Musicians of any age, working in any genre,
need to be aware of how federal policy impacts how they are making money now.

By Casey Rae
, Interim Executive Director, Future of Music Coalition

Internet issues get debated a lot, but it's not the only area where policy and creative culture intersect. From the federal agencies to Congress to the White House, the decisions made in Washington, DC have an outsized impact on the music world. Take radio for example: the 1996 Telecommunications Act completely reshaped the broadcast marketplace, making it next to impossible for the majority of artists–no matter how popular or talented– from having a shot at the airwaves due to massive consolidation in radio station ownership unleashed by this one piece of legislation.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it the Internet–whose potential was only beginning to be realized due to the new possibilities of broadband–was in danger of suffering a similar fate. Musicians and independent labels realized that in order to prevent the Internet from becoming like consolidated radio–where just a handful of companies can control what you hear and when–there needed to be some basic rules of the road so that independent musicians or labels can compete alongside the biggest companies. In part due to musicians getting involved, policymakers have become more invested in ensuring that the Internet remains open and accessible to everyone, including creators. But the fight isn't over yet–now's the perfect time to learn what's at stake and what you can do about it.

Then there are the ongoing debates about copyright, new business models and what is and isn't working for artists in the digital age. We're talking about everything to protecting artist rights to payouts on services like Pandora and Spotify. This stuff can get very complicated (and often pretty heated). But we think that the only way to address the many challenges facing musicians is get those with a stake in making it work to come together to discuss today's realities with an eye towards a sustainable future.

The Future of Music Summit is the only place where you'll hear policymakers like Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and Jacqueline Charlesworth (General Counsel and Associate Register, U.S. Copyright Office) offering their sense of how this stuff fits together, with artists as part of the conversation. (Check out the schedule online—more amazing names are being added every day.)

Whether it's issues around improving corporate radio (and expanding noncommercial opportunities), copyright, the Internet or even access to affordable health insurance, Future of Music Coalition is moving the debate forward. Join us in the nation's capital and take part in the issues are shaping music, technology and creative culture at the 2013 Future of Music Summit. Where else can you meet incredible people and wonk out until your head explodes? (OK, the last part has never actually happened, but there's always this year!)

Musician scholarships and student rates are available starting at $25.