Published 24 May, 2021

As part of our Experts in Residence program, we have teamed up with music strategist Amber Horsburgh to offer 10x Victorian emerging artist managers/self-managed artists the opportunity to participate in the School of Deep Cuts online marketing course.

This program is best suited to emerging managers or self managed artists who are responsible for release strategies and audience development. As a participant, you’ll be joining a cohort of music industry professionals from around the globe to learn about what marketing strategies translate when it comes to finding worldwide fans, wherever they are. Please note these funded spots (valued at $USD 997 per person) are for participants who are planning an upcoming release, within the next 12 months. 

Program includes:

·  12-month access to on-demand course content including video lessons, essential release day templates and checklists

·  Access to private Discord group to discuss release strategies, tools and marketing tactics

·  Bi-weekly group coaching calls to keep your project on track 

Course modules:

·  Planning: develop a solid release strategy that builds your career 

·  Social Media & Content Strategy: create insatiable content to get new fans to stop scrolling and click on your profile

·  Digital Advertising: reach bigger numbers than ever through Ads 

·  Data: Use Data to better inform marketing decisions, which reduces wastage and time spent on the wrong initiatives

·  Budgeting: build a functional & actional marketing budget

About School of Deep Cuts

60,000 songs are uploaded to Spotify every single day (source: Spotify Stream On, February 2021). As an artist, it’s not enough to just have great songs. You need good marketing to cut through the noise. Great songs without plan, fail. Great songs with a good plan, top the charts.

The School of Deep Cuts is a release planning 101 program for artists and emerging managers. For 12 months, members learn the fundamentals of music marketing through self-paced, self-guided lectures. Every two weeks, members participate in group coaching calls led by global industry leaders to get direct feedback on their projects and build their network. At the end of the program members have built a marketing system tailored to their audience, artistic preferences and resources as an artist.

The course is built off the 10+ year career of Amber Horsburgh, former SVP Strategy at New York City’s Downtown Records (home to Chet Faker/Nick Murphy, Mura Masa, Miike Snow, Cold War Kids, and Smino) turned artist coach. She’s consulted to artists, labels and brands including Spotify, SoundCloud, Interscope, Atlantic, Sonos, Samsung, Google Play, Tkay Maizda, Allday, Cub Sport, SOFI TUKKER and NBA YoungBoy.

Horsburgh recognized the need for more knowledge sharing by executives at the top to independent artists who are quickly building their careers by themselves. The program empowers them to use guiding principles and resources Horsburgh developed working with global music brands to reach bigger audiences. 

Upon launching the first intake of members in October 2020, more than 300 people signed up across the globe. It was supported by AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association), VMDO (Victorian Music Development Office), and AAM (Association of Artist Managers).

Instagram: @deepcuts.co

Twitter: @amberhorsburgh

Applications open now, until 5pm on Friday 4th June.

Successful applicants will be notified on Monday 7th June and emailed an access code, to begin the program immediately. 

Demographics & Identity questions: For more information about our demographics and identity questions in the registration process, please head to: musicvictoria.com.au/demographics-and-identity

For any queries, please contact info@vmdo.com.au