THE WORKSHOP - August 28th 2026House of the Broken Line's Music Industry Workshop is a full-day session designed to give a mixed audience of aspiring artists, early-career professionals, and anyone curious about the business side of music, a practical, honest grounding in how the industry actually works commercially.
Rather than treating creative and commercial skills as separate tasks, the day is built around the idea that understanding branding, sponsorship, synch and deal-making is just as essential to a sustainable career as the music itself.
Attendees will learn from our Founder who spent eights years in labels and publishing and also hear directly from two industry guests, work through hands-on brand-building and pitch exercises, and leave with a clearer sense of how to present themselves and their work to the people who fund, elevate and platform it.
Format: Full-day workshop (approx. 9:30–17.00pm), mixed audience suitable for aspiring artists, early-career industry professionals, and commercially-minded attendees with no existing or some prior industry background.
What to expect
Morning
9:00–9:30 Welcome and The Industry Landscape
• Introduction to House of the Broken Line, it’s mission and the day
• How the modern music industry actually makes money; streaming, live performance, sync licensing, merchandise, and brand partnerships
• Why commercial literacy matters as much as creative output
Differences between record labels and publishers.
9:30–10:30 Building an Artist Brand
• What “brand” means beyond a logo or aesthetic; audience, story, consistency
• Case-study style walkthrough of artists who've built strong commercial identities
Break — 10:30–10:45
10:45–12:00 Sponsorship and Brand Deals (Deep Dive)
• How brand partnerships actually get done; what brands look for, how deals are structured, common pitfalls in offers and contracts
• Basics of deal terms and negotiation; what's usually on the table, what's not
• Synch licensing explained
• What makes an artist “sponsorable” at any stage of their career
Lunch — 12:00–13:00
Afternoon
13:00–15:00 Panel: Industry Voices
• Moderated Q&A with two guests spanning different sides of the industry (e.g. label/management and brand/synch licensing)
• Audience Q&A
Break — 15.00 - 15.30
15:30–16:30 The who’s who in the industry
• Track A: Deepening your brand story
• Track B: Getting signed
• The contacts and network - who is who
16:30–17:00 Recap and Key Takeaways
• Group share-back from breakout tracks
• Key lessons from the day
17:30 Networking at the bar
• Open networking with House of the Broken Line team
Notes
• Two panel guests confirmed for the Industry Voices session; final names to be added once locked in.
• Breakout tracks can be swapped or added to depending on final audience mix.
• Timings are placeholders and can flex around venue and confirmed speaker availability.
