As part of a new series, The Current Climate, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (hcmf//) are pleased to announce an upcoming seminar, Sustainability in the Digital Age, which will look to answer the question “Is streaming music always the greener option?” These seminars are part of the Kirklees Year of Music 2023 Music Industry Programme. 

Taking place online on Thursday July 28 at 7pm, the online discussion is free to attend and you do not need to register in advance. 

Due to live events being put on pause throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, many event organisers and artists turned to digital methods of creating and sharing their art.

This is a timely shift in approach during this period of global climate crisis when we’re often told that digital is better for our carbon footprint – but is this definitely the case?

Panellists include Des Agyekumhene, co-founder of world-leading Web3 creative agency Soga World. Soga World held the first NFT ticketed music event in the UK, as well as the first festival NFTs (before Coachella) where they partnered with Strawberries and Creem festival to tokenise festival experiences for fans.

Catherine Baxendale, executive producer for Invisible Flock, will also be on the panel. Invisible Flock is an award-winning interactive arts studio based at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Hub at Wellcome Collection, operating at the intersection of art and technology. Invisible Flock explore the environmental crisis in all its forms and dedicate their focus to exploring this issue through digital art practices.

Sarah Hutton, music industry co-ordinator at Kirklees Year of Music, said: “We’re really looking forward to the upcoming seminar discussing such a vital topic for the industry.

“The panel is brimming with experts who are really knowledgeable about climate action in music and will be offering tangible insight to all those working across the sector.” 

The event is free to attend and you do not need to book a ticket in advance. Find out more about the event here: https://hcmf.co.uk/panel-discussion-sustainability-in-the-digital-age/ 

The event is produced by hcmf// in partnership with Kirklees Council; supported by Music in Kirklees Year of Music 2023.