MMF Aotearoa announces FOUNDATIONS
The Music Managers Forum Aotearoa (MMF) is proud to announce FOUNDATIONS, a refreshed evolution of its long running Back to Basics seminar series. Presented in collaboration with Ka Korokī Ka Maranga | Māori Music Industry Collective, FOUNDATIONS is a free two hour workshop for artists and self managers in the early stages of building a music career.
FOUNDATIONS was born out of a moment of reflection for MMF. With the loss of long time Back to Basics presenter Lorraine Barry in 2025, the team felt it was the right time to relook at the programme she had shaped for so many years. Lorraine was a dedicated advocate for emerging artists and managers, and FOUNDATIONS carries her commitment to helping the next generation navigate the industry with confidence.
The workshop covers the building blocks every artist needs from day one, including the NZ music ecosystem and funding pathways, rights and royalties, finding and growing a real fanbase, releasing music with a team around you, understanding the business side of the industry, patience in building a career, and the financial realities of a life in music. Each section is followed by open Q&A, giving attendees the chance to bring their own questions to experienced guests.
“Lorraine Barry was a mentor to me for over eight years and someone I always turned to for advice, as well as being a great friend. It’s an honour to carry on the work she was so passionate about in artist development, on behalf of the MMF.” - Mikee Carpinter
FOUNDATIONS kicks off with three sessions across the motu:
ŌTAUTAHI | CHRISTCHURCH
When: Tuesday 11 August
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Venue: Space Academy, 371 Saint Asaph Street, Christchurch 8011
ŌTEPOTI | DUNEDIN
When: Wednesday 12 August
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Venue: Pearl Diver, 73 Saint Andrew Street, Dunedin 9016
TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA | WELLINGTON
When: Tuesday 18 August
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Venue: The Cinema, Block 10 Tokomaru, Massey University
Former Dominion Museum, Wellington 6021 (Enter through Pukeahu Park Entrance D at the top of Tory St)
Guest speakers include:
Minnie Robberds – Artist, There’s A Tuesday (Ōtautahi | Christchurch)
Tom Dalton – Manager (Ōtepoti | Dunedin)
AJA (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Porou), Artist (Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington)
The sessions will be led by MMF Executive Committee member, Mikee Carpinter (Manager, Georgia Lines).
Further dates will be announced in the coming months.
Music Managers Forum Aotearoa is the collective voice for music managers and self-managed artists, both signed and independent. The MMF Aotearoa is an independent, non-profit trade association dedicated to helping grow artist manager businesses through education, networking and advocacy. The MMF Aotearoa work towards a fairer, honest and more transparent music industry which operates with the highest of integrity in the interests of the artists our members represent. We aim to represent the wide diversity of voices and backgrounds of music managers and their artists.
Ka Korokī Ka Maranga | Māori Music Industry Collective (MMIC) is the collective voice for Māori artists, managers and music practitioners across Aotearoa. MMIC works to advance Māori representation and leadership across the industry, dismantle systemic barriers, and support artists and their teams through practical resources, workshops and advocacy. Grounded in kaupapa Māori, MMIC aims to build a music ecosystem where Māori can thrive on their own terms, connected to whakapapa and empowered for the future.
The New Zealand Music Commission Te Reo Reka O Aotearoa is a government funded organisation that promotes music from New Zealand and supports the growth of New Zealand music businesses – both culturally and economically, at home and abroad. The hub of NZ Music Month, the Music Commission also deliver contemporary music programmes in schools, including the Musicians Mentoring in Schools Programme; provides music upskilling tools and resources; and runs the international market development & trade show programme Outward Sound.
NZ On Air is an independent government funding agency that funds the recording and promotion of single songs and multi-song projects that reflect Aotearoa New Zealand and have the potential to reach both significant broadcast and online audiences. We do this by funding artists and musicians to professionally create, record, release and promote new music that aims to resonate and engage with audiences.
Recorded Music NZ® represents recording artists and right holders in Aotearoa through licensing, advocacy and promotion. Recorded Music collects broadcast and public performance income from music users and distributes it to rights holders and recording artists, advocates to government and others on behalf of recording artists and rights holders and promotes artists and recorded music through initiatives such as the Aotearoa Music Awards. Recorded Music NZ also operates The Official Aotearoa Music Charts® and data analysis services and supports the wider music community through funding, sponsorships and collaborations.
APRA AMCOS Aotearoa are all about fostering respect and value for songs and songwriters. Music and songwriting has great cultural and economic value, and songwriters need to be rewarded for their work. We create pathways for music to be legally shared. APRA AMCOS is an Australasian member-owned society representing around 120,000 members across Aotearoa, Australia, and the Pacific.
