bias towards those involved in independent music. Some of the ways they are doing this are:
- Through provision of fact sheets and information about relevant subjects on their website
- Through the 'Metaproject' search engine on their site; this will hopefully become an editable record of information.
- Through giving specific advice and information straight to particular bands and people
- Through running seminars and giving public talks.
One of the core areas of involvement for the FMC is education. They have produced a handbook for schools (in conjunction with other organisations) giving information on courses and other relevant information. They also have a National Instrument Lending plan, which has been a great success.
There are numerous plans for the future, including a plan to supply 'clinics' to various parts of the country on various subjects, and a new website with a database backend in order to gain and use information from site visitors (the site gets 10,000 hits a month; roughly a third from Ireland, a third from North America and a third from Europe). The database would then be used in order to provide relevant information to and from (and between) all site users.
The practicalities of ThingsYou'reMissing affiliating with the FMC are that we'll have to fill out some forms (I'll bring them to the next meeting) and talk about the issues involved. We will have to provide some definitions and generally put some structure on things.
3. FMC 'trial run classes'; Accountancy
The 'trial run' classes are being organised in order to gauge support amongst FMC-affiliated collectives for the idea of having classes in music-related subjects.
If there is enough support to make the classes viable, the plan is to have them regularly and split the cost between the participants. The one that I was at was an introduction to accounting, given by John Connolly. From the practical point of view of running my own label, it was very helpful in running through the basics of bookkeeping and accounting. I have a set of notes from the class, so if anyone wants to have a look at them I'll bring them to the next meeting. John Connolly will probably be giving more of these classes if they get going on a regular basis, but I think you've all missed the freebies.
4. Conclusions
- If ThingsYou'reMissing is going to affiliate to the FMC, we will have to come up with some working definitions of the various aspects of the organisation. They don't have to be precise, and they can change, but they will help, even if it's just for filling out forms. (As a quick related point, there is a danger in giving 'negative' definitions - i.e. defining what it is we aren't - in that it fosters an image of cliquishness).
- The FMC website is doing a lot of the same things as the ThingsYou'reMissing website. However, the FMC information is being provided as an objective, widely usable information source; our stuff is more specifically related to the nuts and bolts of recording/producing/distributing etc.
- Affiliating to the FMC would possibly require some changes within ThingsYou'reMissing. This is where I have my own doubts, as I think TYM is quite an organically-structured mutual-aid group. Our general underlying philosophy is in some ways antithetical to the idea of having any sort of official structure, even to the point of being reluctant to describe ourselves as a 'collective', per se. However, we can discuss it further.
- We'll have to have a talk also about the forms and other general questions about affiliating.
