Management
The cornerstone of the services offered by Park, the company’s management skills have been applied to both new and established artists. With experience in all aspects of the business, they are able to not only advise on but provide many of the services required by artists. Outside of its in-house operation, Park has a wide range of essential contacts built up over many years in the music business.
Media Promotion
As the media landscape has grown and developed over recent years, so has Park’s press and promotion operation. Dealing with the print media on a local and national level, the company is adept at creating a high media profile for its clients. It also has a strong radio presence, including established contacts in the regional and national BBC, a product of a long history of record plugging. Park has built a specially strong relationship with the influential BBC Radio 2, both in their specialist departments and mainstream programming. Television is also well covered, with many of the companies acts featuring on high profile broadcasts.
Live Event Promoters
In keeping with its in-house ethos, Park has acted as live promoter for many of the acts on its books. Promoting over 2000 shows, these tours have ranged from small clubs to theatres and major venues across the United Kingdom. Highlights have included Steeleye Span at the London Palladium, the Spirit Of The Tradition tour that saw Maddy Prior play alongside Kathryn Tickell, Pentangle’s Jacqui McShee and John Renbourne, Maddy’s Ballads & Candles tour that reunited her with June Tabor, Steeleye Span’s sell out Wintersmith tour and Gilbert O’Sullivan’s 50th Anniversary Tour. Park has also been involved in managing and promoting Spanfest, a Steeleye Span curated festival set in some of the most spectacular stately homes in England.
Record Label
Hugely experienced in the area of music licensing and distribution, Park has expertise in placing master rights with companies worldwide, contributing to countless compilations as well as TV and film soundtracks. They have also helped artists set up their own imprints, notably Gilbert O’Sullivan who is currently enjoying his greatest critical profile for twenty years. Established in 1989, Park Records is widely recognised as one of the most essential roots, folk and acoustic labels in the UK, building a roster that includes Steeleye Span, Maddy Prior, Kathryn Tickell, The Carnival Band as well as up and coming artists such as Katie Doherty and Kirtsy McGee. The label is distributed in the UK through Proper Distribution.Park has also moved into new media output, developing a digital arm, and producing multi-media projects for its artists, most notably the online and DVD footage that accompanied Maddy Prior’s Quest tour in 2006.
Merchandising
Given John’s background, it is no surprise that Park has always understood the importance of merchandising. The presence of a record label meant that Park acts have been able to sell their music directly to their audience on tour, as well as T-shirts and other merchandise designed, produced and staffed by Park themselves. They also design, create and produce tour brochures and programmes. Past and present merchandising clients have included Richard Thompson,John Cale, PJ Harvey, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Steeleye Span.