April 13, 2016: Why Dropbox is Partnering With Music Conferences, How Industry Awards Juries Can Diversify, North Carolina's Anti-L.G.B.T. Bill Negatively Impacts Convention Business

1. WHY DROPBOX IS PARTNERING WITH MUSIC CONFERENCES: Dropbox is making its mark on the music industry conference circuit this year. The file-sharing service will sponsor the awards luncheon at Music Biz 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee, next month, and Chris Barton, head of mobile operator business development, will participate in a keynote panel at Los Angeles talent conference Musexpo next week. The brand's growing involvement with these events demonstrates how technology companies are expanding their reach in the music industry, which in turn is using the partnerships to evolve. Forbes: "Dropbox already boasts an impressive record on the festival and conference circuit this year, hosting panels on collaboration and the creative process at the Sundance Film Festival as well as the Dropbox Podcast Studio at SXSW, and participation in Musexpo and Music Biz will round out its presence across all entertainment sectors. … Like music conferences themselves, Dropbox has served as a key convergence point for music professionals in recent history, from artists and producers to publishers and curators. It is important to note, however, that Dropbox is not rolling out any product features tailored specifically to the music industry, and that such previous attempts have failed, such as its short-lived integration with SoundCloud. Spinoff applications targeted at music lovers, such as Jukebox, have also not taken off as quickly as other music apps. A focus on conferences suggests Dropbox’s dedication to cultivating ideas, not just products, and perhaps provides a model for technology companies seeking a more empathetic approach to partnerships with the music business." http://onforb.es/1N71T9I

2. HOW INDUSTRY AWARDS JURIES CAN DIVERSIFY: Juries for industry awards need to become more diverse in order to remain relevant. But change doesn't happen overnight, as exemplified by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' incremental steps to diversify its board in response to the #OscarsSoWhite criticism. Gina Grillo, president and C.E.O. of the Advertising Club of New York and the International ANDY Awards, discusses how entertainment and advertising industries can learn from other industry initiatives, including General Mills's artificial flavors removal and HP's greenhouse emission reductions. Adweek: "Diversity initiatives must be tackled in a similar fashion—bravely and incrementally. But in the long run, we cannot simply enforce diversity—it needs to happen organically, at the place where the talent pool is created and nurtured. Those involved in the hiring process must shift their focus toward bringing in diverse talent, and new processes will need to be created in order to ensure that we're not just attracting the right people, but retaining them by creating a culture that openly embraces and champions diversity. By evolving our culture in this way, we can create the conditions for lasting change." http://bit.ly/1Wqa9ny

3. NORTH CAROLINA’S ANTI-L.G.B.T. BILL NEGATIVELY IMPACTS CONVENTION BUSINESS: Less than a month after North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2, 13 conventions have already been cancelled in Charlotte. Organizers said the cancellations were based on the bill’s discrimination of the L.G.B.T. community, and more events and businesses are leaving cities in the state for the same reason. Skift: “Meanwhile, companies like PayPal have cancelled plans to expand operations into the state. Fueling the negative publicity nationwide, Bruce Springsteen cancelled a scheduled concert in Greensboro, and there’s a groundswell of calls to move the 2017 NBA All-Star game away from Charlotte. … In an effort to stem the convention business losses and bad press, CRVA CEO Tom Murray posted a prepared statement, urging state and local leaders to find a resolution.” skft.it/1S5pIf8

4. FASHION WEEK LOSES HIGH-PROFILE SHOWS: Fashion industry staple Public House has announced it will hold combined men's and women's New York runway shows in December and June, rather than in February and September during New York Fashion Week. The brand's absence is expected to have more of an impact on the men's edition of the event. The Wall Street Journal: "The label’s departure is the latest jolt to the event, which some designers have criticized as overcrowded and less relevant in an age when they can share their work through social media and other, more immediate formats. … The label won’t be completely absent when New York Fashion Week returns in September. According to Public School co-founder Maxwell Osborne, the label will host a consumer event then, as well as the following Fashion Week in February, though it won’t host a traditional runway show. It may bow out completely from the men’s fashion week events in February and July, he said. Public School’s move comes a month after New York Fashion Week organizer the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the Boston Consulting Group released a study examining the future of the event. It concluded that individual designers have to decide on their own whether showing at fashion weeks make the most sense for their brands." http://on.wsj.com/1qOxYK0

* LOCAL NEWS *

INDUSTRY NEWS:  Charlotte, North Carolina-based TrustHouse Services Group has acquired Philadelphia catering company Starr Restaurants Catering Group. Philadelphia Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1Sx4UMF

The Empire State Building was lit in the colors of the Meetings Mean Business logo on Tuesday in advance of the first Global Meetings Industry Day, which is Thursday.

ATLANTA:  The fifth annual Atlanta Street Food and Music Festival will take place June 11-12 at Stone Mountain Park. This year, the event rebranded and switched locations. More than 50 food trucks including the Bento Bus, Low Country Lobster, and Bar-B-Q are slated to participate. Atlanta Journal Constitution: http://on-ajc.com/1SLCA9W

CHICAGO:  Chef’s Playground, a benefit for the Academy for Global Citizenship, will be held at Terzo Piano on May 19.

LAS VEGAS:  Gaga at the Cromwell has expanded brunch to Fridays, in addition to Saturdays and Sundays.

LOS ANGELES:  Heal the Bay’s annual Bring Back the Beach gala is slated for June 9 on the sand at the Jonathan Beach Club.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Yoga Expo will take place Saturday at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center. The ticketed event includes yoga and meditation programs, live music, local and sustainable fare, and a marketplace. Experience Expositions manages the show, which travels to eight cities.

NEW YORK:  The inaugural F.a.d. Weekend—a curated fashion, art, and design pop-up flea market—will debut on May 1 at Boerum Place in Brooklyn. Featuring items from more than 25 artists, the pop-up will take place every Sunday through June 26.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  The 16th annual Florida Music Festival & Conference will take place April 21-23. The event includes seminars during the day and live entertainment at night from more than 50 artists performing at venues around downtown Orlando.

SAN FRANCISCO:  Despite neighbor complaints, the Armory now has a full entertainment permit and can hold events every night of the week. The Mission District venue has a 40,000-square-foot event space that can hold 4,000 guests. SF Station: http://bit.ly/25X2alY

TORONTO:  Starlight Children’s Foundation will host its annual gala on Saturday at Fairmont Royal York Hotel. The theme is “Under the Sea.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Millennial Impact Conference will take place June 21-23 at the National Geographic Headquarters. The event, which brings together millennial leaders in a variety of industries, is sponsored by brands including Instagram, American Express, and Sweetgreen.

French-Mediterranean restaurant Requin will remain permanently in its 5,100-square-foot space in Fairfax's Mosaic District. The restaurant, which launched as a pop-up last December, will also get a second location at the Wharf in the District's Southwest Waterfront in 2017.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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