the::hub’s new digital producer has a thirst for knowledge. Your knowledge

the::hub’s newest recruit Karen Pirie talks pigs, pearls and astronomical puns as she gets her
head round her exciting new tasks

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was don’t be afraid to act dumb – or to put it another way – if you don’t know the answer you don’t have to pretend that you do. Such a relief! Since then I’ve made it my life’s work hoovering up knowledge from others who know far better than me. Yes I spend all my days conversing with very clever people. Generally it’s hard (although not impossible) to find someone who doesn’t have something really fascinating, funny or profound to share.

That’s pretty much what I’ll be doing now as the new digital producer for the::hub – asking experienced, knowledgeable music producers, artists and promoters to share their brilliant ideas and experience as well as their war stories – so that we can all learn from their efforts. And fantastically so will I. Will that make me the font of all knowledge?

If you’ve got a question – someone out there’s got an answer so for the next few weeks we’re figuring out how we can join the dots to ensure that your pearls of wisdom are not cast before swine. Sadly my attempts to make this happen do not include a visit to either a farm or to Tiffanys. Instead I’m on a bargain bucket flight through cyberspace searching for bright sparks, glittering ideas and shining examples to build a stellar bank of universally universally useful knowledge. (Enough space puns. Ed)

In practice that means getting the::hub geared up on Twitter and Facebook, revamping our website and creating new content – all ways of spreading the word and finding out what others in the music industry are talking about. It’s all a work in progress so bear with us (and do let me know if something’s not doing it for you). The great bit for me is checking out lots of cool stuff that other people are doing and yes.. learning.

Of course my interstellar quest for knowledge is not entirely unfocussed.  Next week at WOMEX the::hub’s director Julia Payne will be unveiling details of our Joining the Dots project which will ultimately gift six of the music industry’s most adventurous and entrepreneurial types with a wodge of cash and fantastic learned mentoring as they put one game-changing idea into practice – and then tell the rest of us how it went.

So between now and then we’d like to know how you think that money should be spent and what areas of your work need some fresh impetus and ideas. For starters we already think – inspiring young consumers, digital engagement, live attendance and new distribution and commissioning models are ripe for discussion. If you’ve got thoughts/ideas/experiences that will help us get the conversation going then please share your pearls of wisdom on twitter and do sign up to our newsletter (see link at the bottom of this page) where we’ll be revealing full details of how to apply to Joining the Dots.

@karenatthehub is the new digital producer for the hub.