Australian Music Week Speaker Profile: Erin Collins

Position: Artistic Director, Cygnet Folk Festival

How did you first become involved in the music business? Initially, as a singer and musician, I became the default manager for my band Silkweed (still am). I then worked on a few events and festivals and became interested in and studied, event management.

What's your area of expertise and what experience do you have? Curating a festival programme and also writing are definitely my main interests, but I also have skills and experience in co-coordinating single performances/events and writing for both scripted and semi-improvisational settings.

What topics will you be mostly talking about at Australian Music Week? I'm on a panel discussing 'Festival Tribes' and the magic that brings people back to festivals year after year (Cygnet will be in its 34th year in 2016).

What do you hope to personally take away from Australian Music Week? The ideas and experience of other professionals in the field and the opportunity to hear what strategies others employ to make their events work, in addition to getting to meet both old friends and new.

What's one question about the music industry you'd love to have the answer to? How can we make it more achievable for ordinary working musicians to have a financially viable future?