The FMC team gets very excited for SXSW Music Festival each year — Austin Texas rules, and we don’t get enough chances to hang out there. For the past couple of editions of SXSW, the conference dabbled in crowdsourcing programming ideas with it’s Panel Picker, and just like last year, FMC is throwing its hat into the ring with what we think are some killer panel proposals. As of Monday, August 15 at 3 pm, YOU can vote for your favorite ideas (and ours, while you’re at it).

We’ve got four (!) panel ideas in the Picker, and we want your support! Check them out here or at the links below.

Brass in Pocket: Accessing More Musician Income
Are your songs being streamed on Pandora? Have you ever performed music on TV? Do you know about ASCAPlus, or BMI Live, or AARC royalties? Whether you’re a songwriter, performer or musician, there are pockets of money out there that you may be able to access. During this panel, learn more about revenue streams available to musicians and composers, from the obvious to the more obscure.

On The Money: Data on Musicians’ Revenue Streams
Meteoric transformations in the past 10 years have drastically changed the landscape for musicians. While it’s clear that musicians’ access to the marketplace has greatly improved, how have these changes impacted musicians’ ability to generate revenue based on their creative work? In 2010, the nonprofit Future of Music Coalition embarked on a multi-method research project that asked: what percentage of musicians’ income comes from each possible revenue source? What is the ratio among different sources, whether it’s royalties, money from gigs, or t-shirt sales? Has the ratio changed over time and, if so, why? Over the past 18 months, FMC has interviewed, surveyed and analyzed revenue patterns for a diverse array of musicians: from jazz performers, to classical players, TV and film composers, Nashville songwriters, rockers and hip hop MCs. Join the project co-directors for a presentation and discussion about the research findings, which serve as a vital benchmark for the music community.

Another Look at Recovery: Music & Community
Practically every region of the country has been affected by the prolonged economic downturn, and musicians are feeling the pinch. Meanwhile, arts budgets are being slashed at both the federal and state level, putting extra pressure on local cultural institutions and individuals. Yet there is also an increased awareness in policymaking circles that creative culture can create new opportunities for growth. Some towns and cities have already had some success in allowing music to help energize local economies. What can we learn from those experiments? What can government — federal and otherwise — do to encourage this trend? Are there opportunities for partnership between agencies involved in transportation, housing and urban development and those involved in driving culture at the local level? What resources are available to make these efforts easier? This panel would bring together government officials, musicians and music entrepreneurs to talk about how to make music a force in American recovery.

Appetite for Enforcement: IP Policy Evolves
Governments around the world are taking an active interest in the enforcement of intellectual property online, and America is no exception. While most agree that protecting rightsholders is important, how to do it is an open question for policymakers and the creative industry. Any sensible policy around IP enforcement would limit infringement while keeping the internet open for access and innovation. Do current proposals strike this balance? Should enforcement be left to the private marketplace, like the system enacted by American ISPs, movie studios and labels? Would expanded government powers have a meaningful impact on piracy without creating issues with free speech and internet infrastructure? What’s the strategy to encourage growth in the legitimate digital marketplace? This panel could include a brief presentation on IP enforcement by a high-ranking administration official, followed by a conversation with Hill staff, creative entrepreneurs, and tech/public interest professionals.

How to vote:

1. Go to http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ and create an account.

2. Login to the SXSW Music Conference Programming listing and browse or go straight to this listing to vote for FMC’s panels. It’s a simple thumbs up or thumbs down process.

Thanks for your support, and we’ll see you in Austin!