When MIDEM convenes in Cannes Jan. 28-31, the event will once again draw participants from more corners of the globe than any other music business conference. In 2011, more than 6,800 participants from 77 countries and 3,120 companies participated in MIDEM, which is now in its 46th year. 

How can one get a grasp on the numerous offerings at MIDEM?

For starters, Billboard offers this guide to 12 points to watch at MIDEM in 2012, from a trans-Atlantic perspective, as compiled by senior editorial analyst Glenn Peoples in the United States and contributor Richard Smirke in the United Kingdom…

9. More for Artists

Today’s acts must be more resourceful and self-reliant. The Direct2Fan Camp, a newly launched program dedicated to artists and music entrepreneurs, aims to deliver the expertise that contemporary acts need. “Tips on New Business Models” at noon on Jan. 29 will feature Futures Agency CEO Gerd Leonhard, Techdirt blog editor/Floor64 president/CEO Mike Masnick, music analyst Mark Mulligan, Frascogna Entertainment Law’s Martin F. Frascogna and Resilient Music founding partner Richard Kirstein. Latin American artist Javier Limón (4 p.m. on Jan. 28) and Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite (4 p.m. on Jan. 29) will participate in the “Artists Speak to Artists” sessions. The Jan. 30 “Visionary Monday” program will feature a presentation by the Future of Music Coalition of its “Artist Revenue Streams” project, detailing how more than 5,000 U.S. musicians and composers earn money from music.”