On Song Festival: Partners

ACADEMY MUSIC GROUP (AMG)
Academy Music Group is the UK’s leading owners and operator of award winning Carling Academy venues across the country, West London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire and two additional Bar Academy sites.

ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND (ACE)
ACE is the national development agency for the arts in England, whose vision is to promote the arts at the heart of national life, reflecting England’s rich and diverse cultural identity.

BBC RADIO 2
BBC Radio 2 is the most listened to station in the UK, which combines popular music and culture with a diverse range of specialist programmes and features. Radio 2’s ‘Sold On Song’ celebrates the art of the song and the song writer as well as a series of song writing master classes.

MCPS - PRS ALLIANCE
MCPS and PRS are the UK collecting societies that ensure composers, songwriters and publishers are paid royalties when their music is used. Royalties create a future for music by supporting creators while they continue to write.

THE BAND AGENCY (TBA)
The Band Agency is a strategy based on consultation and experience from music industry experts, focussing on the development and exposure of the best new and unsigned acts.

MUSIC MATRIX
Music Matrix facilitates music industry partnerships between the public and private sectors and builds projects through research and partnership facilitation. Music Matrix also works closely with the several major Government and industry bodies including the Arts Council England, Mayor's Office, London Development Agency, Chrysalis Radio Group, Performing Rights Society and Universal.

PRS FOUNDATION FOR NEW MUSIC (PRSF)
The PRS Foundation for New Music is the UK's largest independent funding organisation purely for new music, of any genre. Widely respected as a refreshingly approachable and adventurous funding body, the Foundation supports an amazing range of new music activity - from unsigned band showcases to composer residencies, from commissions for new music to experimental live electronica.

THE BRITISH ACADEMY OF COMPOSERS & SONGWRITERS (BACS)
The British Academy of Composers & Songwriters is the UK's trade association for all music writers, regardless of genre, who campaign for their rights, honour their achievements and offers its members support, advice and guidance through all stages of their careers.

UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER / WESTFOCUS
The BA (Hons) Commercial Music programme is at the centre of a globally extended network of music industry organisations. The first of its kind in the UK, it is considered to be a leader in providing education and training in innovative music creation and business practice. In partnership with WestFocus, the consortium of seven universities, created to assist individuals to become more innovative, learn new skills, start their own business, or find employment.

VIRTUAL ACADEMY is a pilot for an online education TV channel for musicians and creatives. This has been developed by Black Music Education Technology (BMET) in partnership with University of Westminster/WestFocus, BACS, ACE, AMG and Overtones. Songwriting processes leading up to and during 'On Song', will be filmed and broadcast on Virtual Academy which goes live from September 2006.