With more than 40 years of experience in the music industry, Collarts Head Of Entertainment Management, Chrissie Vincent sure knows a thing or two about its ever-changing landscape.
Vincent’s impressive career saw her working throughout Australia and over in LA with some of the world’s biggest music stars including The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Lenny Kravitz, as well as Australian music icons Pete Murray and Blackchords, but despite the glitz, glamour and fast pace in Vincent’s whirlwind career, it’s her current role as Collarts Head of Entertainment Management which has been one of her most rewarding gigs to date.
“This is the longest job I’ve ever had,” Chrissie laughs while on the phone.
Collarts (based in Melbourne but available online too) is a leading Australian tertiary arts education college which focuses on industry-based learning in the arts and entertainment industries. Vincent is constantly looking at ways to provide her students with rare opportunities to network and learn from some of the industry’s most renowned experts, and this year she’ll once again be bringing students from Collarts to BIGSOUND.
“I think it’s really important,” Vincent explains. “Watching [the students] get amongst such a good conference and see them networking and meeting people and just watching them blossom and get jobs [is great]. It’s really important for them to be a part of BIGSOUND and to see how the industry works and to hear it from other people and to be a part of the conference.”
Among some of BIGSOUND’s speakers and panellists are Collarts lecturers, Artist Manager Cara Williams and viceroyalty manager Zac Abroms. Vincent is excited that her students will see their lecturers presenting. “What sets us apart at Collarts is that pretty much all of our entertainment management lecturers are currently working in the industry and that’s a really important thing. . . Our students have access to so many amazing teachers.”
Among some of Collarts’ other educators are Emily Kelly from Deathproof PR, AWMA nominee Susan Cotchin from Mushroom Music, while Killing Heidi member and APRA winner Jesse Hooper is the school’s Head Of Music.
Vincent believes it's Collarts' unique combination of industry leaders as lecturers and high-tech facilities that sets Collarts apart from other institutions. “We are all really well-connected in the industry, and we have great facilities and great studios, an incredible auditorium, great facilities for music production, purpose-built rehearsal and recording studios. We also give the students opportunities to work with different cohorts, so a Business student might manage a Music Performance student – there’s so many degrees and cross-collaborations which is awesome.”
“When I started there were no [courses like this]. It took me quite a few years working at a record label or as a booking agent or in a management company to get a feel of what the business was about, but this [Entertainment Management] degree gives you all of that. I wrote it with other people working in the industry and this degree gives you that in two years, so getting that information of how that works from people in the industry, well you’re on a winning wicket.”
While Vincent believes education and a great network can help you make it in the industry – she believes the true winning factor is passion.
“I want to ensure my students come out of [Collarts] with resilience, drive and passion – that to me is the most important thing. You can’t just be like, “I want to work in the music industry”, you’ve got to work hard and have the drive. I’m still here today and just as passionate and I want to share my passion with my students and make sure the industry is a really healthy place for them.”
Collarts offers a multitude of courses both on campus in Melbourne, and online for interstate. For more information visit their website.
