The government of São Paulo is set to bring a delegation of ten companies to the Worldwide Music Expo (Womex) in England, one of the leading global events in the music industry. The business mission, taking place from October 23 to 27, is part of the CreativeSP initiative, a program spearheaded by the state's Department of Culture, Creative Economy, and Industries, alongside InvestSP, the state's investment promotion agency, which is linked to the Department of Economic Development.

CreativeSP's mission extends beyond the exchange of knowledge; it aims to promote new business opportunities, attract foreign investment, and boost job creation and income generation in the cultural sector. The selected companies for the mission are Let's GIG, Marolo Produções Culturais e Artísticas, BelicArte.Cultura, Conecta+ Música & Mercado, Agogô Cultural, Dreamland Digital, Pedra Onze, Melodia-a-Dia Criações Artísticas, Alter do Som, and Akassa Produções Artísticas e Eventos.

“Womex brings together entrepreneurs and innovators from the music industry, offering an excellent opportunity for São Paulo companies to stay up-to-date, explore market trends firsthand, and, naturally, build strategic partnerships,” said Marília Marton, Secretary of Culture, Creative Economy, and Industries.

The selected companies will have the chance to exchange technical knowledge and negotiate with representatives from around 100 countries. Last year, Womex gathered more than 2,700 professionals—including event promoters, producers, and distributors—and nearly 1,400 companies.

Beyond the cultural significance, the music sector has gained considerable economic weight in São Paulo, driven by large concerts and festivals. In addition to the well-established Lollapalooza, for example, the debut edition of The Town festival, held last September at Interlagos Racetrack, generated around R$1.7 billion in sectors like hospitality, food services, and transportation. With half a million attendees, the event created about 20,000 jobs.

The CreativeSP Program

CreativeSP offers up to $3,000 in eligible reimbursements, covering up to 50% of the travel expenses for the selected companies. The program also facilitates networking events during the missions and provides consulting, results monitoring, and post-event follow-up services.

In 25 missions so far, CreativeSP has supported 225 companies in the cultural industry to attend innovation, technology, entertainment, audiovisual, cinema, and literary events.

There are 10 planned missions in 2024. CreativeSP has already participated in events like the Berlin International Film Festival (Germany), South by Southwest (USA), Game Developers Conference (USA), the Cannes Film and Advertising Festivals (France), the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), and Gamescom (Germany). Later this year, in addition to Womex, the program will also attend the Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany) and Ventana Sur (Uruguay).