UK gospel star's hit track used to set new industry standards in motion

|PIC1|Award winning Urban Gospel star GuvnaB’s hit track ‘Standards! Standards! Standards! is being used as the theme for the annual event Gospel Summit to herald in new standards for the sector.

The sixth Gospel Summit will be held on Friday 27 November at The Drum Arts Centre in Birmingham from 11am- 6pm and bring together key movers and shakers within Britain’s burgeoning gospel scene to implement a regulatory system to be applied across the industry.

This year’s Gospel Summit, organised by GreenTree, will focus on achieving two ground breaking objectives:

1. Setting up of an Industry Interim Council which will seek to formulate the new organisation representing the UK Gospel industry. The organisation will be called The GMIA – Gospel Music Industry Alliance and will fulfil the sector’s ambition to have one single organisation representing its interests.

2. Pre-notification of posts due to be advertised for President, Chairperson and CEO of the GMIA .

3. The ratification of a new UK Promoters Code of Practice and Registration System, as an approach to begin professionalising the way the industry works.

The action follows the achievements of last year’s event which saw key artists, promoters and other industry professionals engaging together in first time discussions with senior public sector representatives including the Arts Council and Cultural Olympiad London 2012.

Attending delegates also participated in an interactive study which recorded key issues, concerns and obstacles to the sector’s growth. The results of the study is now completed into a Phase 1 Report, and copies of it will be made available at the ’09 Summit.

Artists and producers Noel Robinson, Nicky Brown, Tony Bean and social entrepreneur Dr Tani Omideyi numbered amongst those who also voted GreenTree to lead on the creation and development of a national strategy.

“Having taken up the challenge, it’s been a tough year”, stated Juliet Fletcher, GreenTree CEO. “We have to remind everyone that it is a united effort. That’s why we need to set up this Interim Council and also begin to put some other measures in place that starts the changes we need to see.”

Confirmed attendees includes Roy Francis (RF Productions), Janine Levy (Integrity Music), Les Moir (Kingsway Music), Lawrence Johnson (One Voice) Isaac Odenarin (Zoe Records) and Victizzle (recent MOBO ’09 winner).

The panel discussions will cover issue related to improving marketing & distribution, standards in artists and promoters practice, radio and tv support for a recognised charts as well as how to increase UK audiences at gospel events.