Liverpool UNESCO City of Music boss and Bido Lito! editor to speak at IFB2016

The head of Liverpool UNESCO City of Music, Kevin McManus, is set to explore the economic potential of a heritage brand at the International Festival for Business 2016 (IFB2016) this summer.

Kevin will take part in a panel discussion entitled The Business of Music alongside Craig Pennington, the editor-in-chief of local music magazine Bido Lito!, to look at why the city should be tapping into the legacy of its musical heritage.

Representatives of the Liverpool International Music Festival and the British Music Experience will also take part in the talk.

Calling Liverpool a city “synonymous with music”, Kevin said: “We have a buoyant and constantly evolving music scene and a fantastic and growing creative industry in Liverpool that will only benefit from the city’s UNESCO City of Music status.

“We already hold brilliant events like Sound City, Psych Fest, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, Africa Oye and the Liverpool International Music Festival.”

He continued: “We have great music businesses like Ad Lib, and Sentric, and world class talent and new attractions like the British Music Experience to add to our already strong music tourism offer.

“To take advantage of this we need to get better at using our city’s musical heritage to drive economic growth and at the same time nurture and develop new talent and improve access pathways for people to come into the industry.”

The Business of Music discussion is being held as part of the festival’s Blue Skies Sessions.

IFB2016’s festival director, Ian McCarthy, commented: “Blue Skies is inspirational, challenging and free to attend.

“We want members of the public as well as our diverse, international business delegates to come along and engage in debates and share their views. We want them to be inspired to continue the tradition of free-thinking and creative vision for which the region is renowned.”

He added: “The programme is all about challenging the role of business in society and debating how we can all come together to shape its impact on culture, the environment and the way we all live. It is a genuinely exciting programme that will truly bring IFB2016 to life.”

Elsewhere, the festival will stage an international Music Day in partnership with the Liverpool Sound City festival and UK Trade & Investment, giving UK music companies an insight into opportunities in China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and India.