Becky Ayres is Managing Director of Sound City. Flagship festival Sound City is the UK’s longest consecutively running new music showcase festival and industry conference and is independently owned. To date, Sound City has showcased 7500+ emerging artists to 550,000 music fans & music industry professionals from 40 countries in Liverpool and overseas. Sound City is also the UK lead festival for Keychange, the global movement for gender equality in music.
Other Sound City initiatives include Launch training which has seen 600 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds go into further education and industry jobs including Spotify, Universal Music, Sony Music, Live Nation as well as to set up their own enterprises. Plus Sound City Satellite: Music Careers Day a series of 5 events across the Liverpool City Region. 1000 young people have been able to meet and learn from industry professionals and artists who have given them inspiration and confidence to change their lives by embarking on a career in music. Sound City runs Salt and Tar Music Weekender at a 3000 capacity concert site in Bootle, North Liverpool which is part of regeneration using music to unite the local area. Other Sound City events include Sound City Korea, Sounds of the Xity (in partnership with Modern Sky China) www.soundcity.uk.com