Key Takeaways from FOCUS Wales 2025

Be Mindful of Social Media

Social media has opened up the world, giving artists and promoters access to each other in a way they wouldn’t have previously dreamed of. 

But there are pitfalls. At LIVE’s Artists Journey to Headliner, panellists all agreed that there can be a disconnect between online presentation and in-person performances, noting that if bands don’t bring the energy they show on social media, audiences will switch off. 

For promoters, it’s crucial to: 

• Prioritise genuine, energetic performers who can deliver engaging live sets. They’ll help bring people back the next time around.
• Get out on the scene, watch bands, and judge based on how they engage the crowd and build relationships with them. This will give you artists you can depend on. 

Support Artists Beyond the Stage

Building promising musicians into fully fledged headliners isn’t just about repeated bookings, as Starving Artists’ Tumi Williams pointed out at LIVE’s Artists Journey to Headliner panel. 

Tumi raised that artists need support off the stage, too. Promoters can achieve this by: 

• Signposting artists to funding and funding application advice so they can get the financial support they need. 
• Passing on mentoring opportunities, leveraging industry contacts and offering insight. This could fill a gap in new artists’ knowledge.

Understand Audience Behaviours 

In the same discussion, all panel members agreed that there are two types of audience members: those who will come for the headliner and those who are eager to discover new acts. 

For promoters, this means:

• Catering to both audiences and trusting that the curious festival or gig goers will pick up on the fledgling acts you’re excited about. 
• Linking up with an event brand in your area that is renowned for pushing up-and-coming talent. They could curate a stage that will get the new music lovers talking. 

Foster Strong Networks

At the ‘Support Networks for Women Making Music in Wales and Internationally’ talk, the panel agreed that networking and collaboration have had a strong impact on their careers. 

They spoke about how this has allowed them to find their voice and take their music overseas. So, for promoters, it’s crucial to:

• Connect people. If you know an artist who could benefit from speaking to a venue manager or booking agent, put them in touch! An introduction goes a long way. 
• Host your own networking event. Go one step further and be the facilitator, match up the artists you know to the industry professionals they’d benefit from getting in front of.

Think Intergenerationally 

Discussion turned to intergenerational learning, where panellists remarked how they’d learnt lots from more experienced members of the community, and vice versa. 

While the old adage ‘age is just a number’ might feel cliché, it was clearly true for the artists on the panel. So, think about how you can foster this type of connection. You could: 

• Book mixed-age line-ups. This naturally brings younger and older artists under one roof, where they can share tips, tricks and trade secrets in the green room or in between soundchecks. 
• Facilitate mentorship. Know an artist looking for a mentor? Pair them up with the scene stalwart you know has pinpoint advice to pass on. 

If you’re booking your next line-up or looking for ways to make your festival stand out, FOCUS Wales had plenty of insights on offer. There are a wealth of music and event industry conferences out there, all of value to promoters. Check out our Instagram post below and discover a list of key dates to put in your diary this year. 

 

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