BMAC Announces Third Annual Gala in L.A.
The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) announced that Primary Wave Music and Jesse Collins Entertainment will produce the 2023 BMAC Gala presented by Live Nation on Thursday, September 21 at The Beverly Hilton. Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon will serve as the gala’s executive producers with Brittany Brazil as co-executive producer, while Kristin Meyers will assume the role of showrunner. Additionally, Donna Grecco returns as producer for Primary Wave Music for the third consecutive year. The highly anticipated event will honor recording artists, executives, activists and companies who have utilized their platforms to drive social change throughout the past year. Award recipients, participants and event details will be announced in the coming weeks.
“With the BMAC Gala now in its third year, we are proud to partner with Primary Wave and Jesse Collins Entertainment, who have produced some of the biggest cultural moments in entertainment history. We look forward to delivering a powerful tribute to those who paved the way for true representation and justice within our industry. Our mission will always be to empower our community and ignite the passion for change,” said Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, co-founder/co-chair Black Music Action Coalition. “This year’s celebration will be a testament to the unshakeable spirit of Black artists, music professionals and activists, who are inspiring a new generation and creating a future of greater equity, unity, and everlasting impact.”
The 2023 BMAC Gala will celebrate the organization’s accomplishments over the last year and highlight upcoming initiatives. Attendees will enjoy an unforgettable night of musical performances, heartfelt tributes, and a shared vision of justice, encouragement and hope for the future. Attendees will enjoy an unforgettable night of musical performances, heartfelt tributes, and a shared vision of justice, encouragement, and hope for the future.
Since Black Music Action Coalition’s inception in 2020, the organization has been instrumental in addressing systemic racism within the music business and advocating on behalf of Black artists, songwriters, producers, managers, agents, executives, lawyers and other impassioned industry professionals.
Among recent collaborations, a notable partnership with the Academy of Country Music gave rise to the “OnRamp” program, a pioneering guaranteed income initiative supporting 20 young, Black music community members, including artists and industry professionals, in Nashville, TN. Moreover, the group joined forces with Audiomack to launch the groundbreaking “Black Music Executives Are The Future” internship and mentorship program, offering five Black undergraduates or recent graduates invaluable paid internships at Audiomack, coupled with mentorship from distinguished music industry executives. Additionally, BMAC unveiled the second edition of its Music Industry Action Report Card (MIARC), assessing numerous organizations across various categories – labels, publishers, streaming services, live entertainment, touring, and the Recording Academy – and their actions to uplift Black employees and contribute to racial justice initiatives. Remarkably, these and other initiatives have reached over 5,000 students, provided mentorship to 100 emerging music artists and industry professionals, and directly funded various communities with more than $700,000.
The Black Music Action Coalition Board includes Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, Caron Veazey, Ashaunna Ayars, Naima Cochrane, Jamil Davis, Shawn Holiday, Damien Smith, and Courtney Stewart. The Black Music Action Coalition Advisory Board includes music industry icons Clarence Avant, Irving Azoff, and Quincy Jones. The 2023 Black Music Action Coalition Gala is presented by Live Nation with support by media partner Variety.