The Black Independent Music Accelerator (BIMA) is a fellowship initiative created by The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) with the intention of fighting for social and economic justice within the music industry by amplifying independent, Black-owned music businesses.
Donor Name: American Association of Independent Music
Country: United States
State: All States
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 01/24/2022
Size of the Grant: $1,000 – $2,500
Details:
A2IM’s primary remit has been to level the playing field between major labels and their independent counterparts. In a rightful extension of that initial mission, BIMA aims to serve as a platform for Black-owned independent music companies to grow their business, expand their network, and gain access to invaluable educational resources from some of the industry’s thought leaders.
Benefits to Fellows
Placement within the program will include (but by no means be limited to): Fully subsidized membership dues for one year, complimentary tickets for numerous A2IM flagship events, scheduled meetings with DSPs, mentorship from A2IM’s board of directors, and much more.
- Subsidized annual dues to A2IM
- All participating BIMA fellows receive fully subsidized dues to A2IM for their first year of membership with the organization. This is a monetary value ranging from $1,000 – $2,500 annually, pending your company type.
- Complimentary badges to all A2IM events and conferences
- All participating BIMA fellows receive up to three, complimentary badges per company to attend A2IM events throughout the year. This includes A2IM’s flagship event Indie Week, the largest international independent music conference in the world, as well as Pan-Am Indie Summit, Let’s Get Digital and SynchUp.
- Custom-tailored programming sessions exclusively for BIMA fellows
- The BIMA program hosts a slew of private events throughout the year, including workshops, seminars, and keynote presentations put on by members of A2IM. Highlights from this past year include sessions with all of the major DSPs, a fundraising AMA, professional development courses, keynote presentations from esteemed music industry executives, music publishing courses, marketing workshops, and more.
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Access to a private network of black independent music entrepreneurs
- Within this network, fellows are given an open forum (as well as structured networking time) to share experiences, ask questions, seek vetted recommendations, and generally learn from one another’s practices. Fellows have access to a private Slack channel of current BIMA fellows and past alumni, as well as quarterly check-ins with the A2IM staff and the Advisory Council.
- Peer to peer mentorship through A2IM’s mentorship
- Connecting industry veterans with aspiring music executives, A2IM’s mentorship program furthers our mission of community building and educating the independent sector. Fellows are paired with senior-level A2IM members from record labels and music companies across the country with the goal of growing fellows’ networks and fostering personal and professional development between independent music executives across all career stages.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to qualify as a record label participant of BIMA your business must meet the following criteria:
- Must own copyrights
- If your label is an artist-owned label, you must own other copyrights besides your own
- Must qualify for the A2IM dues floor
- Must be a US-based company
- Must have been in business for at least one year
For more information, visit Black Independent Music Accelerator.
