Exporta Música offers twelve workshops on taking Spanish music abroad
Having listeners overseas is not the same as building an international music career. Rights, touring costs, local relationships, financing and audience
Having listeners overseas is not the same as building an international music career. Rights, touring costs, local relationships, financing and audience data all stand between the two. «Exporta Música» examines those questions through twelve online sessions running from October 2026 to March 2027.
Starting with the right questions
An overseas audience spike is not the same as a community ready to buy concert tickets. Nor does a single showcase appearance guarantee future bookings. A realistic export strategy needs local relationships, a clear understanding of costs and measurable goals that go beyond looking successful on social media.
The workshops address the less glamorous but essential layers of the music business: rights, international royalties, funding, visas, logistics and professional fairs. Later sessions explore Latin America, Europe, foreign press relations and streaming. The point is not to promise every act an international breakthrough, but to help artists and managers decide where limited resources might actually make a difference.
Organised by Instituto de la Música with Music by Spain, the programme opened on 13 October with Becci Scotcher of PRS Foundation, also an EMEE board member. The central challenge is knowing when an overseas market presents a genuine long-term opportunity rather than a short-lived audience spike.
What the workshops cover
On 2 November, Mauricio Ruiz will focus on market selection based on audience analysis. Janis Shen tackles international rights and royalties on 3 November, followed by funding on 10 November with Pilar Aguilar and showcase festivals with Jess Partridge on 24 November. Later sessions address logistics and visas, Latin American and European markets, international publicity, streaming and partnerships.
From ambition to practical planning
For artists and small teams, playing an overseas festival may be exciting but costly; its long-term value depends on follow-up, relationships and measurable growth. The programme is educational rather than a guarantee of funding or gigs. Its usefulness lies in asking whether an opportunity can become a sustainable next step. Visit Instituto de la Música for the programme.