Learning the ‘biz

The Australian Institute of Music will be teaching the ins and outs of entertainment management at its new Melbourne campus.
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Students from AIM Sydney

A Bachelor of Music in Entertainment Management course is on offer for people interested in learning the business of music and performing arts. According to the Head of the Entertainment Management program, Rob Cannon, there are a few necessary steps to be taken before one can become a music mogul.

‘The first is educating yourself and that’s obviously doing something like coming to AIM or getting a formal education in business and in the entertainment industry – knowing things like how to write a business plan, and how to write a marketing plan,’ explained Cannon.

Cannon uses his experience working in marketing and artist and representation for several large labels, such as Sony and BMG, as firsthand background for his understanding of the industry.

‘It’s a fast evolving business, the entertainment industry – particularly the music industry – at the moment, so you need to know what’s going on. Where the opportunities lie, where the players and important parties are,’ said Cannon.

Entry to the Bachelor of Entertainment Management course is determined by an interview and academic results. Once the course begins, students are catapulted into a savvy, practical course that delivers a broad business overview geared towards the entertainment scene. 

‘We’re really teaching them all sorts of skills and information they need to go out in the entertainment industry and make the most of the opportunities that they get,’ said Cannon.

A major part of the industry is networking, and this can begin in the classroom. According to Cannon, ‘Our teaching staff work in the industry, so by having contact in the classroom with these teachers they’re starting to build their industry networks, which is another really important part of succeeding.’ As an institute filled with ties to real world creative people and businesses, AIM also helps students to acquire internships where they can build experience and contacts.

The Bachelor of Entertainment Management course, previously contained to Sydney, will be available at AIM’s new Melbourne campus in 2014. This Victorian expansion makes a lot of sense to Cannon.

‘I think Melbourne’s got a very rich music scene and there’s a lot of musicians, artists and elements of the entertainment industry that are based in Melbourne, so I think AIM’s presence there will provide opportunities for a lot of students and people who want to get into the industry and want to be based in that part of Australia.’ 

AIM hopes Melbourne musicians take advantage of their practical courses and use them as a stepping stone towards creative futures.

‘We want to come in to town and help provide them with the education and the networking experiences to enable them to launch their careers,’ said Cannon. 

The Entertainment Management Course begins in January 2014. Applications are now open.

A Melbourne Campus Open Day will be held on 18 January 2014 at 120 King Street, Melbourne City from 10am-3pm. Visit the open day information page for more details.

Find out about AIM courses in Melbourne here, or Sydney courses here. Visit the AIM website for general information or call 1300 301 983.

Melanie Sano
About the Author
Melanie Sano is an ArtsHub writer.