For more than 15 years, Women's Audio Mission (WAM) has been pushing for more women and gender non-conforming (GNC) individuals to join the ranks of professional music producers and audio engineers. It's a mission driven by the fact that women represent less than 5% of professionals in the audio industry.
This year, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the group will be holding its WAMCon industry conference online. The first WAMCon Virtual will take place July 24–25.
While attendees won't be able to meet up in New York, Los Angeles, or Nashville, as they have in previous years, the online nature of this month's conference is a great opportunity for people across the country and world to attend.
The schedule includes a keynote conversation, workshops, and panels from some of the leading names in music production and engineering. Friday's "Engineering Prince" will bring together four engineers that worked with Prince at different points in his career: Lisa Chamblee, Sylvia Massy, Peggy McCreary, and Susan Rogers.
Other speakers throughout Friday and Saturday include Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica—the producer and engineer famous for her mixing work with Beyoncé, Madonna, and Timbaland—and FOH engineer Amanda Davis, who tours with Janelle Monáe, Chloe x Halle, and Tegan and Sara.
Two-day tickets are $40, while WAM members and students are eligible for 50% off. There are also sliding-scale tickets available for women and GNC individuals who would otherwise be unable to attend.
Like previous WAMCons, WAMCon Virtual is expected to sell out. So if you're interested, click here to register now. While anyone is allowed to attend, because of the limited spots available, WAM asks that if you are not a woman, non-binary, or gender non-conforming, that you reconsider registering.
To learn more about the work of Women's Audio Mission , which includes education and job-placement programs, visit its website here.