Export Artist Accelerator

Music Finland's Export Artist Accelerator is a mentoring and coaching class for artists and bands in the beginning stages of their international career.

Piloted 2019, Music Finland's Export Artist Accelerator is a mentoring and coaching class for artists and bands in the beginning stages of their international career. Artists and bands that already have a team and releases but whose international careers are still in the development stage can apply.

The Export Artist Accelerator aims to help the participants develop as artists and increase their knowledge of the international music industry. In addition, Export Artist Accelerator targets to help the Finnish music industry find new export-ready talent.

The program includes, for example, coaching, practical work (including studio sessions and live performances) and network building. Each artist or band selected for the Export Artist Accelerator will also get their personal mentors for the duration of the class, as well as their own customized export plan.

The applicant's goal must be an international career. Export Artist Accelerator increases the participants' knowledge of the international music industry and helps them to develop as artists. There are no genre restrictions, but the contents of the class focus on pop and rock genres.

The program is carried out in cooperation with the The Finnish Musicians’ Union. Selectors, speakers and mentors include a number of Finnish music professionals. In addition, the program will feature international music professionals.

The Export Artist Accelerator is intended for artists and bands at the beginning of their export career, and there are no genre restrictions for applicants. Mostly, however, the coaching serves artists working in a pop and rock environment. The chosen artists are selected by an independent panel of music professionals appointed by Music Finland. Between 6-8 artists or bands will be selected for the program this year.

The nine-month coaching program will take place between April 2021 and the first quarter of 2022. Applying for the class of 2021 has started, apply here.

Music Finland's Fast Track Growth Program has been designed by the Finnish music industry, which is also committed to its implementation. It is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture and The Finnish Music Foundation.

What the program contains

Export Artist Accelerator's program includes coaching, hands-on work (studio and live), and network development. Each artist or band will get a personal mentor who they will meet regularly during the class. In addition, a customized export plan will be created for each participant. If the artist already has a team behind them, the goals of the class will be defined together with the team. We strive to tailor the class to cater to each artist's and their team's needs

Export Artist Accelerator's on-site coaching sessions will be held approximately once a month, starting in April 2021 and ending in early 2022. The coaching and practical work will take place mainly in Helsinki, but most likely they will be executed as online sessions during spring 2021.

The coaching covers, for example, the following topics:

- basics of music business
- an artist's team
- the export market
- legal matters and agreements
- A&R, product development, the importance of production
- brand building (story building, pitching)
- media relations
- social media

How are the artist choices made?

Between 6-8 artists or bands will be selected for the program this year. The chosen artists are selected by an independent panel of music professionals appointed by Music Finland, which evaluates the significance and international potential of the project on the basis of the application. Applications are also compared.

If the artist or band selected for Export Artist Accelerator accepts the place, registration is binding.