LETTER FROM MMF-US PRESIDENT: Learn. Connect. Create Change.
June 30, 2020
Dear MMF-US Members and Community,
I’d like to introduce myself: Neeta Ragoowansi, the new MMF-US President. Firstly a moment to give deep and sincere thanks to MMF Founder and Past President Barry Bergman for his past 27 years of incredible dedication and service to this organization’s membership. What Barry has done for this organization and our industry as a whole is immeasurable. On behalf of all of us, Barry we commend you for establishing and building this organization, and for generously giving countless hours, days, years to educate and advocate for the artists and management community in the US. We are thrilled that you will continue to serve as a board officer, to provide institutional memory and guidance for new officers and board members. Thank you Barry. MMF is proud to have you as our Chair Emeritus.
I’d also like to welcome our new board members and officers as well as welcome back our wonderful returning/ongoing MMF leadership. I look forward to working with each and every one of you as we continue to educate, advocate, and serve our members and community. READ FULL BOARD LIST HERE
MMF Membership has been growing by leaps and bounds. We encourage you all to become members. You don’t need to be an artist manager to join, self-managed artists, and artists are especially welcome - if you are a manager, we “strongly” encourage you to join and be a part of shaping your US trade organization. Artists and their managers are at the center as the industry builds back. Artists and their managers have a crucial role in how the industry addresses culture as well as commerce.
The MMF board has decided that those facing financial hardship during this time, are able to defer membership payment for 6 months. (You can join now and won’t be invoiced until 6 months from now. Just mark that option on the online membership application.)
This has been a very challenging time but one that has keenly focused us all on some very important issues. Black lives have influenced the global culture through music, and our industry needs to show leadership within itself, not only through reaching out. Supporting black lives is imperative. Racist structures must be dismantled. MMF is committed to helping address the issues including via educational initiatives, advocacy efforts both state and federal as well as with industry conversations and action. We will do our best to bring you useful information on this and a dialogue as it pertains to our community and industry, and provide suggestions and calls to action. Collectively we need to widen our focus and efforts, and better understand how industry history, practices, and structures have affected black creators, entrepreneurs, professionals and audiences and create change. It is imperative that we seek the best and most comprehensive information on the issues and find ways to contribute. As a trade organization, we know we can do better. We need your help. MMF-US is an all-volunteer organization, so we ask you to raise your hand, reach out to us, and let us know if/how you’d like to be helpful.
Covid-19 has of course dealt us all quite a blow, both personally and professionally. I know for many of you, it has been grueling to cancel activities, make shifts, and figure out new ways to create growth. . . . this period has been surprisingly busy for most of you, and all of us. Let’s look forward with a sense of hope and take time to recreate and build a better business. New technologies along with new services are seeking ways to monetize their platforms for creators and rights holders. Seek out innovations that will provide growth, but also have a life beyond this pandemic. In this exceptional time innovation has been put into hyper-drive and can continue to be accelerated.
The time is now to do your business and legal housekeeping, and create new efficiencies. Are your neighboring rights being collected properly? Have you addressed copyright registrations? Registered your works at the PRO’s? Take time to learn from others, think it all through and get it done. MMF contributed as best we could in April and May shining a spotlight on ways to monetize outside of our traditional business models via our “Maximizing Monetization” webinar series. We hope you found some useful information in them and will bring you more. We welcome feedback and suggestions.
Stay well, be productive, be hopeful, be useful, contribute to the solutions, and hang in there. If you are new to our community, welcome. Below we will walk you through what we’ve been up to these past months (and longingly recount some past events that were held when we all were able to gather in person.) I look forward to the day we can all meet again, out on the road.
Learn. Connect. Create Change.
Neeta Ragoowansi President
