NY trade expo focuses on reggae music

Artistes, producers, songwriters, selectors, videographers, dancers, stylists and other creative talent involved in the production, marketing and promotion of reggae music will, next week, be able to learn more about new ­opportunities in reggae music.

The New York Trade & Entertainment Fall Expo 2019, organised by a Jamaican, Sharein Morgan, will bring together a pool of industry professionals in Manhattan, who will share insights on starting and growing small and mid-size businesses within the ­creative arena of reggae. The event takes place November 22 at 342 West 37 Street and kicks off at 8 a.m. with registration, followed by workshops.

VP Records has partnered with the organisers and they will conduct a workshop and share information on industry trends and practices regarding music production, promotion and distribution. VP’s Strictly The Best album will also be launched and highlighted at the event via DJs and live performances. Among the entertainers taking the spotlight will be CK Pragmatic, a deejay from Brooklyn; reggae dancehall singer Nrozae, from the Bronx; and Marisia, a singer from Ramed Studios in Queens, NY.

The workshops end at noon, and will be followed immediately by the opening of the business zone, where entrepreneurs can connect with suppliers and start moving forward right there on the spot. It will be set up to facilitate an array of services, including a search for business and domain names, immediate registration of new companies, an ­opportunity to choose your business card and web design from hundreds of ­templates and order custom-­designed stationery and ­promotional items.

Graphic designers will also be available to assist with branding and logo designs, brochures, flyers and social media content creation. Attendees can also consult with professionals about issues relating to entertainment and immigration law, loans and business plans.

“We are expecting to have a ­tremendously productive day that will include live performances, and we are hoping to build on gains made in the past by offering patrons the opportunity to think outside the box for business,” Morgan, event executive producer and head of Unique Business & Event Services, told The Gleaner.