Research Guides: Music and Entertainment Industry: Professional and Career

Professional Organizations

Music Business Association
The Music Business Association (Music Biz) creates the rooms in which the important conversations that shape the future of our industry take place. We believe it takes the commitment of everyone in the room to make these conversations actionable. We know when we work together, our industry, your business and your people will be stronger as a result!
Audio Engineering Society
The Audio Engineering Society is the only professional society devoted exclusively to audio technology. Founded in the USA in 1948, the AES is now an international organization that unites audio engineers, creative artists, scientists and students worldwide by promoting advances in audio and disseminating new knowledge and research.
Independent Promoter Alliance
The IPA is a professional organization that unites independent talent buyers and promoters for long-term success by providing a platform dedicated to facilitating industry-specific dialogue, educational resources and collaborative opportunities.
The Professional Musicians of Central New York Local 78
Every day the AFM helps thousands of musicians — negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music, securing benefits such as health care and pension, or lobbying our legislators.
Association of Music Producers
Founded in 1997 from a successful lobbying effort to raise ASCAP royalties for advertising, we continue to advocate for creators of sound and music for media. We are a 501(C)(6) not-for-profit trade association.
The Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America® advocates for recorded music and the people and companies that create it in the United States. RIAA’s several hundred members – ranging from major American music groups with global reach to artist-owned labels and small businesses.

Job Boards and Gigs

NIVA Job Board
Musical America Worldwide
Job listings, news, and industry reports for the performing arts; plus an online directory of artists, managers, publishers, producers and more
ILMC Industry Associations
List of a selection of internationally sourced industry associations.

Conferences and Learning Opportunities

International Live Music Conference
ILMC is a year-round organization that also publishes the industry’s leading international trade magazine, IQ. ILMC organizes the International Festival Forum (IFF), and various specialist satellite events that take place around its main annual conference including Futures Forum, the ILMC Production Meeting (IPM), and the Green Events & Innovations Conference (in partnership with A Greener Festival).

National Independent Venue Association
Formed in mid-April 2020, just three weeks into the pandemic’s shutdown, NIVA’s members are independent venues, promoters, and festivals representing every state, Washington, D.C., and Guam. With the support of its members and their fans, the organization successfully launched a nationwide movement to #SaveOurStages, pulling together voices big and small to save independent venues and promoters on the brink of collapse due to COVID-19 shutdowns.