The UK’s first Black Music Export office, the headquarters for black music culture and genre representation for global talent.
SUBMIT YOUR LIVE PERFORMANCE
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SUBMIT YOUR LIVE PERFORMANCE 〰️
what is BLACMEX ?
BLACMEX (Black Music Export) is the UK’s first Black Music Export office. One of its aims is to decolonise how the commercial music industry has engaged with Black music genres and specialisms, leading to under-representation and/or misrepresentation in the commercial markets.
BLACMEX will allow the congregation of Black music genres, from Hip-Hop, R&B, Jazz, gospel, and many others, to be amplified as credible and unique facets of the UK music experience.
The diaspora has played a significant part in the story of popular British Music culture, and it still needs to be better represented on a global stage through showcasing opportunities. BLACMEX will provide the cultural sensitivity and genre expertise in Black music to add value and talent recognition to the UK music sector.
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Blacmex is a fantastic new development, long needed to help champion Black musical talent. It will provide a crucial platform and, most importantly, much-needed visibility for Black music creators on the international stage. Black Lives in Music is both pleased and proud to stand alongside Blackmex in the very important work they are doing to level the playing field in music for Black artists.
Why is BLACMEX needed?
BLACMEX plugs a gap in the UK’s Black music sector regarding export. As much as there is a knowledge of Black music contributors (the more notable being Stormzy, Dave, Central Cee, Ed Sheeran, and Adele), the full range of Black music specialisms the UK music export has yet to be tapped into.
BLACMEX responds to misrepresentation and a bottleneck in Black music within the UK music sector, which impacts the internationalisation of homegrown UK artists who primarily require greater connection and market access to the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and other notable territories interested in the UK’s Black music genres.
BLACMEX also recognises many of those who have invested in the UK Black Music economy. There is a significant touchpoint where business and culture intersect.
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“From Shirley Bassey and Beverley Knight to Stormzy and Michael Kiwanuka, Black artists have long been at the forefront of the British music industry, creating hits enjoyed by millions. Our sensational Black artists and genres deserve their place on the international stage and I look forward to seeing how BLACMEX can help more talented musicians reach new audiences around the world and showcase the diversity that exists in Britain."
BLACMEX wider industry
infrastructure?
talent
Empowering performers within the Black music genres by providing opportunities for artists and bands to break barriers and reach new audiences worldwide
We are dedicated to fostering growth, creativity, and success for the talents within Black culture and its related genres.
industry
Partnering with key organisations to lead and establish a thriving ecosystem.
By unlocking the soft power of the UK's Black music specialism to international markets. BLACMEX will establish better access to talent as the UK's first Black Music Export Office.
Teams
Our Team engages with key organisations to improve relations that fuel passionate individuals and their creativity.
We draw from a wealth of experience in the music industry and are dedicated to helping artists and bands achieve and, more importantly, redefine global success.
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“It’s exciting to see more opportunities for export support and showcasing in the UK. BLACMEX’s specific focus offers a great opportunity to build on the recent market growth in the wide range of Black music genres. Export is increasingly competitive, but global opportunities have never been more varied or within reach for talent. Managers need support in navigating these as they build global entrepreneurial businesses for their clients and importantly reach new audiences.”
Export Management
We connect and engage with the much-needed cultural sensitivity of the global industry and regulatory requirements for the freedom of talent movement. BLACMEX's unique Talent Pipeline Program for export preparedness or our Artists Growth Plans for export readiness can help your organisation grow. See Services page.
Global engagement
BLACMEX is an exciting opportunity for creative arts, government bodies and cultural bodies to liaise and build long-term relations with the Caribbean, Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and East Asia and wider Europe to engage with the export of UK Black music. Benefits include increasing talent opportunities, increasing tourism awareness, contributing to the local economy, and strengthening of music infrastructure. See Services page, Global Reviews.
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"BLACKMEX will collaboratively build a framework for the internationalisation of Black music creators in the UK and those wanting to work with them from abroad. This will help grow our UK music industry which already contributes almost £7 billion a year to the economy and further strengthen our £4 billion export market."
Organisations are invited to engage on the BLACMEX industry mapping initiative by completing a short form, see our PARTNERS page.
For Music Creators looking to register their interest for talent export opportunities to complete, button below.
Social Mission
Our core goals and aims are guided by
the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG 17), in particularly;
Goal 10: "Decent Work and Economic Growth"
Goal 10: "Reduce Inequality" and
Goal 17: "Strengthen the Means of Implementation and Revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development."
Strategically we raise awareness about the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equity in the music sector around the Black Music Genre. We support organisations and creators with the type of opportunities that increase economic viability and sustainable career development within global settings.
BLACMEX are supporters of UNESCO Fair Culture Charter. The Fair Culture Charter aims to build a strong movement to make culture and the creative industries more equitable on a global scale.
This Fair Culture Charter supports;
1. Advocating for the Fair Culture Charter
2. The Advisory Board for Fair Culture
3. Voices on Fair Culture
4. Promoting Fair Culture
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"Black Music has been a Global commodity for as long as we’ve known. Representation of Black Music has been lacking for equally as long. Blacmex serves as a catalyst to represent, engage, inform and develop strong, thriving global communities in the business space. This is needed and essential. An exciting time in Music export history. A value add."
Contact BLACMEX
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!