For those of you who are not familiar with the NAMM trade show, you’re in for a treat. This annual trade show attracts over 100,000 attendees each January, bringing the music tech industry a bit like Comic-con or E3 for the instruments industry. The show serves as a showcase for the latest products from major brands. NAMM’s first show took place in Anaheim, California, in 1901, and it quickly rose to become one of the most prominent music tech events in the world. The only competition comes from the Musik Messe in Germany.
NAMM is a non-profit organization
The NAMM Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant to Young Audiences Arts for Learning, a national nonprofit dedicated to connecting students with music and arts education resources. The NAMM Foundation has also partnered with Young Audiences to launch the NAMM Foundation Management Institute, which covers topics such as board governance, fundraising, and marketing. Additionally, the institute will address timely issues affecting the music education and service nonprofit industry. The Institute will also provide resources and best practices for nonprofits in the music industry.
The NAMM Foundation’s mission is to advance music making and offer quality access to all people. Its funding will benefit a variety of initiatives, including the Ensemble Newsletter, which serves as the hub for the El Sistema network. The NAMM Foundation also supports Orchestre a L’Ecole, a nonprofit French association that fosters young musicians’ musical abilities in disadvantaged areas. By supporting the foundation, the NAMM Foundation will expand the reach of these programs and provide instruments to students regardless of their financial ability.
It represents 10,300 member companies
The National Association of Music Merchants is an international trade association representing more than 10,000 companies. According to the organization’s website, sales for the industry reached $16.6 billion in 2014 and $17 billion in 2015. The organization will release updated sales figures for 2016 in April. The organization was founded in 1901 and has been represented by over 200 nations. Some of its founding members include Taylor Guitars, Carvin Audio & Amplifiers, and Deering Banjos. This year’s NAMM trade show will feature 1,700 companies. The music industry is so widespread that it spans continents and brings in over $7 billion in sales.
This year’s Summer NAMM Show was held in Nashville, Tennessee. More than 90,000 people registered to attend. The event’s purpose was to foster music education and increase access for everyone. NAMM’s members are committed to supporting the arts and education, so they have partnered with the state’s legislature to support music education. The organization will continue to advocate for these goals. However, the organization is now looking for ways to engage the industry in California.
It promotes music education
The National Association of Music Merchants promotes music-making and education through donations and activities. Through these funds, the association helps to support worthy music-making programs across the country. Its member companies have a combined total of nearly 9,000 employees, making it an indispensable source of local music education information. Its mission is to inspire a lifetime interest in music-making and the enjoyment of making music. Here are some ways the NAMM Foundation helps make that mission possible.
The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation has named Henrico County Public Schools as a national leader in music education. These schools have received this distinction every year since 1999. “We are proud of these students’ success,” says Mary Luehrisen, executive director of the NAMMF. Music education has numerous benefits, including improving learning in other subjects. Furthermore, it improves the skills that students use in other areas of their lives.
It funds lobbying on Capitol Hill
The music industry has been active in lobbying on Capitol Hill. The National Association of Music Merchants funds lobbying efforts on behalf of the industry. However, the group’s lobbying efforts have not gone unnoticed. Musicians and environmentalists recently joined forces to call on NAMM to stop lobbying in favor of the “RELIEF Act,” which would gut the Lacey Act, which aims to reduce illegal wildlife and forest products trade.
The NAMM has admitted to organizing meetings and programs in which competing musical instrument retailers discussed price increases. The meetings were allegedly attended by NAMM representatives, who set the agenda and the topics for discussion. The FTC alleged that NAMM’s conduct had no legitimate business purpose and failed to result in any significant efficiency gains. Additionally, NAMM’s conduct facilitated collusive pricing tactics, which could harm consumers.
It hosts an annual trade show
NAMM, or the National Association of Music Merchants, is an annual music convention held in Anaheim, California, every January. This show is packed with education, networking opportunities, and hundreds of companies. This show features over 7,000 brands and thousands of musicians. For over 100 years, NAMM has been the premier event in the music industry. Hundreds of thousands of attendees attend the NAMM Show, including musicians, teachers, and industry professionals.
Summer NAMM takes place in Nashville, Tennessee, and is less than a quarter of the size of the January show. In addition, the show is focused more on professional development and industry meetings rather than product demonstrations. Founded in 1901, NAMM has evolved from a national retail organization to an international trade association. Members of the association include commercial companies, distributors, manufacturers, affiliates, and music educators.
It has an antitrust compliance program
The Federal Trade Commission settled charges against the National Association of Music Merchants after a contested case. The case focused on the association’s role in facilitating discussions on minimum advertised prices and the maintenance of that pricing. Despite the FTC’s settlement, NAMM’s compliance program is still evolving, and the organization has yet to disclose the scope of the program. But, the association is implementing new antitrust compliance standards and guidance for member organizations.
A national association should have an antitrust compliance program that is consistent with the requirements of federal and state antitrust laws. A compliance program can be as complex as a business’s antitrust policies. The FTC’s consent orders require that associations develop and maintain an antitrust compliance program that vettes all activities for antitrust risks. MTNA’s antitrust compliance program follows a similar approach.
