- Location: Palais de Festivals in Cannes, France
- Cost: In 2009, 675 euros until October 31. The price increases monthly thereafter to a maximum of 1,125 euros for a walk-up ticket. Learn more here.
- Attendees: Industry insiders, and industry insider wannabes. Labels, distributors, manufacturers, agents, artists - Midem is attended by all sectors of the industry.
Midem is set up like a trade fair, and so by day, participants wander from exhibition booth to exhibition booth checking out who is there and what is on offer. This is when new deals are made and old relationships cemented.
By night, the atmosphere changes at Midem. Companies take turns hosting nightly "cocktail hours" at their booths, during which the host exhibitors promote their own music while plying attendees with free food and drinks! From there, the party moves to the clubs, where record labels host showcases to show off their biggest starts and get a buzz going for their up and coming artists.
The opportunities may be great at Midem, but you pay a price for them. An advance ticket will set you back 950 euros, and a walk-up ticket will cost you 1,050 euros at the time of writing. In addition to these costs are of course travel, accommodation, food, and the promotional tools you'll need to make it all worthwhile. For this reason, if you're just getting started in the music biz, Midem is not for you. Wait until you have something concrete to promote
Many industry people swear that the Midem book alone is worth the cost of admission. This book is the music industry contact holy grail, with email address and phone numbers of some of the biggest players in the business. If you go, guard your book with your life. They are often stolen, and a replacement book means buying a whole new ticket!
MidemNet is the newest addition to Midem. It focuses on the ever growing world of online music. Attendance at MidemNet is not included in the regular admission price; you'll pay an extra 500 euros to attend that event.
Midem is a costly event, and for some, it can be an exercise in futility. If you're an artist with a demo cd to hand out, Midem is not for you. If you're just starting a record label, management company, or agency, Midem is not for you. Invest your money into your product or business first, and then hit Midem when you have something really worth talking about.
Many countries offer financial support for music related companies to attend Midem, particularly in Europe. Your local arts council or performance rights group should have info. Be aware that there may be strict funding deadlines, so plan ahead.
