Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

For Immediate Release: October 23, 2023

Program submission deadline is December 1, 2023

HONOLULU—The 2024 Creative Lab Hawaii Music Immersive program (CLHMI) is soon to open and Hawaii singer-songwriters seeking opportunities to license their works for global media and entertainment content are invited to apply. Founded by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID), Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) was created to accelerate growth and develop new business opportunities for Hawaii’s creative entrepreneurs.

At the immersive, week-long CLHMI, select singer-songwriters will be partnered with top entertainment industry leaders and music producers to collaborate on compositions for licensing in specific television, film, advertising, and new media projects. These unique collaborative opportunities will provide local musicians access to national industry insiders in the business of music synchronization licensing. Also known as sync licensing, this type of music license can be granted by the copyright holder of a composition to allow a licensee to synchronize, or sync, music with various types of visual media.

Applications will be accepted from November 1 through December 1, 2023. The 2024 Creative Lab Hawaii Music Immersive program experience will be from February 6 through 10 on Hawaii Island.

“The industry business opportunities offered by CLHMI for Hawaii songwriters and artists are key to building a resilient creative economy for our State,” said DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka.

Under the direction of GRAMMY and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award recipient Charles M. Brotman, CLHMI provides Hawaii music creators with the opportunity to co-write and produce for projects working alongside world-class music supervisors, producers, songwriters, and executives.

Up to 12 applicants will be selected to participate in the 2024 program, based on an evaluation process by a panel of industry experts. “This program provides the mentoring and business access opportunities that have launched the careers of many local music creators,” said Charles Brotman.

“We designed Creative Lab Hawaii to embed industry specific opportunities for our creative entrepreneurs,” explains Georja Skinner, chief officer of DBEDT’s Creative Industries Division and founder of CLH. “By cultivating industry know-how to compose and license original songs for global film, TV, streaming or advertising, participants are able to expand revenue channels for their talents.”

To request an application, send an email with the word “APPLICATION” in the subject header directly to Charles Brotman at [email protected]. All applications and materials must be submitted in PDF form to [email protected] no later than December 1, 2023.

About the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
DBEDT is Hawaii’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaii’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promotes innovation-sector job growth.

About Creative Industries Division (CID)
CID, a division within DBEDT, is the state’s lead agency dedicated to advocating for and accelerating the growth of Hawaii’s creative economy. Through initiatives, program development, and strategic partnerships, the division and its branches implement activities to expand the business development, global export and investment capacity of Hawaii’s arts, culture, music, film, literary, publishing, digital and new media industries.

About Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH)
Creative Lab Hawaii was founded in 2012 by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic, Development and Tourism’s Creative Industries Division to accelerate the growth of Hawaii’s creative entrepreneurs through immersive, hands-on training in broadband/new media, producing, screenwriting, interactive media, music and design/fashion. A key facet of Hawaii’s creative economy, CLH is developing an ecosystem to increase export, attract investment and build the state’s creative entrepreneurial capacity in media, music and fashion/design. CLH features three program components: 1) Immersive Programs; 2) Ideation Workshops; and 3) Public Keynotes.

Website: creativelab.hawaii.gov
Facebook: Creative Lab Hawaii – facebook.com/creativelabhawaii
Twitter: @CreativeLabHI – twitter.com/creativelabhi
Instagram: @CreativeLabHI – instagram.com/creativelabhi

# # #

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laci Goshi
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
808-518-5480

Georja Skinner
Creative Industries Division
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
808-586-2590

Susan Wright
Becker Communications
808-799-4293