BIGSOUND Announces New Music+Design Component

A new program has been added to Brisbane's annual BIGSOUND event in 2013, with the importance of design in relation to music to be addressed in the BIGSOUND Music+Design event. True to form, the organisers have enlisted a series of great speakers from around the globe to make a very interesting program.

Grammy Award winner Rob Jones of Animal Rummy has been responsible for cover and poster art design for the likes of The White Stripes and will be making the trip out from the US, joining a raft of local graphic designers like Sonny Day (from We Buy Your Kids), Ken Taylor and Christopher Doyle who will speak about the importance of design.

It's hard to think of another Australian band who have had such a striking visual presence than Regurgitator and they, along with their manager and successful poster designer Paul Curtis of Consume, will have plenty to say about how visual elements have been an important part of what they do.

As well as signing the likes of MGMT, Nick Panama has created some pretty interesting live experiences, such as Smartlounge as well as getting involved in new technologies like Sonic Notify, which essentially does as it says on the packet.

Ben Johnston from Josephmark has had a lot to do with the new MySpace, WeAreHunted and The Global Mail, so has expertise and runs on the board to make him more than worth paying attention to, while Kane Hibberd – a longtime photographer for Street Press Australia and an internationally acclaimed live music photographer – is also on the bill.

On a strictly music video related note, Australian illustrator, graphic designer, set designer and video director Jefferton James  and his manager/co-producer Dr Guy Morrow will have plenty of knowledge to drop on the subject.

One of James' most recent pieces.

There will be two days of the conference element, running on Tuesday 10 September and Wednesday 11, while there will also be a showcase at Fortitude Valley's Artisan Gallery Car Park on Wednesday 11 September and Thursday 12.

The inaugural BIGSOUND Music+Design program has been curated by Romy Willing. Check out the first BIGSOUND announcement here!