In support of the UK bands and artists that were set to perform at the recently canceled South by Southwest (SXSW) conference, BBC Music Introducing, alongside the British Music Embassy partners, are set to host two closed-door studio sessions at Production Park, The Mill Studio, London on Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17.
The sessions, supported by representatives from across the recorded, publishing and live arms of the British music industry including AIM, the BPI, the Department for International Trade (DIT), PPL, PRS for Music and PRS Foundation, will be broadcast on BBC Music Introducing on Radio 1 with Huw Stephens and across the BBC Music Introducing network. Bands and artists performing across the sessions include Aaron Smith, Arlo Parks, Bess Atwell, Liz Lawrence, Jordan Mackampa, Porridge Radio, Kokoroko, and Steam Down, with more to be announced soon. Of those performing, five had received support from PRS Foundation, the UK's leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, to fly out and play at SXSW. In total, PRS Foundation was supporting more than 40 artists, bands and songwriters on their journey to this year's SXSW via their International Showcase Fund and BBC Music Introducing partnership support.
In a joint statement, the British Music Embassy partners said: "Needless to say, we are absolutely devastated about the cancellation of SXSW - for music creators, for their teams and for SXSW itself. The knock-on impact that this, and all other event cancellations due to the coronavirus, may have on our industry is deeply concerning. All British Music Embassy partners are committed to showing their support for those that have taken a hit and it's for this reason we have decided to host these sessions. Performing at SXSW can be a career-changing opportunity and we have to ensure it has not been entirely lost this year."
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