The sixth annual Aspen Artist Development Conference (December 6-8) at the Saint Regis Hotel in Aspen, CO, is taking a lead this year from Herb Allen's annual "Media & Technology Conference" in Sun Valley, ID, by inviting leaders of the music industry for meetings, skiing and ice hockey.
The AADC brings together managers, agents, record company executives, concert promoters, lawyers, business managers, insurance agents and others for discussions on developing talent in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere.
AADC's enrollment has always been capped at 200 registrants to ensure a real dialogue between attendees and is not open to the public. Artist development, not the discovery of new talent, is the focus of the conference; there are no artist showcases.
AADC is bringing in two speakers from outside the music industry this year to give some insight on how the rest of the world does business: Malcolm Gladwell, a staff writer for The New Yorker and author of the bestseller, "The Tipping Point," and author Jon Spoelstra, whose new book is "Marketing Outrageously." Spoelstra is president of team sports for Peter Guber's Mandalay Entertainment and has consulted professional baseball, hockey, soccer and basketball in the U.S., Spain, and Japan as well as serving as general manager for the Portland Trailblazers and president of the New Jersey Nets. While with the Nets, Spoelstra increased revenue by nearly 500% in three years.
